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William Hill Hurdle: Past Winners, Stats & History

Super Saturday
Course:
Newbury
Jumps Course
Grade:
Premier Handicap
Length:
2m ½f
Last Winner:
Joyeuse @ 9/2
Prize Money:
£155,000 (2025)

Newbury’s Super Saturday, which takes place in February, has a number of quality races but the most interesting for many will be the William Hill Hurdle, a valuable handicap run over 2 miles ½ furlong.

The first running of this race actually took place at Aintree in 1963, won by Rosyth who followed up the following year with a repeat victory. The previous winners of this race include two who have gone on to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, Persian War and Make A Stand.

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William Hill Hurdle Course Map (Jumps Course)

Newbury Jumps Racecourse Map

William Hill Hurdle Past Winners

Year Winner SP Trainer Jockey
2025 Joyeuse 9/2 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville
2024 Iberico Lord 11/2 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville
2023 Aucunrisque 9/1 Chris Gordon Nick Scholfield
2022 Glory And Fortune 20/1 Tom Lacey Stan Sheppard
2021 Soaring Glory 17/2 Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr
2020 Pic D'Orhy 33/1 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
2019* Al Dancer 5/2 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies
2018 Kalashnikov 8/1 Amy Murphy Jack Quinlan
2017 Ballyandy 3/1 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies
2016 Agrapart 16/1 Nick Williams Lizzie Kelly
2015 Violet Dancer 20/1 Gary Moore Joshua More
2014 Splash Of Ginge 33/1 Nigel Twiston-Davies Ryan Hatch
2013 My Tent Or Yours 5/1 Nicky Henderson A P McCoy
2012 Zarkandar 11/4 Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh
2011 Recession Proof 12/1 John Quinn Dougie Costello
2010 Get Me Out of Here 6/1 Jonjo O'Neill Tony McCoy
2009 Abandoned (snow) - - -
2008 Wingman 14/1 Gary Moore Jamie Moore
2007 Heathcote 50/1 Gary Moore Jamie Moore
2006 Abandoned (frost) - - -

*2019 race was run at Ascot due to Newbury abandonment as a result of an equine flu outbreak.

About the William Hill Hurdle: Super Saturday’s Big Handicap

Barry Geraghty and Zaynar at Newbury Racecourse
Lesley Rigg, Bigstockphoto.com

The Premier Handicap William Hill Hurdle is one of the most exciting handicaps in the lead up to the Cheltenham Festival. Horses who run well in this tend to go on to have a run at the Festival but with a healthy prize fund, and bags of history and kudos at play, this is a race that very much stands on its own merits.

An Inauspicious Start

Although the William Hill Hurdle is indelibly linked with Newbury, the first edition back in 1963 actually took place at Aintree. The first winner of the race, Rosyth, became embroiled in some real controversy after he successfully defended his title in 1964 when the race moved to Newbury. The racing authorities were suspicious that a horse could win twice and yet be unplaced four times in between. Jockey, Josh Gifford, was suspended and trainer, Ryan Price, warned off.

The pair would, however, combine for two more wins in 1966 and 1967, the latter race won by Hill House who failed a drugs test but was subsequently shown to be able to produce cortisol naturally. It wasn’t until 2013, one year after the race became known as the Betfair Hurdle, that Nicky Henderson became the first trainer to surpass Ryan Price’s four wins as My Tent Or Yours won with Tony McCoy on board. Henderson has since added two more wins in this race to extend his lead as the top trainer.

Chart Showing the William Hill Hurdle's Top Winning Trainers Between 1963 and 2025

Initially, the race was known as the Schweppes Gold Trophy due to that company’s backing. Schweppes maintained sponsorship as the race grew in stature before Tote took over in 1986. That prompted a change of name to the Tote Gold Trophy (latterly the totesport Trophy) until 2011. From 2012 to 2024 the race was known as the Betfair Hurdle before William Hill became the backers of this race from 2025, taking on the present name.

William Hill Hurdle Title Changes: 1963 – 2025

Race Name Sponsor Year From Year To
William Hill Hurdle William Hill Bookmakers 2025 Present
Betfair Hurdle Betfair Bookmakers 2012 2024
Totesport Trophy Tote Bookmakers 2005 2011
Tote Gold Trophy 1987 2004
Schweppes Gold Trophy Schweppes Beverages 1963 1986

Cheltenham Winners a Rarity

The talk after My Tent Or Yours’ win in 2013 was all about him going on to race in the Champion Hurdle, one of the four feature races at Cheltenham. However, caution prevailed and he stayed in novice company before tackling the Champion the following year. My Tent Or Yours ran into one too good on three separate occasions in the big hurdle at Cheltenham so was unable to join Persian War and Make A Stand as winners of both races.

The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is actually the most common path for winners of the William Hill Hurdle to take. That’s because this is a contest in which a number of novice hurdlers are tested out against open company. Whatever choice connections make, it is rare for a horse to go from the William Hill Hurdle to victory at Cheltenham, although most winners at Newbury do at least try to claim glory at the Cotswolds extravaganza.

William Hill Hurdle Winners at Cheltenham: 2010 – 2024

Year William Hill Hurdle Winner Result at Cheltenham Festival
2024 Iberico Lord (11/2) PU – Champion Hurdle
2023 Aucunrisque (9/1) 18th – County Handicap Hurdle
2022 Glory And Fortune (20/1) 5th – Champion Hurdle
2021 Soaring Glory (17/2) 4th – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2020 Pic D’Orhy (33/1) Did Not Run
2019 Al Dancer (5/2 Favourite) 10th – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2018 Kalashnikov (8/1 Joint Favourite) 2nd – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2017 Ballyandy (3/1 Favourite) 4th – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2016 Agrapart (16/1) Did Not Run
2015 Violet Dancer (20/1) 10th – County Handicap Hurdle
2014 Splash Of Ginge (33/1) 15th – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2013 My Tent Or Yours (5/1 Favourite) 2nd – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2012 Zarkandar (11/4 Favourite) 5th – Champion Hurdle
2011 Recession Proof (12/1) 5th – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
2010 Get Me Out Of Here (6/1) 2nd – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

A Potentially Lucrative Prize

Winners of the William Hill Hurdle may not win many races at the Cheltenham Festival, at least not following on from their initial success, but as the above table shows, many end up in the places. That is quite impressive for a handicap race which has a knack of providing long odds winners.

It’s very much a mixed bag in terms of odds of William Hill Hurdle winners. Between 2010 and 2025 five horses won who were either the favourite or joint favourite. The other eleven winners went in at 9/2, 11/2, 6/1, 17/2, 9/1, 12/1, 16/1, 20/1, 20/1 and 33/1 twice. It’s little surprise that the winning favourites have had a better Cheltenham record than the longer priced horses.

Chart Showing the Start Prices of the William Hill Hurdle Winners Between 1998 and 2025

Connections weren’t just enthused by this as a warm up race though in past seasons. There was also a handsome £100,000 bonus for horses winning both the Betfair Exchange Trophy and the then Betfair Hurdle. The prize fund for this race by itself was £155,000 in 2025, making this very lucrative for a Premier Handicap contest.

Other Races of Note at Newbury

  • Challow Novices’ Hurdle
  • Coral Gold Cup
  • Hungerford Stakes
  • Lockinge Stakes
  • Mill Reef Stakes
  • Weatherbys Super Sprint
  • William Hill Hurdle

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