Howden Long Walk Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Ascot 14:25 £105,000 guaranteed 4yo plus, 3m 97y, Class 1  |
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1 Champ 4/1
2 Thyme Hill
5/2F
3 Paisley Park 11/2
8 ran NR: Buzz Distances: 1¾l, 3½l, 3¼l
Time: 6m 8.45s (slow by 13.45s)
Champ returns triumphantly to the smaller obstacles in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle under @JJONeillJnr for @sevenbarrows @Ascot pic.twitter.com/AanY0BnVBC https://t.co/SQyfurEcD6 via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) December 18, 2021
The nine-year-old Champ, trained by Nicky Henderson, was last seen being pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup – but showed he retained all his ability when outpointing Thyme Hill and Paisley Park in the extended three-mile showpiece.
The 4-1 chance was pulling double before the home turn with two flights left to jump and had to find extra in the closing stages as Thyme Hill put in a serious challenge.
But Jonjo O’Neill Jnr – recording a landmark first Grade One victory of his career – kept the JP McManus-owned gelding up to his work to prevail by a length and three-quarters.
Thyme Hill was runner-up for the second year running, although he reversed placings from 2020 with Paisley Park, who was three and a half lengths away in third on this occasion. Thomas Darby was fourth.
It was a bittersweet success for Henderson as he had to withdraw ante-post favourite Buzz on the eve of the race as the horse suffered a serious injury.
In the antepost Cheltenham Festival betting, Champ was cut to 100/30 for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the with MansionBet.
Howden Long Walk Hurdle
£105,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m 97y, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
1 Champ 9 11-7 Nicky Henderson Jonjo O'Neill Jr 4/1
2 1¾ Thyme Hill 7 11-7 Philip Hobbs Tom O'Brien 5/2F
3 3½ Paisley Park 9 11-7 Emma Lavelle Tom Bellamy 11/2
4 3¼ Thomas Darby 8 11-7 Olly Murphy Fergus Gregory 9/1
5 9½ Ronald Pump 8 11-7 Matthew J Smith Keith Donoghue 3/1
6 4¼ On The Blind Side 9 11-7 Nicky Henderson James Bowen 12/1
7 6½ Third Wind 7 11-7 Hughie Morrison Charlie Deutsch 22/1
PU Lisnagar Oscar 8 11-7 Rebecca Curtis Adam Wedge 40/1
NR 1 Buzz 7 11-7 Nicky Henderson NON RUNNER
LONG WALK HURDLE ROLL OF HONOUR (1965-2020)
Race run as a handicap prior to 1971
(run at Newbury in 2009, Chepstow in 2005 and Windsor in 2004)
Year Winner Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP
2020 PAISLEY PARK
2019 THE WORLDS END
2018 PAISLEY PARK
2017 SAM SPINNER
2016 UNOWHATIMEANHARRY
2015 THISTLECRACK
2014 REVE DE SIVOLA
2013 REVE DE SIVOLA
2012 REVE DE SIVOLA
2011 BIG BUCK’S 8-11-07 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls AP McCoy 3/10F
2010 BIG BUCK’S 7-11-07 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls AP McCoy 2/13F
2009 BIG BUCK’S 6-11-07 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 1/2F
2008 PUNCHESTOWNS 5-11-07 Judy Wilson Nicky Henderson Barry Geraghty 3/1F
2007 LOUGH DERG 7-11-07 W Frewen David Pipe Tom Scudamore 14/1
2006 MIGHTY MAN 6-11-07 Joss Hanbury Henry Daly Richard Johnson 11/8F
2005 MY WAY DE SOLZEN 5-11-07 B Windfield, A Longman, J Wright, C Fenton; Alan King Robert Thornton 12/1
2004 BARACOUDA 9-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Tony McCoy 8/13F
2003 BARACOUDA 8-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 2/7F
2002 DEANO’S BEENO 10-11-07 Axom Martin Pipe Tony McCoy 14/1
2001 BARACOUDA 6-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 2/5F
2000 BARACOUDA 5-11-07 Roger Barby Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 11/4
1999 ANZUM 8-11-07 Old Foresters P’ship Alan King Richard Johnson 4/1
1998 PRINCEFUL 7-11-07 Robert Hitchins Jenny Pitman Richard Dunwoody 11/4F
1997 PADDY’S RETURN 5-11-07 Paddy O’Donnell Ferdy Murphy Norman Williamson 8/1
1996 OCEAN HAWK 4-11-07 Matt Archer/Jean Broadhurst Nigel Twiston-Davies Carl Llewellyn 7/1
1995 SILVER WEDGE 4-11-07 Shirley & Bill Robins Oliver Sherwood Jamie Osborne 7/1
1994 HEBRIDEAN 7-11-07 Peter Deal David Nicholson Adrian Maguire 100/30
1993 SWEET DUKE 6-11-07 Andy Mavrou Nigel Twiston-Davies Carl Llewellyn 7/2
1992 VAGOG 7-11-07 M A Swift Martin Pipe Martin Foster 15/2
1991 Abandoned due to frost
1990 FLOYD 10-11-07 Mike Walsh David Elsworth Graham Bradley 10/1
1989 ROYAL ATHLETE 6-10-08 Gary Johnson Jenny Pitman Dean Gallagher 33/1
1988 FRENCH GOBLIN 5-11-01 Maurice Pinto Josh Gifford Peter Hobbs 3/1
1987 BLUFF COVE 5-10-08 Dickins Ltd Reg Hollinshead Richard Dunwoody 14/1
1986 OUT OF THE GLOOM 5-10-08 Paul Green Reg Hollinshead Peter Scudamore 4/1
1985 MISTY DALE 7-10-08 David Rose Jenny Pitman Phil Tuck 9/4F
1984 KRISTENSON 7-10-08 Ursula Fantasia Roger Fisher Michael Williams 7/2
1983 CRIMSON EMBERS 8-10-11 Pam Smart Fulke Walwyn Stuart Shilston 14/1
1982 MAYOTTE 7-10-11 B Davies Richard Holder Paul Richards 15/8F
1981 Abandoned due to snow
1980 DERRING ROSE 5-11-11 Peter Savill Fred Winter John Francome 7/1
1979 JOHN CHERRY 8-10-11 Milton Ritzenberg Tom Jones Steve Smith Eccles 6/1
1978 KELSO CHANT 6-11-07 Mrs M Richardson Jumbo Wilkinson Steve Charlton 10/1
1977 JOHN CHERRY 6-10-11 Milton Ritzenberg Tom Jones Steve Smith Eccles 11/8F
1976 Abandoned due to frost
1975 LANZAROTE 7-12-05 Lord Howard de Walden Fred Winter John Francome 4/9F
1974 GO BINGO 5-11-12 Guy Reed Sam Hall David Munro 9/4
1973 SOLONING 8-11-08 Mrs C Thornton Fred Winter Richard Pitman 9/2
1972 HIGHLAND ABBE 6-11-12 Mrs K Hankey Les Kennard Mr R Smith 11/1
1971 ST PATRICK’S BLUE 6-11-12 P Aunger David Tatlow Bill Smith 7/2F
1970 ROUGE AUTUMN 6-10-05 Bryan Jenks Fred Rimell Ken White 9/2F
1969 CANDID CAMERA 6-10-06 R F P Ross Ted Goddard Joe Guest 100/8
1968 Abandoned due to waterlogging
1967 Abandoned due to foot and mouth epidemic
1966 SIR EDWARD 6-10-09 R Heaton Ryan Price Josh Gifford 7/2F
1965 MINUTE GUN 8-10-04 Bill Shand Kydd Bill Shand Kydd Richard Pitman 100/8
