Howden Long Walk Hurdle
Grade 1, Ascot 14:25 £125,000 guaranteed 4yo plus, 3m 97y, Class 1
Tweet Saturday 21st December 2024

1 Crambo 9/1
2 Hiddenvalley Lake 7/1
3 Beauport 16/1
10 ran Distances: hd, 1¼l, 2l
Time: 6m 6.84s (slow by 11.84s)

Crambo does it again in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle at @Ascot! @FOBRacing @JohnnyBurke2 pic.twitter.com/QmWDupKyr3

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 21, 2024

Crambo repeated his victory from last year by tenaciously holding on to win. His career had faced challenges after disappointing performances at Cheltenham and Aintree, but trainer Fergal O’Brien's decision to skip Newbury paid off, as Crambo proved his resilience.

Sent off at 9-1, Crambo had plenty to do jumping the second last before his stamina kicked in. The race had been led by Beauport, who appeared to have slipped the field after the second-last flight. However, Crambo capitalized on Beauport's slight overjump at the last obstacle and drew alongside. Once jockey Johnny Burke got Crambo to master Beauport, a new threat emerged in the form of Henry de Bromhead’s Hiddenvalley Lake, who launched a final challenge but fell short by a head. Beauport held on for third place, while The Wallpark finished fourth. The favourite, Strong Leader, was one of the first to be beaten and never looked like winning.

Fergal O’Brien expressed his relief and gratitude, stating, “It’s been a tough time, horses haven’t been firing and we’ve had a change of jockey. We’ve been getting it from all angles. The horses haven’t been quite right but the winning of this race was not running at Newbury. I knew we could get him better. I knew he likes the track here.” O’Brien also acknowledged the significant role of owner Chris Giles and jockey Johnny Burke in Crambo’s success.

Owner Chris Giles added, “He never does it easy, does he? He wins just by a little bit, it’s lovely to see that and lovely to see him back.”

Crambo’s victory at Ascot highlights his determination and potential, setting the stage for future races and demonstrating the successful strategies employed by Fergal O’Brien and his team.

Long Walk Hurdle
£125,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m 97y, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Crambo 7 11-7 Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke 9/1
2 hd Hiddenvalley Lake 7 11-7 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 7/1
3 1¼ Beauport 8 11-7 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 16/1
4 2 The Wallpark 6 11-7 Gordon Elliott Mark Walsh 9/2
5 hd Kateira 7 11-0 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 12/1
6 nk Blueking d'Oroux 5 11-7 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 12/1
7 5 Eagle Fang 4 11-6 William Durkan Oakley Brown 40/1
8 18 Botox Has 8 11-7 Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn 33/1
9 9 Shoot First 8 11-7 C Byrnes Philip Byrnes 12/1
10 39 Strong Leader 7 11-7 Olly Murphy Sean Bowen 11/8F

LONG WALK HURDLE ROLL OF HONOUR (1965-2021)
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

2023 CRAMBO
2022 PAISLEY PARK
2021 CHAMP
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