The Long Walk Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 3 miles and half a furlong (3 miles and 102 yards, or 4,921 metres), and there are twelve hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in December.
The event is named after The Long Walk, an avenue of trees in Windsor Great Park. It was first run in 1965, and it was initially a handicap race. It became a conditions race in 1971, and it was given Grade 1 status in 1990. Prior to the redevelopment of Ascot Racecourse, which took place during the period 2004–06, the distance of the race was 3 miles and 1½ furlongs.
Since 1971, six winners of the Long Walk Hurdle have gone on to win the Stayers' Hurdle in the same season – Derring Rose (1980–81), Baracouda (2001–02), My Way de Solzen (2005–06), Big Buck's (2009–10, 2010–11 and 2011–12), Thistlecrack (2015–16) and Paisley Park (2018–19).
Records Most successful horse (4 wins): Baracouda – 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004
Leading jockey (4 wins): Richard Johnson – Anzum (1999), Mighty Man (2006), Reve di Sivola (2012, 2013)
Leading trainer (4 wins): François Doumen – Baracouda (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)
Winners since 1971 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1971 St Patrick's Blue 6 Bill Smith David Tatlow 1972 Highland Abbe 6 Richard Smith Les Kennard 1973 Soloning 8 Richard Pitman Fred Winter 1974 Go Bingo 5 David Munro Sam Hall 1975 Lanzarote 7 John Francome Fred Winter 1976 no race 1976 1977 John Cherry 6 Steve Smith Eccles Harry Thomson Jones 1978 Kelso Chant 6 Steve Charlton Jumbo Wilkinson 1979 John Cherry 8 Steve Smith Eccles Harry Thomson Jones 1980 Derring Rose 5 John Francome Fred Winter 1981 no race 1981 1982 Mayotte 7 Paul Richards Richard Holder 1983 Crimson Embers 8 Stuart Shilston Fulke Walwyn 1984 Kristenson 7 Michael Williams Roger Fisher 1985 Misty Dale 7 Phil Tuck Jenny Pitman 1986 Out of the Gloom 5 Peter Scudamore Reg Hollinshead 1987 Bluff Cove 5 Richard Dunwoody Reg Hollinshead 1988 French Goblin 5 Peter Hobbs Josh Gifford 1989 Royal Athlete 6 Dean Gallagher Jenny Pitman 1990 Floyd 10 Graham Bradley David Elsworth 1991 no race 1991 1992 Vagog 7 Martin Foster Martin Pipe 1993 Sweet Duke 6 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies 1994 Hebridean 7 Adrian Maguire David Nicholson 1995 Silver Wedge 4 Jamie Osborne Oliver Sherwood 1996 Ocean Hawk 4 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies 1997 Paddy's Return 5 Norman Williamson Ferdy Murphy 1998 Princeful 7 Richard Dunwoody Jenny Pitman 1999 Anzum 8 Richard Johnson Alan King 2000 Baracouda 5 Thierry Doumen François Doumen 2001 Baracouda 6 Thierry Doumen François Doumen 2002 Deano's Beeno 10 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 2003 Baracouda 8 Thierry Doumen François Doumen 2004 Baracouda 9 Tony McCoy François Doumen 2005 My Way de Solzen 5 Robert Thornton Alan King 2006 Mighty Man 6 Richard Johnson Henry Daly 2007 Lough Derg 7 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2008 Punchestowns 5 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2009 Big Buck's 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2010 Big Buck's 7 Tony McCoy Paul Nicholls 2011 Big Buck's 8 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2012 Reve De Sivola 7 Richard Johnson Nick Williams 2013 Reve De Sivola 8 Richard Johnson Nick Williams 2014 Reve De Sivola 9 Daryl Jacob Nick Williams 2015 Thistlecrack 7 Tom Scudamore Colin Tizzard 2016 Unowhatimeanharry 8 Barry Geraghty Harry Fry 2017 Sam Spinner 5 Joe Colliver Jedd O'Keeffe 2018 Paisley Park 6 Aidan Coleman Emma Lavelle 2019 The Worlds End 8 Adrian Heskin Tom George 2020 Paisley Park 8 Aidan Coleman Emma Lavelle 2021 Champ 9 Jonjo O'Neill Jr Nicky Henderson 2022 Paisley Park 10 Aidan Coleman Emma Lavelle 2023 Crambo 6 Jonathan Burke Fergal O'Brien 2024 Crambo 7 Jonathan Burke Fergal O'Brien 2025 Impose Toi 7 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Long Walk Hurdle – Ascot.
External links Race Recordings (1986–2007) youtube.com