The Leamington Novices' Hurdle was a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which was open to horses aged five years or older. It was run at Warwick over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (4,225 metres), and during its running there were eleven hurdles to be jumped. The race was for novice hurdlers, and took place each year in January. It was first run in 2002. From 2018 the race was sponsored by the Ballymore Group.
In April 2023 the British Horseracing Authority announced the removal of the race from the 2023/24 programme.
Records Leading jockey (3 wins): Harry Skelton – Three Musketeers (2015), Beakstown (2019), Grey Dawning (2023)
Leading trainer (3 wins):
Dan Skelton - Three Musketeers (2015), Beakstown (2019), Grey Dawning (2023)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 2002 Classified 6 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 2003Abandoned because of frost 2004 Inglis Drever 5 Graham Lee Howard Johnson 2005 No Refuge 5 Graham Lee Howard Johnson 2006 Be Be King 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2007 Labelthou 8 Barry Fenton Emma Lavelle 2008 Carruthers 5 Mattie Batchelor Mark Bradstock 2009 no race 2009–10 2011 Court in Motion 6 Aidan Coleman Emma Lavelle 2012 Cotton Mill 5 Jack Quinlan John Ferguson 2013 The New One 5 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies 2014 Deputy Dan 6 Leighton Aspell Oliver Sherwood 2015 Three Musketeers 5 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2016 Thomas Hobson 6 Danny Mullins Willie Mullins 2017 Willoughby Court 6 David Bass Ben Pauling 2018 Mr Whipped 5 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2019 Beakstown 6 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2020 Mossy Fen 5 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies 2021 Adrimel 5 Richard Johnson Tom Lacey 2022 Stag Horn 5 Nick Scholfield Archie Watson 2023 Grey Dawning 6 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Sources Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Leamington Novices' Hurdle – Warwick. breakingnews.ie – "Warwick abandoned" (2009). bbc.co.uk – "Weather prospects for racing" (2010).