The Molyneux Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about two miles and one furlong (2m 209y), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in early November.
The event was established in 1992, and it was initially held at Cheltenham. It was originally contested over 2m ½f. It was transferred to Wincanton and cut to 1m 7f in 1994. The race was run as a limited handicap between 1998 and 2017 before reverting to a weight for age conditions race from 2018. In 2026, the race was renamed to the Molyneux Hurdle and transferred to Aintree, to be run on the same weekend as before.
Records Most successful horse (3 wins): Sceau Royal - 2016, 2020, 2021 Ruband - 2023, 2024, 2025
Leading jockey (5 wins): Daryl Jacob – Celestial Halo (2011), Zarkandar (2012), Sceau Royal (2016, 2020,2021), Fusil Raffles (2019)
Leading trainer (11 wins): Paul Nicholls – Azertyuiop (2001), Santenay (2002), Perouse (2004), Celestial Halo (2009, 2011), Zarkandar (2012), Irving (2015), Knappers Hill (2022), Rubaud (2023, 2024, 2025)
Winners Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1992 Morley Street 8 11-08 Richard Dunwoody Toby Balding 1993 no race 1993 1994 Valfinet 7 11-02 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe 1995 Atours 7 11-02 Paul Holley David Elsworth 1996 Dreams End 8 10–12 Rodney Farrant Peter Bowen 1997 Pridwell 7 11-06 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 1998 Grey Shot 6 10-03 Jamie Osborne Ian Balding 1999 Wahiba Sands 6 11-07 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 2000 Mister Morose 10 11-10 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies 2001 Azertyuiop 4 11-10 Timmy Murphy Paul Nicholls 2002 Santenay 4 11-07 Timmy Murphy Paul Nicholls 2003 Well Chief 4 10-05 Jamie Moore Martin Pipe 2004 Perouse 6 10-05 Christian Williams Paul Nicholls 2005 Royal Shakespeare 6 11-01 Graham Lee Steve Gollings 2006 Crow Wood 7 10-01 Dougie Costello John Quinn 2007 Kings Quay 5 11-09 Dougie Costello John Quinn 2008 Chomba Womba 7 10-06 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2009 Celestial Halo 5 11-10 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2010 Nearby 6 10-05 Chris Davies Philip Hobbs 2011 Celestial Halo 7 11-10 Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls 2012 Zarkandar 5 11-10 Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls 2013 Melodic Rendezvous 7 11-10 Nick Scholfield Jeremy Scott 2014 Purple Bay 5 10–11 Mikey Ennis John Ferguson 2015 Irving 7 11–10 Nick Scholfield Paul Nicholls 2016 Sceau Royal 4 11-10 Daryl Jacob Alan King 2017 London Prize 6 10-09 Tom O'Brien Ian Williams 2018 Verdana Blue 6 10-11 Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson 2019 Fusil Raffles 4 11-03 Daryl Jacob Nicky Henderson 2020 Sceau Royal 8 11-00 Daryl Jacob Alan King 2021 Sceau Royal 9 11-06 Daryl Jacob Alan King 2022 Knappers Hill 6 11–02 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2023 Rubaud 5 11–08 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2024 Rubaud 6 11-08 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2025 Rubaud 7 11-08 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,, , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Elite Hurdle – Wincanton.