The Lanzarote Hurdle is a National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (4,225 metres), and during its running there are ten hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in January.
The event is named in memory of the racehorse Lanzarote (1968–1977), the winner of the Champion Hurdle in 1974, and was first run in 1978. Lanzarote had a particularly good record in races at Kempton, and he twice won the track's leading hurdle event, the Christmas Hurdle. He finished his hurdling career with a total of 20 wins from 33 starts. After achieving a further three victories as a chaser, Lanzarote was made the second favourite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1977. However, during that race he broke his near-hind leg and had to be euthanised.
For many years the distance of the Lanzarote Hurdle was set at 2 miles (3,219 metres), and there were eight hurdles to be jumped. The event was temporarily switched to Carlisle in 2006, and upon its return to Kempton in 2007 there was a substantial increase to its distance. Its regular length was extended by 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and there were an additional two hurdles to jump. In its analysis of that year's running, the Racing Post commented that this was: "In effect, a new race. Although run under the 'Lanzarote' handle, this was in no way the same race as the Lanzarote of old." Prior to 2023 the race had Listed status. This was removed when Listed handicap races were removed from the racing programme, and the race became a Class 2 handicap.
Winners Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1978 Nougat 8 11-11 Gerry Enright Josh Gifford 1979 Love From Verona 5 10-01 Ray Cochrane Ron Sheather 1980 Danish King 6 10-03 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1981 Walnut Wonder 6 10-06 Anthony Webber Les Kennard 1982 Knighthood 7 10-00 Steve Knight Bob Turnell 1983 Brave Hussar 5 10-07 Richard Rowe Josh Gifford 1984 Janus 6 11-01 Colin Brown Dina Smith 1985 no race 1985 1986 Prideaux Boy 8 11-00 Michael Bowlby Graham Roach 1987 Stray Shot 9 09-10 Gee Armytage Geoff Hubbard 1988 Fredcoteri 12 11-04 Micky Hammond George M. Moore 1989 Grey Salute 6 10-07 Richard Dunwoody John Jenkins 1990 Atlaal 5 10-03 Richard Dunwoody John Jenkins 1991 Star Season 7 10-03 Nick Mann Richard Holder 1992 Egypt Mill Prince 6 10-13 Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman 1993 Tomahawk 6 10-00 Declan Murphy Pat Murphy 1994 Nijmegen 6 10-06 Jamie Osborne Jimmy FitzGerald 1995 Trying Again 7 11-10 Jamie Osborne David Gandolfo 1996 Warm Spell 6 11-02 Tony McCoy Gary L. Moore 1997 Make A Stand 6 10-03 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 1998 Shahrur 5 10-09 John Kavanagh Gary L. Moore 1999 Tiutchev 6 11-02 Mick Fitzgerald David Nicholson 2000 Heart 7 10-06 Carl Rafter Henrietta Knight 2001 no race 2001 2002 Majlis 5 10-03 David Dennis Tom George 2003 Non So 5 11-05 J. P. McNamara Nicky Henderson 2004 Limerick Boy 6 11-07 Sam Thomas Venetia Williams 2005 Crossbow Creek 7 10-08 Jim Crowley Mark Rimell 2006 Rayshan (DH) 6 10-07 Rose Davidson Nicky Richards 2006 Buck Whaley (DH) 6 10-06 Noel Fehily Jonjo O'Neill 2007 Verasi 6 10-04 Eamon Dehdashti Gary L. Moore 2008 Nycteos 7 10-10 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2009 no race 2009 2010 Micheal Flips 6 10-11 Nick Scholfield Andrew Turnell 2011 James De Vassy 6 11-02 Will Kennedy Nick Williams 2012 Swincombe Flame 6 10-04 Will Kennedy Nick Williams 2013 Oscara Dara 8 11-00 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2014 Saphir Du Rheu 5 11-07 Harry Derham Paul Nicholls 2015 Tea For Two 6 09-12 Lizzie Kelly Nick Williams 2016 Yala Enki 6 09-12 Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams 2017 Modus 7 11-04 Barry Geraghty Paul Nicholls 2018 William Henry 8 11-07 James Bowen Nicky Henderson 2019 Big Time Dancer 6 10-10 Jonjo O'Neill jr Jennie Candlish 2020 Burrows Edge 7 11-04 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2021 Boreham Bill 9 10-11 Ben Jones Emma Lavelle 2022 Cobblers Dream 6 10-10 Jack Quinlan Ben Case 2023 West Balboa 7 10-11 Bridget Andrews Dan Skelton 2024 Jay Jay Reilly 8 11-00 Tristan Durrell Dan Skelton 2009 no race 2025 2026 Iberico Lord 8 11-04 James Bowen Nicky Henderson
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
britishhorseracing.com – "The Lanzarote story".
External links Race Recordings (1983-2010) youtube.com