The Wirral Juvenile Hurdle is a Listed National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged three years. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 209 yards or 3,410 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in December.
Prior to 2023 it was named the Summit Juvenile Hurdle. It was originally run at Lingfield Park on the same day as the December Novices' Chase and the two races were later run on the same day at Doncaster. The race carried Grade 2 status until the 2021 running. It was downgraded to a Listed race by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in 2022.
In April 2023 the BHA announced that the race would be moved to Aintree and run one week earlier as part of a restructure of the 2023/24 programme. The race was given its present name in 2025.
Records Leading jockey (3 wins): Harry Cobden - Cliffs of Dover (2016), Quel Destin (2018), Liari (2023)
Leading trainer (4 wins): Paul Nicholls - Cliffs of Dover (2016), Quel Destin (2018), Monmiral (2020), Liari (2023)
Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer 1975 Sweet Joe Ian Watkinson Harry Thomson Jones 1976Abandoned due to frost 1977Abandoned due to waterlogged state of course 1978 Jack O'Lantern Graham McCourt Peter Cundell 1979 Mount Harvard Steve Smith Eccles Nicky Henderson 1980 Twelfth Night Hywel Davies Peter Cundell 1981Abandoned due to snow 1982Abandoned due to waterlogged state of course 1983 Paris North John Francome John Jenkins 1984 Beat The Retreat Mark Perrett John Jenkins 1985 That's Your Lot Peter Scudamore John Francome 1986 Mareth Line Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe 1987 South Parade Graham Bradley Toby Balding 1988 Take Issue Dale McKeown John Sutcliffe 1989 no race 1989 1990 Oh So Risky Paul Holley David Elsworth 1991 None So Brave Jamie Osborne Reg Akehurst 1992 Dare to Dream David Bridgwater Reg Akehurst 1993 Admiral's Well Mick Fitzgerald Reg Akehurst 1994 Anzum Robert Massey David Nicholson 1995Abandoned due to snow 1996 Serenus John Kavanagh Nicky Henderson 1997 Buddy Marvel Paul Carberry Oliver Sherwood 1998 Hors La Loi III Thierry Doumen François Doumen 1999 Grand Seigneur Thierry Doumen François Doumen 2000Abandoned due to waterlogged state of course 2001Abandoned due to frost 20022002 no race 2002 2003 Mondul Ollie McPhail Milton Harris 2004 Salut Saint Cloud Brian Crowley Gary L. Moore 2005 no race 2005–06 2007 Lemon Silk Paul O'Neill Kahlil Burke 2008 no race 2008–09-10 2011 Royal Bonsai Dougie Costello John Quinn 2012 Kashmir Peak Dougie Costello John Quinn 2013 Fox Norton Noel Fehily Nick Williams 2014 Peace And Co Daryl Jacob Nicky Henderson 2015 Who Dares Wins Wayne Hutchinson Alan King 2016 Cliffs of Dover Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2017 We Have A Dream Daryl Jacob Nicky Henderson 2018 Quel Destin Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2019 Navajo Pass Brian Hughes Donald McCain 2020 Monmiral Sean Bowen Paul Nicholls 2021 Knight Salute Paddy Brennan Milton Harris 2022 no race 2022 2023 Liari Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2024 no race 2024 2025
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Summit Junior Hurdle – Lingfield. rte.ie – "Lingfield abandoned due to frost" (2005). breakingnews.ie – "Lingfield abandoned" (2006). rte.ie – "Cheltenham and Lingfield abandoned" (2008). breakingnews.ie – "Lingfield cancels hurdle meet" (2009).