The Swinton Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 1 mile 7½ furlongs (1 miles, 7 furlongs and 144 yards or ), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.
The event was established in 1978, and it was initially sponsored by Royal Doulton. The winner of the inaugural race collected just over £20,000, making it the fourth most lucrative prize behind the Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle.toteswinger Swinton Hurdle, haydock-park.co.uk, accessed 4 December 2009. Subsequent sponsors have included Swinton Insurance (1985–93), Crowther and Merewood Homes (1994–2003), Betfred (2006–07) and Totesport (2008–11). The present sponsors, Pertemps, began supporting the race in 2012. The Swinton Handicap Hurdle takes place at a meeting which features both jump and flat racing, and outside of the main National Hunt season (October-April), is the highest graded race in the calendar.
Records
Most successful horses (2 wins): Dreams End – 1994, 1997 Eradicate – 2010, 2011
Leading jockeys (2 wins): Andy Turnell – Beacon Light (1979), Secret Ballot (1982) David Bridgwater – Winnie the Witch (1991), Tragic Hero (1996) Graham Lee – Coat of Honour (2005), Blue Bajan (2008) Paul Moloney – Barizan (2013), Ballyglasheen (2014) Adam Wedge - Silver Streak (2018), Black Poppy (2023)
Leading trainers (4 wins): Martin Pipe – Corporal Clinger (1985), Tragic Hero (1996), Rainbow Frontier (1998), Acambo (2006) Evan Williams - Barizan (2013), Ballyglasheen (2014), John Constable (2017), Silver Streak (2018)
Winners Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1978 Royal Gaye 5 10-00 Colin Tinkler Fred Rimell 1979 Beacon Light 8 11-01 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1980 No Bombs 5 10-09 Jonjo O'Neill Peter Easterby 1981 Gaye Chance 6 10–10 Sam Morshead Fred Rimell 1982 Secret Ballot 8 10-03 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1983 no race 1983 1984 Bajan Sunshine 5 10–13 Peter Scudamore Martin Tate 1985 Corporal Clinger 6 10-03 Paul Leach Martin Pipe 1986 Prideaux Boy 8 11-02 Michael Bowlby Graham Roach 1987 Inlander 6 10-08 Steve Smith Eccles Reg Akehurst 1988 Past Glories 5 11-09 Paddy Farrell Bill Elsey 1989 State Jester 6 10-00 John Quinn Bill Elsey 1990 Sybillin 4 10-01 Derek Byrne Jimmy FitzGerald 1991 Winnie the Witch 7 10-02 David Bridgwater Ken Bridgwater 1992 Bitofabanter 5 11-01 Tom Taaffe Arthur Moore 1993 Spinning 6 11–00 Jimmy Frost Ian Balding 1994 Dreams End 6 11–04 Michael Hourigan, Jr. Philip Hobbs 1995 Chief Minister 6 11-06 Peter Hobbs Thomas Dyer 1996 Tragic Hero 4 10-09 David Bridgwater Martin Pipe 1997 Dreams End 9 11–11 Leighton Aspell Peter Bowen 1998 Rainbow Frontier 4 10-00 Charlie Swan Martin Pipe 1999 She's Our Mare 6 10-00 David Casey Tony Martin 2000 Mirjan 4 10-06 Tony Dobbin Len Lungo 2001 Milligan 6 11-04 Norman Williamson Venetia Williams 2002 Intersky Falcon 5 11–10 Liam Cooper Jonjo O'Neill 2003 Altay 6 09-11 Padge Whelan Richard Fahey 2004 Macs Joy 5 10-00 Timmy Murphy Jessica Harrington 2005 Coat of Honour 5 10-00 Graham Lee Howard Johnson 2006 Acambo 5 10-04 Andrew Glassonbury Martin Pipe 2007 Leslingtaylor 5 09-11 Dougie Costello John Quinn 2008 Blue Bajan 6 10-08 Graham Lee Andrew Turnell 2009 Joe Jo Star 7 11-00 Brian Hughes Richard Fahey 2010 Eradicate 6 10-01 David Bass Nicky Henderson 2011 Eradicate 7 11-05 Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson 2012 Red Merlin 7 11-03 Jason Maguire Donald McCain, Jr. 2013 Barizan 7 10-06 Paul Moloney Evan Williams 2014 Ballyglasheen 4 10–10 Paul Moloney Evan Williams 2015 War Sound 6 10-06 Ciaran Gethings Philip Hobbs 2016 Gwafa 5 11-00 Richie McLernon Paul Webber 2017 John Constable 6 11-02 Davy Russell Evan Williams 2018 Silver Streak 5 10-02 Adam Wedge Evan Williams 2019 Le Patriote 7 11-12 Sam Twiston-Davies Richard Newland no race 2020 2021 Copperless 6 10-04 Aidan Coleman Olly Murphy 2022 N'golo 7 10-09 Gavin Sheehan Ann Duffield 2023 Black Poppy 7 10-05 Adam Wedge Kerry Lee 2024 Pickanumber 6 10–07 Dylan Johnston Olly Murphy 2025 Our Champ 7 11–08 Freddie Gordon Chris Gordon 2026 Moon Chime 8 10-13 Nick Slatter David Killahena & Graeme McPherson
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Swinton Handicap Hurdle – Haydock. racenewsonline.co.uk – Swinton Handicap Hurdle (2007).
External links Race Recordings (1980, 1982-2003) youtube.com