The New Year's Day Hurdle was a National Hunt hurdle race in England which was open to horses aged four years and older. It was run at Windsor over a distance of 2 miles (3,218 metres), and was scheduled to take place each year on New Year's Day (January 1).
The race was first run in 1975 and was last run in 1998, when Windsor stopped hosting National Hunt racing. National Hunt racing returned to Windsor temporarily in 2004 when Ascot was closed for renovations, and Windsor hosted the Long Walk Hurdle.
The race was initially a Conditions race, attracting high quality hurdlers, but became a Limited Handicap in 1993, reduced to an ordinary handicap in 1998. The race was revived on 1 January 2026 with Windsor once again racing on New Year's Day. It is a £100,000 Class 2 handicap hurdle run over 2 miles 4 furlongs, sponsored by Fitzdares.
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer1975 Flash Imp 6 P Beasant Ron Smyth1976 Comedy of Errors 9 Ken White Fred Rimell1977 Strombolus 6 Ron Barry Peter Bailey1978 Beacon Light 7 Andy Turnell Bob Turnell1979 Abandoned because of snow 1980 Abandoned because of frost 1981 Celtic Ryde 6 Hywel Davies Peter Cundell1982 Celtic Ryde 7 Hywel Davies Peter Cundell1983 Sula Bula 5 Tim Easterby Peter Easterby1984 Secret Ballot 9 Ted Waite Andy Turnell1985 Ra Nova 6 Richard Dunwoody Nan Kennedy1986 Southemair 6 Alan Webb Peter Haynes1987 Ra Nova 8 Mark Perrett Ian Matthews 1988 Celtic Shot 6 Peter Scudamore Fred Winter 1989 Wishlon 6 Ian Shoemark Ron Smyth 1990 Aldino 7 Jamie Osborne Oliver Sherwood 1991 Royal Derbi 6 Declan Murphy Neville Callaghan 1992 Shu Fly 8 Alan Jones Sally Oliver 1993 Muse 6 Antony Procter David Elsworth 1994 Absalom's Lady 6 Paul Holley David Elsworth1995 Abandoned due to frost1996 Abandoned due to frost1997 Abandoned due to frost 1998 Halona 8 Dean Gallagher Charlie Morlock
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
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