by Ben Bradley
The Grand National Festival is one of the biggest events in the horse racing calendar, attracting thousands of spectators and punters from all over the world. The Festival actually takes place over three days, bringing together some of the best in the business as far as National Hunt racing is concerned — culminating with the famous Grand National steeplechase on Saturday.
However, one of the most important races of the Festival takes place a day earlier, with the Liverpool Hurdle. First run in 1974, the Liverpool Hurdle has become an integral part of the Festival, attracting some of the finest hurdlers in the business and providing a true test of skill, stamina, and jumping ability. While it may not quite be the same spectacle as the National, those checking the early odds for Liverpool Hurdle will know how exciting this year’s race looks to be.
Last year’s winner Sire Du Berlais, who pipped Cheltenham stalwart Flooring Porter as well as Champ to first place, will want to win successive races under Gordon Elliott. Just one year away from the race’s 50th anniversary, this year will see the likes of Dashel Drasher and Willie Mullins-trained Klassical Dream all try and give the usual suspects a run for their money on day two at Aintree.
Run over a distance of three miles and one furlong, the Liverpool Hurdle is a true test of a horse’s speed, stamina, and jumping ability. With thirteen hurdles to be cleared along the way, the race is a real challenge for both horse and jockey, and has seen some of the greatest hurdlers in the business go head-to-head over the years.
As one of the standout events of the Grand National Festival, the Liverpool Hurdle always attracts a strong field of runners, with some of the finest trainers and jockeys in the sport vying for the top spot. Over the years, the Liverpool Hurdle has become an important race in its own right, attracting some of the top trainers, jockeys, and horses in the business.
One such horse is Baracouda, who won the race in 2001 and 2003. Trained by Francois Doumen, Baracouda was a two-time winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurdlers of all time.
Another famous horse to have won the Liverpool Hurdle is Inglis Drever, who took the race in 2007. Trained by Howard Johnson, Inglis Drever was a three-time winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle. It’s been 15 years since he and Denis O’Regan took to the course in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, but it’s testament to his longevity and success that he is still being mentioned to this day.
Other notable winners of the Liverpool Hurdle include Bobs Worth, who won the race in 2013, and Grand National winner Many Clouds, who reigned supreme in 2015. Both horses were trained by the legendary Chelmsford-based trainer Oliver Sherwood, who has enjoyed tremendous success in the sport over the years, and went on to win consecutive Nationals with Many Clouds, after he retained the crown in 2016.
When it comes to jockeys, there are a few names that stand out as being particularly successful in the Liverpool Hurdle. Ruby Walsh, for example, has ridden three winners of the race over the years, including Inglis Drever in 2007. AP McCoy, widely regarded as one of the greatest jockeys of all time, has also tasted pervious success in this race, riding Black Jack Ketchum to victory in 2006.
