Imperial Cup

The Imperial Cup is a Grade Three National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile, 7 furlongs and 216 yards, or 3,215 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in March.

For the unit of measurement, see Cup (unit).

Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle
2019
Malaya Monsieur Lecoq Call Me Lord

The Imperial Cup was first run in 1907, and in its early years it was considered to be the most important hurdle race of the season. A notable winner during this period was Trespasser, who recorded three successive victories in the race from 1920 to 1922. It continued to be the most prestigious hurdling event until the launch of the Champion Hurdle in 1927.

The race is run on a Saturday in March, three days before the start of the Cheltenham Festival. The sponsors of the Imperial Cup have offered a financial bonus prize to the owner of the winning horse since 1992, awarded if the horse goes on to win any race at the following week's Festival. Winners of this bonus have included Olympian (who won the Coral Cup at Cheltenham), Blowing Wind (County Hurdle) and Gaspara (Fred Winter Hurdle). In 2020, returning sponsors Paddy Power reinstated the bonus. The 2016 running was unsponsored and no bonus was offered.[1] The bonus returned in 2017 when new sponsors Matchbook offered a £50,000 prize,[2] which they increased to £100,000 for the 2018 running.[3] The race was upgraded from Listed to Grade Three status by the British Horseracing Board from its 2014 running.[4]

Winners since 1947
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Weight
 Jockey
 Trainer
1947Tant Pis509-10Frenchie NicholsonJ Goldsmith
1948Anglesey611-08J GilbertStaff Ingham
1949Secret Service611–11J GilbertFulke Walwyn
1950Secret Service711–10T CusackFulke Walwyn
1951Master Bidar610–11R EmeryRon Smyth
1952High Point610-04H SpragueJ Dennistoun
1953High Point710-07H SpragueJ Dennistoun
1954The Pills610-05J DowdeswellP Rice-Stringer
1955Bon Mot II610–11M HaynesStanley Wootton
1956Peggy Jones610–10A OughtonS Palmer
1957Camugliano710–10R EmeryH T Smith
1958Flaming East910-05John Lawrence[lower-alpha 1]Ricky Vallance
1959Langton Heath510-09R MartinT Griffiths
1960Farmer's Boy711-07David NicholsonW Stephenson
1961Fidus Achates610-04C ChapmanM James
1962Irish Imp510–12G RamshawRon Smyth
1963Antiar511-02David MouldPeter Cazalet
1964Invader611-04T M JonesL Dale
1965Kildavin710-07Jeff KingJohn Sutcliffe, jnr
1966Royal Sanction710-01Richard PitmanFred Winter
1967Sir Thopas611-08Johnny HaineBob Turnell
1968Persian Empire511-04Brough ScottColin Davies
1969Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course
1970Solomon II611-01Bob DaviesDavid Barons
1971Churchwood711-03Doug BarrottM Goswell
1972Spy Net510-00G LawsonL Dale
1973Lanzarote512-04Richard PitmanFred Winter
1974Flash Imp510-09Jeff KingRon Smyth
1975Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course
1976Nougat610-06G EnrightJosh Gifford
1977Acquaint611-02Nicky Henderson[lower-alpha 1]Fred Winter
1978Winter Melody711-03Bill SmithJ Hanson
1979Flying Diplomat310-06Tim Thomson Jones[lower-alpha 1]A Smith
1980 Prayukta 5 11-00 John Francome Fred Winter
1981 Ekbalco 5 11-03 David Goulding Roger Fisher
1982 Holemoor Star 5 11-07 Martin O'Halloran Miss S. Morris
1983 Desert Hero 9 09-08 Roger Chapman Fulke Walwyn
1984 Dalbury 6 09-12 P. Corrigan Peter Haynes
1985 Floyd 5 10-03 Colin Brown David Elsworth
1986 Insular 6 09-10 Eamon Murphy Ian Balding
1987 Inlander 6 10-03 Steve Smith Eccles Reg Akehurst
1988 Sprowston Boy 5 10–11 Seamus McCrystal Paul Kelleway
1989 Travel Mystery 6 10-00 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe
1990 Moody Man 5 10–13 Peter Hobbs Philip Hobbs
1991 Precious Boy 5 10-06 Lorcan Wyer Mike O'Neill
1992 King Credo 7 10-04 Adrian Maguire Steve Woodman
1993 Olympian 6 10-00 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe
1994 Precious Boy 8 11-07 Lorcan Wyer Michael Meagher
1995 Collier Bay 5 10-02 Tom Grantham Jim Old
1996 Amancio 5 10-08 Mick Fitzgerald Guy Harwood
1997 Carlito Brigante 5 10-00 Jamie Osborne Paul Webber
1998 Blowing Wind 5 11–10 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
1999 Regency Rake 7 10-07 Adrian Maguire Arthur Moore
2000 Magic Combination 7 10-00 David Casey Barney Curley
2001 Ibal 5 09-09 Ben Hitchcott[lower-alpha 1] Dina Smith
2002 Polar Red 5 11-01 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
2003 Korelo 5 11-06 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
2004 Scorned 9 10-03 Barry Fenton Andrew Balding
2005 Medison 5 10-01 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe
2006 Victram 6 09-12 Andrew Lynch Adrian McGuinness
2007 Gaspara 4 10-05 Tony McCoy David Pipe
2008 Ashkazar 4 10–12 Timmy Murphy David Pipe
2009 Dave's Dream 6 10–13 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2010 Qaspal 6 10-03 Tony McCoy Philip Hobbs
2011 Alarazi 7 10-03 Dominic Elsworth Lucy Wadham
2012 Paintball 5 10-07 Noel Fehily Charlie Longsdon
2013 First Avenue 8 10-05 Nathan Adams Laura Mongan
2014 Baltimore Rock 5 10–12 Tom Scudamore David Pipe
2015 Ebony Express 6 10-07 Will Kennedy Dr Richard Newland
2016 Flying Angel 5 10-07 Ryan Hatch Nigel Twiston-Davies
2017 London Prize 6 11-02 Tom O'Brien Ian Williams
2018 Mr Antolini 8 10-01 Jamie Bargary Nigel Twiston-Davies
2019 Malaya 5 10-02 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls
2020Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course
  1. amateur jockey

See also

References
  1. Riley, Stuart. "Festival bonus unlikely for Imperial Cup winner". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  2. "£50,000 Cheltenham bonus back in play for Imperial Cup winner". Racing UK. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  3. "O'Brien targets Winter Derby with six-strong entry". Racing Post. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  4. "British Horseracing Authority Announces Upgrades to Jump Pattern Races for 2013/14". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  • Race Recordings
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