Long Walk Hurdle Betting Odds

What is the Long Walk Hurdle?

The JLT Long Walk Hurdle is a Grade One horse race run over a trip of three miles and one furlong at Ascot each December.

The Grade One contest has a long and varied history and is one of the best races of the season in the staying hurdle division on the way to the Cheltenham Festival.

This is one of the key trials for the Stayers' Hurdle at the Festival each season with six horses winning both races in the same season, including Paisley Park, who did the famous double last season for Emma Lavelle.

What happened in the 2020 Long Walk Hurdle?

A sensational renewal of the Long Walk Hurdle saw two premier stayers battling it out in the closing stages, and it saw former Stayers' Hurdle winner Paisley Park that just edged out Thyme Hill in a thrilling renewal of the Ascot Grade 1 showpiece. It appeared Thyme Hill had the race sewn up as he kicked clear of his rivals in the closing stages, but Aidan Coleman got a real tune out of Paisley Park in the final furlong and the multiple Grade 1 winner reeled in the new kid on the block to win narrowly, while Roksana finished third.

The history of the JLT Long Walk Hurdle

First run in 1965, the Long Walk Hurdle was initially a handicap race before becoming a conditions contest in 1975 and eventually a Grade One in 1990, as it has remained ever since.

The race tends to take place on the Saturday before Christmas at the venue of Royal Ascot and will be one of the more popular jumps fixtures at the venue. Horses that run well in this race will often go to Cheltenham before the Cleeve Hurdle on their next start before heading back to the Stayers Hurdle at the Festival thanks to the clearly defined programme for the long distance hurdlers.

Who is the most iconic winner of the Long Walk Hurdle?

We have already mentioned some of the legendary horses to have won the Long Walk Hurdle down the years with names like Baracouda, Reve De Sivola and Thistlecrack rolling off the tongue but even those three can;t match the great Big Buck's who simply dominated the division. The Paul Nicholls trained horse won the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival four times during a golden spell but he loved going to Ascot as well before Christmas with three successive wins in the race between 2009 and 2011.

Are there any trials for the Long Walk Hurdle?

There is a clear plan on the road to the Stayers Hudle and it is the JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot that tends to be step two on that path. The key race when looking for potential runners is the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury with horses who show up well there often heading to Berkshire for their next race on their way back to Prestbury Park. There have been a number of multiple winners of this race so last years renewal is always worth checking as well with staying hurdlers a specialist division that tends to suit a certain type of animal.

Who is the most successful jockey in the Long Walk Hurdle?

A number of famous jockeys have claimed the win in the Long Walk but it is Richard Johnson who sits as the record holder with no less than four wins to his name. Johnson has tasted success on Anzum (1999), Mighty Man (2006) and Reve De Sivola (2012 + 2013) so far during his career.

Who is the most successful trainer in the Long Walk Hurdle?

The legendary Baracouda (2000, 2001, 2003 + 2004) made this race his own at the start of the century with four wins in the race for trainer Francois Doumen and that puts the French handler at the top of the record list for the race.