Christmas is coming and horse racing will enjoy a short break after Saturday before the Boxing Day bonanza but there is still Grade 1 action this weekend to warm up racegoers at Ascot in the form of the JLT Hurdle.
JLT Long Walk Hurdle History and Trends
The JLT Hurdle is much better known as the Long Walk Hurdle. It’s a pity that another break in tradition has seen the relevance of the race’s former title lost given it referred to an avenue of trees in nearby Windsor Great Park. The 3m contest has been a good trial for the World Hurdle with five winners going on to glory in the big stayers race at the Cheltenham Festival since the early 1970s. Big Buck’s completed the treble three times between 2009 and 2012. Four-times winner Baracouda won at The Festival in 2002 and Thistlecrack was successful in 2015. Reve De Sivola won the Long Walk three times between 2012 and 2014 and was second in 2015.
JLT (Long Walk) Hurdle Winners List
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Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Age | Weight | Price | Rating | R | W |
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2006 | Mighty Man | Richard Johnson | Henry Daly | 6 | 11-7 | 8/11 F | 165 | 1 | 0 |
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2007 | Lough Derg | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe | 7 | 11-7 | 14/1 | 142 | 2 | 0 |
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2008 | Punchestowns | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | 5 | 11-7 | 3/1 F | 160 | 1 | 1 |
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2009 | Big Buck’s | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | 6 | 11-7 | 1/2 F | 174 | 1 | 1 |
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2010 | Big Buck’s | A P McCoy | Paul Nicholls | 7 | 11-7 | 2/13 F | 174 | 1 | 1 |
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2011 | Big Buck’s | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | 8 | 11-7 | 30/100 F | 174 | 1 | 1 |
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2012 | Reve De Sivola | Richard Johnson | Nick Williams | 7 | 11-7 | 9/2 3F | 149 | 4 | 0 |
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2013 | Reve De Sivola | Richard Johnson | Nick Williams | 8 | 11-7 | 9/4 2F | 160 | 3 | 1 |
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2014 | Reve De Sivola | Daryl Jacob | Nick Williams | 9 | 11-7 | 13/2 | 151 | 3 | 1 |
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2015 | Thistlecrack | Tom Scudamore | Colin Tizzard | 7 | 11-7 | 2/1 F | 161 | 1 | 1 |
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2016 | Unowhatimeanharry | Barry Geraghty | Harry Fry | 8 | 11-7 | 6/5 F | 165 | 1 | 1 |
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2017 | Sam Spinner | Joe Colliver | Jedd O’Keeffe | 5 | 11-7 | 9/2 2F | 155 | 2 | 1 |
- The most telling statistic over the last 11 years is that all winners had raced within the previous 50 days.
- Most recent winners had won at Grade 2 level or above with the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November producing several winners.
- Only one winner aged older than eight since 2006.
- 10 of the last 12 winners were in the first three in the betting.
- 10 of the last 12 winners were rated 150 or higher.
Call Me Lord is a ridiculously short price (a general 11/4) considering he is making his seasonal reappearance, having a first run over 3m and tackling Grade 1 company for the first time. He needed his first run last season and the longer distance is also a concern for supporters of stablemate Top Notch. He is a best 16/1 with Coral but was beaten by Unowhatimeanharry on much worse terms the last time he was seen over hurdles and he’s also a returnee.
Harry Fry’s evergreen 10-year-old (9/2 with 888sport) won this in 2016 and was third last year. He beat The Mighty Don in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury just over three weeks ago but another who ran in that race, SAM SPINNER, will strip fitter today and could be the one to beat again in this test of stamina.
Successful 12 months ago, Jedd O’Keeffe’s stable star unseated Joe Colliver at Newbury and was struggling at the time. But he’s a big horse who takes some getting fit and this softer surface will allow him to make much more of his stamina. He’ll need to jump better but cheekpieces should help sharpen him up in that area and the 8/1 with Coral is much too big.
Agrapart proved his stamina when winning the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham at the start of the year and he arguably holds Unowhatimeanharry on Aintree form so, by comparison, is also overpriced at a general 7/1 but this may be too much too soon for Paisley Park (9/1 with Ladbrokes).
JLT Hurdle Current Best Odds
Call Me Lord 11/4, Unowhatimeanharry 9/2, Agrapart 7/1, Sam Spinner 8/1, Paisley Park 9/1, Soul Emotion 10/1, Younevercall 14/1, Top Notch 16/1, The Mighty Don 33/1, West Approach 50/1, Garo De Juilley 80/1
(Odds correct at 3.00pm December 20)
