Imperial Cup
| 2018 | ||
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| Mr Antolini | Call Me Lord | Whatswrongwithyou |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | ||
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| London Prize | Fixe Le Kap | Darebin |
| 2016 | ||
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| Flying Angel | Solstice Star | Spice Fair |
| 2015 | ||
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| Ebony Express | Rayvin Black | Gassin Golf |
| 2014 | ||
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| Baltimore Rock | Gassin Golf | Vibrato Valtat |
| 2013 | ||
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| First Avenue | Tanerko Emery | Kazlian |
| 2012 | ||
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| Paintball | Nampour | Sire De Grugy |
| 2011 | ||
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| Alarazi | Via Galilei | Pateese |
| 2010-2001 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
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| Qaspal | Oldrik | Pepe Simo |
| 2009 | ||
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| Dave's Dream | Seven Is My Number | Prince Taime |
| 2008 | ||
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| Ashkazar | Fredensborg | Albinus |
| 2007 | ||
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| Gaspara | Flying Falcon | Magnesium |
| 2006 | ||
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| Victram | Dusky Warbler | Verasi |
| 2005 | ||
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| Medison | Fenix | Monte Cinto |
| 2004 | ||
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| Scorned | Bold Bishop | Fenix |
| 2003 | ||
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| Korelo | Newhall | Lawz |
| 2002 | ||
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| Polar Red | Impek | Scots Grey |
| 2001 | ||
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| Ibal | Valiramix | Rooster Booster |
| 2000-1992 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
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| Magic Combination | The Gatherer | Brigade Charge |
| 1999 | ||
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| Regency Rake | Coulthard | Dr Jazz |
| 1998 | ||
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| Blowing Wind | Sadler's Realm | Nahrawali |
| 1997 | ||
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| Carlito Brigante | Doctoor | Express Gift |
| 1996 | ||
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| Amancio | Silver Groom | Chief's Song |
| 1995 | ||
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| Collier Bay | Star Player | Kingsfold Pet |
| 1994 | ||
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| Precious Boy | Riva | Leotard |
| 1993 | ||
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| Olympian | Gymcrak Stardom | Spinning |
| 1992 | ||
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| King Credo | Rodeo Star | Spinning |
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.
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). The Imperial Cup was most recently sponsored by the bookmaker William Hill but 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Tant Pis | 5 | 09-10 | Frenchie Nicholson | J Goldsmith |
| 1948 | Anglesey | 6 | 11-08 | J Gilbert | Staff Ingham |
| 1949 | Secret Service | 6 | 11–11 | J Gilbert | Fulke Walwyn |
| 1950 | Secret Service | 7 | 11–10 | T Cusack | Fulke Walwyn |
| 1951 | Master Bidar | 6 | 10–11 | R Emery | Ron Smyth |
| 1952 | High Point | 6 | 10-04 | H Sprague | J Dennistoun |
| 1953 | High Point | 7 | 10-07 | H Sprague | J Dennistoun |
| 1954 | The Pills | 6 | 10-05 | J Dowdeswell | P Rice-Stringer |
| 1955 | Bon Mot II | 6 | 10–11 | M Haynes | Stanley Wootton |
| 1956 | Peggy Jones | 6 | 10–10 | A Oughton | S Palmer |
| 1957 | Camugliano | 7 | 10–10 | R Emery | H T Smith |
| 1958 | Flaming East | 9 | 10-05 | Mr John Lawrence | Ricky Vallance |
| 1959 | Langton Heath | 5 | 10-09 | R Martin | T Griffiths |
| 1960 | Farmer's Boy | 7 | 11-07 | David Nicholson | W Stephenson |
| 1961 | Fidus Achates | 6 | 10-04 | C Chapman | M James |
| 1962 | Irish Imp | 5 | 10–12 | G Ramshaw | Ron Smyth |
| 1963 | Antiar | 5 | 11-02 | David Mould | Peter Cazalet |
| 1964 | Invader | 6 | 11-04 | T M Jones | L Dale |
| 1965 | Kildavin | 7 | 10-07 | Jeff King | John Sutcliffe, jnr |
| 1966 | Royal Sanction | 7 | 10-01 | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter |
| 1967 | Sir Thopas | 6 | 11-08 | Johnny Haine | Bob Turnell |
| 1968 | Persian Empire | 5 | 11-04 | Brough Scott | Colin Davies |
| 1969 | Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course | ||||
| 1970 | Solomon II | 6 | 11-01 | Bob Davies | David Barons |
| 1971 | Churchwood | 7 | 11-03 | Doug Barrott | M Goswell |
| 1972 | Spy Net | 5 | 10-00 | G Lawson | L Dale |
| 1973 | Lanzarote | 5 | 12-04 | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter |
| 1974 | Flash Imp | 5 | 10-09 | Jeff King | Ron Smyth |
| 1975 | Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course | ||||
| 1976 | Nougat | 6 | 10-06 | G Enright | Josh Gifford |
| 1977 | Acquaint | 6 | 11-02 | Mr Nicky Henderson | Fred Winter |
| 1978 | Winter Melody | 7 | 11-03 | Bill Smith | J Hanson |
| 1979 | Flying Diplomat | 3 | 10-06 | Mr Tim Thomson Jones | 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 | Mr Ben Hitchcott | 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 |
See also
References
- ↑ Riley, Stuart. "Festival bonus unlikely for Imperial Cup winner". Racing Post. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
- ↑ "£50,000 Cheltenham bonus back in play for Imperial Cup winner". Racing UK. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ↑ "O'Brien targets Winter Derby with six-strong entry". Racing Post. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ↑ "British Horseracing Authority Announces Upgrades to Jump Pattern Races for 2013/14". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- Racing Post:
- Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93
- horseracinghistory.co.uk – profile of Trespasser, a three-time winner of the Imperial Cup.
- Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 55. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.