The Mersey Novices' Hurdle is a Grade One National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree, Merseyside, over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 metres), and during its running there are eleven hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Grand National meeting in early April.
The distance of the race was cut by a furlong to its present length in 1988. For a period it was sponsored by Mumm, and it was given Grade Two status in 1991. It has had several different sponsors since 1992, and the latest of these, Betway, began supporting the event in 2017. The Mersey Novices' Hurdle was upgraded to Grade One by the British Horseracing Authority from its 2014 running.
The Mersey Novices' Hurdle often features horses which ran previously in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, and the last to achieve victory in both races was Yorkhill in 2016.
Winners since 1976 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1976 Perversity 6 Andy Turnell Bob Turnell 1977 Samuel Pepys 6 John Burke Fred Rimell 1978 Raleighstown 7 Tommy Kinane Christy Kinane 1979 Taffy 4 Tommy Carmody Peter Bailey 1980 Wayward Lad 5 Tommy Carmody Tony Dickinson 1981 Hareshaw 6 Tommy Carmody Michael Dickinson 1982 Gallaher 6 Bill Smith Fulke Walwyn 1983 Ballinacurra Lad 8 Pat Leech John Crowley 1984 Lochboisdale 4 Steve Smith Eccles Jeff King 1985 Out of the Gloom 4 Jonjo O'Neill Reg Hollinshead 1986 Canute Express 5 Lorcan Wyer Homer Scott 1987 The West Awake 6 Simon Sherwood Oliver Sherwood 1988 Sir Blake 7 Brendan Powell David Elsworth 1989 Morley Street 5 Jimmy Frost Toby Balding 1990 Vazon Bay 6 Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman 1991 Shannon Glen 5 Michael Bowlby Jenny Pitman 1992 Coulton 5 Graham McCourt Mick Easterby 1993 Lemon's Mill 4 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe 1994 Cyborgo 4 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe 1995 Tervel 4 Charlie Swan Jeff Pearce 1996 Silver Shred 5 Jonothan Lower Martin Pipe 1997 Sanmartino 5 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson 1998 Promalee 6 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien 1999 Barton 6 Lorcan Wyer Tim Easterby 2000 Best Mate 5 Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight 2001 Montalcino 5 Brian Crowley Venetia Williams 2002 Classified 6 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 2003 Leinster 6 Kieran Kelly Dessie Hughes 2004 Garde Champetre 5 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2005 Turpin Green 6 Tony Dobbin Nicky Richards 2006 Natal 5 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2007 Tidal Bay 6 Paddy Brennan Howard Johnson 2008 Elusive Dream 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2009 Bouggler 4 Noel Fehily Emma Lavelle 2010 Peddlers Cross 5 Jason Maguire Donald McCain, Jr. 2011 Spirit Son 5 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2012 Simonsig 6 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2013 Ubak 5 Jamie Moore Gary Moore 2014 Lac Fontana 5 Tony McCoy Paul Nicholls 2015 Nichols Canyon 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2016 Yorkhill 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2017 Finian's Oscar 5 Robbie Power Colin Tizzard 2018 Black Op 7 Noel Fehily Tom George 2019 Reserve Tank 5 Robbie Power Colin Tizzard no race 2020 2021 My Drogo 6 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2022 Three Stripe Life 6 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott 2023 Irish Point 5 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott 2024 Brighterdaysahead 5 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott 2025 Honesty Policy 5 Mark Walsh Gordon Elliott 2026 Bossman Jack 6 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
aintree.co.uk – 2010 John Smith's Grand National Media Guide. pedigreequery.com – Mersey Novices' Hurdle – Aintree.