The Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race is a Grade 2 National Hunt flat race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged from four to six years. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 209 yards, or 3,410 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Grand National meeting in early April.
The event was established in 1987, and it was given Grade 2 status in 1995. It was sponsored by John Smith's from 2005 to 2013 and by Weatherbys Racing Bank since 2014. The field sometimes includes horses which ran previously in the Champion Bumper.
Records Leading jockey (2 wins): Sam Twiston-Davies - The New One (2012), Ballybolley (2014)
Leading trainer (4 wins): Nigel Twiston-Davies – King's Road (1998), The Cool Guy (2005), The New One (2012), Ballybolley (2014)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1987 Rustle 5 Michael Bowlby Nicky Henderson 1988 Black Moccasin 5 W. O'Callaghan Jenny Pitman 1989 no race 1989 1990 Going On 4 Brendan McGiff Sally Hall 1991 Dual Image 4 Adrian Maguire Jimmy FitzGerald 1992 Brief Gale 5 Philip Hide Josh Gifford 1993 Native Field 4 Willie Dwan Jimmy FitzGerald 1994 Nahla 4 Sean Curran Jacqui Doyle 1995 Dante's Cavalie 5 Denis Leahy David Gandolfo 1996 Burn Out 4 Leighton Aspell Jeff Pearce 1997 no race 1997 1998 King's Road 5 Martin Keighley Nigel Twiston-Davies 1999 King of the Castle 4 Liam Corcoran Jenny Pitman 2000 Quadco 6 Davy Russell Pat Fahy 2001 The Bajan Bandit 6 Bruce Gibson Len Lungo 2002 Kickham 6 Philip Fenton Edward O'Grady 2003 Classic Native 5 Ron Flavin Jonjo O'Neill 2004 Diamond Sal 6 Fergus King Mary Reveley 2005 The Cool Guy 5 Steven Crawford Nigel Twiston-Davies 2006 Pangbourne 5 Robert Thornton Alan King 2007 Theatrical Moment 4 Tony Dobbin Alan Swinbank 2008 Honest John 4 Keith Mercer Tom Tate 2009 Sitting Tennant 6 Richard McGrath Kate Walton 2010 Megastar 5 Jamie Moore Gary L. Moore 2011 Steps To Freedom 5 Paul Carberry Gordon Elliott 2012 The New One 4 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies 2013 Killyglass 6 Noel Fehily Emma Lavelle 2014 Ballybolley 5 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies 2015 Barters Hill 5 David Bass Ben Pauling 2016 Bacardys 5 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2017 Lalor 5 Richard Johnson Richard Woollacott 2018 Portrush Ted 6 Gavin Sheehan Warren Greatrex 2019 McFabulous 5 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls no race 2020 2021 Knappers Hill 5 Megan Nicholls Paul Nicholls 2022 Lookaway 5 Jack Quinlan Neil King 2023 Florida Dreams 5 Danny McMenamin Nicky Richards 2024 Horaces Pearl 6 Conor Brace Fergal O'Brien 2025 Green Splendour 5 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2026 Forthfactor 5 Heidi Palin 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 – John Smith's Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race – Aintree.