The Imperial Cup is a 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 ), 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 2016 running was unsponsored and no bonus was offered. The bonus returned in 2017 when new sponsors Matchbook offered a £50,000 prize, which they increased to £100,000 for the 2018 running. The race was upgraded from Listed to Grade Three status by the British Horseracing Board from its 2014 running. It was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority. Since 2024 it has been run as a Class 2 handicap.
In 2025 the owners of Sandown Park, The Jockey Club, re-instated the bonus offering £100,000 to any horse who could win this prestigious race, then go on to win at The Cheltenham Festival.
Records Most successful horse since 1947 (2 wins): Secret Service - 1949, 1950 High Point – 1952, 1953 Precious Boy – 1991, 1994 Go Dante - 2024, 2025
Leading jockey since 1947 (5 wins): Tony McCoy – Blowing Wind (1998), Polar Red (2002), Korelo (2003), Gaspara (2007), Qaspal (2010)
Leading trainer since 1947 (6 wins): Martin Pipe – Travel Mystery (1989), Olympian (1993), Blowing Wind (1998), Polar Red (2002), Korelo (2003), Medison (2005)
Winners Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer1907Carnegie611–04James O'BrienJ Westlake1908Perseus II811–11Mr Stuart BellJames Bell1909Abandoned due to snow1910Black Plum611–05Frank MasonP Whitaker1911Bendy Tree411–04James HareJ H Batho1912Meridian511–05Bill EscottHarry Escott1913Rathlea810–12Ernest PiggottE Martin1914Vermouth410–10George DullerJames Bell 1939 no race 1915–19 1920Trespasser412–00George DullerJames Bell1921Trespasser512–07George DullerJames Bell1922Trespasser612–07George DullerJames Bell1923North Waltham612–04Georges ParfrementP Whitaker1924Noce d'Argent411–02Frank WoottenStanley Wootten1925Scotch Pearl410–07Fred ReesWalter Nightingall1926Peeping Tom410–07George DullerJames Bell1927Zeno410–12Billy SpeckWalter Nightingall1928Royal Falcon511–06Ted LeaderF Leech1929Hercules611–05George DullerJames Bell1930Rubicon II411–03George DullerP Donaghue1931Residue712–03Georges PellerinOwen Anthony1932Last Of The Dandies511–04Bill HollickW Payne1933Flaming611–04George BostwickIvor Anthony1934Lion Courage610–07Gerry WilsonW R Read1935Negro611–06Billy SpeckGeorge Wilson1936Negro711–03Staff InghamGeorge Wilson1937Le Maestro611–00Jack FawkusGwyn Evans1938Bimco510–12Ernest VinallH Turner1939Mange Tout511–08Gerry WilsonGeorge Duller 1939 no race 1940–46 1947Tant Pis509-10Frenchie NicholsonJ Goldsmith1948Anglesey611-08Johnnie GilbertStaff Ingham1949Secret Service611–11Johnnie GilbertFulke Walwyn1950Secret Service711–10Tommy CusackFulke Walwyn1951Master Bidar610–11Rene EmeryRon Smyth1952High Point610-04Harry SpragueGinger Dennistoun1953High Point710-07Harry SpragueGinger Dennistoun1954The Pills610-05Jack DowdeswellP Rice-Stringer1955Bon Mot II610–11Michael HaynesStanley Wootton1956Peggy Jones610–10Alan OughtonS Palmer1957Camugliano710–10Rene EmeryH T Smith1958Flaming East910-05John LawrenceRicky Vallance1959Langton Heath510-09Raymond MartinTom Griffiths1960Farmer's Boy711-07David NicholsonW Stephenson1961Fidus Achates610-04Clive ChapmanM James1962Irish Imp510–12Geordie RamshawRon Smyth1963Antiar511-02David MouldPeter Cazalet1964Invader611-04Buck JonesSyd Dale1965Kildavin710-07Jeff KingJohn Sutcliffe, jnr1966Royal Sanction710-01Richard PitmanFred Winter1967Sir Thopas611-08Johnny HaineBob Turnell1968Persian Empire511-04Brough ScottColin Davies1969Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course1970Solomon II611-01Bob DaviesDavid Barons1971Churchwood711-03Doug BarrottM Goswell 1972Spy Net510-00Geoff LawsonSyd Dale 1973Lanzarote512-04Richard PitmanFred Winter 1974Flash Imp510-09Jeff KingRon Smyth 1975Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course1976Nougat610-06Gerry EnrightJosh Gifford 1977Acquaint611-02Nicky HendersonFred Winter 1978Winter Melody711-03Bill SmithJack Hanson 1979Flying Diplomat310-06Tim Thomson JonesA 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 Robert Chapman Fulke Walwyn 1984 Dalbury 6 09-12 Peter 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 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 2019 Malaya 5 10-02 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls2020Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course 2021 Langer Dan 5 10-10 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2022 Surprise Package 5 11-01 James Bowen Peter Fahey 2023 Iceo 5 11-03 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2024 Go Dante 8 11-04 Sean Bowen Olly Murphy 2025 Go Dante 9 10-08 Sean Bowen Olly Murphy 2026 Mondo Man 5 10-12 Caolin Quinn Gary & Josh Moore
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93 horseracinghistory.co.uk – profile of Trespasser, a three-time winner of the Imperial Cup.
External links Race Recordings (1971, 1973, 1981-2004) youtube.com