The Grimes Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt novice hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Tipperary over a distance of 2 miles (3,218 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.
The race was first run in 2001 (as the Betdaq Hurdle) and was awarded Grade 3 status in 2006.
In line with several races at Tipperary, the race is named (since 2006) after a horse owned by J. P. McManus, Grimes, who won the inaugural running of this race. The same horse, Grimes, was previously celebrated (2003) in the name of the Tipperary race now known as the Like A Butterfly Novice Chase.
The race is sponsored by the company owned by J. P. McManus's younger brother, Kevin McManus Bookmakers.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Accordion Etoile – 2004, 2005
Leading jockey (4 wins): Paul Townend – Simenon (2014), Thomas Hobson (2019), Aramon (2020), Sole Pretender (2021)
Leading trainer (6 wins): Willie Mullins – Simenon (2014), Diakali (2015), Ivan Gronzy (2016), Thomas Hobson (2019), Aramon (2020), Winter Fog (2024)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 2001 Grimes 8 Charlie Swan Christy Roche 2002 Timber King 6 Paul Moloney Christy Roche 2003 Risk Accessor 8 Mr A P Crowe Christy Roche 2004 Accordion Etoile 5 John Cullen Paul Nolan 2005 Accordion Etoile 6 John Cullen Paul Nolan 2006 Red Square Lady 8 Andrew McNamara M J Phillips 2007 Essex 7 Andrew Lynch Michael O'Brien 2008 Larkwing 7 Barry Geraghty E McNamara 2009 Jumbo Rio 4 Andrew McNamara Edward O'Grady 2010 Bahrain Storm 7 J R Barry Patrick J Flynn 2011 Captain Cee Bee 10 Tony McCoy Edward P Harty 2012 Rebel Fitz 7 Davy Russell Michael Winters 2013 Silk Hall 8 E J O'Connell J J Lambe 2014 Simenon 7 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2015 Diakali 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2016 Ivan Grozny 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2017 Plinth 7 Jody McGarvey Joseph O'Brien 2018 Joey Sasa 9 Sean Flanagan Noel Meade 2019 Thomas Hobson 9 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2020 Aramon 7 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2021 Sole Pretender 7 Paul Townend Norman Lee 2022 Santa Rossa 8 Darragh O'Keeffe Dermot McLoughlin 2023 Fils D'oudairies 8 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott 2024 Winter Fog 10 Brian Hayes Willie Mullins 2025 Jesse Evans 9 Donagh Meyler Noel Meade 2026 Run For Oscar 11 Danny Mullins Charles Byrnes
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish National Hunt races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,