FRED WINTER HANDICAP HURDLE HISTORY FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS

The Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle was one of the new races introduced to the Cheltenham Festival in 2005 when it was extended to four days. It commemorates one of the greatest figures in the history of National Hunt racing. Fred Winter, who died aged 77 in April, 2004, was champion jockey four times and included two Gold Cups and three Champion Hurdles amongst seventeen Cheltenham Festival riding successes. He was champion trainer on eight occasions, sending out the winners of four Champion Hurdles and a Gold Cup, saddling a total of twenty-eight Cheltenham Festival winners. He holds the unique record of having both ridden and trained winners of the Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle.

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2008 CRACK AWAY JACK (Jockey: Paul Carberry, Trainer: Emma Lavelle)

CRACK AWAY JACK, a gangly youngster with plenty of physical scope, continued his progressive profile in stunning style. Given a wonderful ride by Paul Carberry, he was settled last and did not start to improve until running downhill towards the third-last. Still held together around the home bend, his inexorable progress was confirmed by a flying leap at the last. Although he ran green when ahead, hanging left into the strong wind, he held on well, at a rewarding 14/1 in the Cheltenham betting. 2½l runner-up Ashkazar, (the 15/8 Cheltenham betting favourite) trained by David Pipe just missed out on a £75,000 bonus.

Sunderlands again put up the bonus, won in 2007 by the Pipe-trained Gaspara, for any horse collecting Sandown's Sunderlands Imperial Cup and subsequently winning at the Cheltenham Festival. Already allocated top weight, he escaped a 4lb penalty, running off the same handicap mark as for his win at Sandown. He looked like repeating that performance as he cruised ahead at the top of the hill. Having chased the fast pace, he was held together and wandered around before the second-last as he had done before on easier ground. Francois Doumen-trained Grand Schlem gave the form a solid look and ran to his previous form with Ashkazar. He beat the rest by 14l, but could not quite match the leading duo from the home turn.

2007 GASPARA (Jockey: Andrew Glassonbury, Trainer: David Pipe)

David Pipe enjoyed his first Festival success with Gaspara, who also landed the £75,000 bonus put up by bookmaker Sunderlands for any horse that landed the Sunderlands Imperial Cup and a race at the Cheltenham Festival. With just a 4lb penalty and Glassonbury's 5lb claim, she looked hard to beat, starting 9/2 JF in the Cheltenham betting. A positive ride saw her turn for home 6l clear, maintaining the advantage to win unchallenged. Runner-up Altilhar found the drying ground to his liking, staying on well to grab second close home. Laustra Bad, a stablemate of the winner, ran a cracker, just being collared for the runner-up spot. Cheltenham statistics show that the winner subsequently finished 4th in the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival.

2006 SHAMAYOUN (Jockey: Paddy Brennan, Trainer: Charles Egerton)

A very fast-run race, making the performance of the winner all the more impressive. Despite being a 40/1 chance in the Cheltenham betting, he took it up at halfway, charging up the hill for a 2½l success. Artist's Muse posed the only danger to the winner from the home bend, but landed flat-footed over the last and was always held. Patman du Charmil flew home for third, relishing the testing ground.

2005 DABIROUN (Jockey: Nina Carberry, Trainer: Paul Nolan)

This 24-runner handicap involved only the winner, showing improved form on the better ground. 20/1 in the Cheltenham betting, he won as he liked, coming home by 8l after kicking clear off the home bend. At Your Request tired after the last, but hung on for second, while Nation State was denied a run until after the last, finishing strongly.