Imperial Cup

Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle

2016
Flying Angel	Solstice Star	Spice Fair

Previous years
2015
Ebony Express	Rayvin Black	Gassin Golf
2014
Baltimore Rock	Gassin Golf	Vibrato Valtat
2013
First Avenue	Tanerko Emery	Kazlian
2012
Paintball	Nampour	Sire De Grugy
2011
Alarazi	Via Galilei	Pateese

2010-2001
2010
Qaspal	Oldrik	Pepe Simo
2009
Dave's Dream	Seven Is My Number	Prince Taime
2008
Ashkazar	Fredensborg	Albinus
2007
Gaspara	Flying Falcon	Magnesium
2006
Victram	Dusky Warbler	Verasi
2005
Medison	Fenix	Monte Cinto
2004
Scorned	Bold Bishop	Fenix
2003
Korelo	Newhall	Lawz
2002
Polar Red	Impek	Scots Grey
2001
Ibal	Valiramix	Rooster Booster

2000-1992
2000
Magic Combination	The Gatherer	Brigade Charge
1999
Regency Rake	Coulthard	Dr Jazz
1998
Blowing Wind	Sadler's Realm	Nahrawali
1997
Carlito Brigante	Doctoor	Express Gift
1996
Amancio	Silver Groom	Chief's Song
1995
Collier Bay	Star Player	Kingsfold Pet
1994
Precious Boy	Riva	Leotard
1993
Olympian	Gymcrak Stardom	Spinning
1992
King Credo	Rodeo Star	Spinning

The Imperial Cup is a Grade Three 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 and 110 yards (3,319 metres), 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 Imperial Cup was most recently sponsored by the bookmaker William Hill but the 2016 running will be unsponsored and no bonus is likely to be offered.^[1] The race was upgraded from Listed to Grade Three status by the British Horseracing Board from its 2014 running.^[2]

Winners since 1947

• Weights given in stones and pounds; Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".

Year	Winner	Age	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
1947	Tant Pis	5	09-10	Frenchie Nicholson	J Goldsmith
1948	Anglesey	6	11-08	J Gilbert	Staff Ingham
1949	Secret Service	6	11-11	J Gilbert	Fulke Walwyn
1950	Secret Service	7	11-10	T Cusack	Fulke Walwyn
1951	Master Bidar	6	10-11	R Emery	Ron Smyth
1952	High Point	6	10-04	H Sprague	J Dennistoun
1953	High Point	7	10-07	H Sprague	J Dennistoun
1954	The Pills	6	10-05	J Dowdeswell	P Rice-Stringer
1955	Bon Mot II	6	10-11	M Haynes	Stanley Wootton
1956	Peggy Jones	6	10-10	A Oughton	S Palmer
1957	Camugliano	7	10-10	R Emery	H T Smith
1958	Flaming East	9	10-05	Mr John Lawrence	Ricky Vallance
1959	Langton Heath	5	10-09	R Martin	T Griffiths
1960	Farmer's Boy	7	11-07	David Nicholson	W Stephenson
1961	Fidus Achates	6	10-04	C Chapman	M James
1962	Irish Imp	5	10-12	G Ramshaw	Ron Smyth
1963	Antiar	5	11-02	David Mould	Peter Cazalet
1964	Invader	6	11-04	T M Jones	L Dale
1965	Kildavin	7	10-07	Jeff King	John Sutcliffe, jnr
1966	Royal Sanction	7	10-01	Richard Pitman	Fred Winter
1967	Sir Thopas	6	11-08	Johnny Haine	Bob Turnell
1968	Persian Empire	5	11-04	Brough Scott	Colin Davies
1969	Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course
1970	Solomon II	6	11-01	Bob Davies	David Barons
1971	Churchwood	7	11-03	Doug Barrott	M Goswell
1972	Spy Net	5	10-00	G Lawson	L Dale
1973	Lanzarote	5	12-04	Richard Pitman	Fred Winter
1974	Flash Imp	5	10-09	Jeff King	Ron Smyth
1975	Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course
1976	Nougat	6	10-06	G Enright	Josh Gifford
1977	Acquaint	6	11-02	Mr Nicky Henderson	Fred Winter
1978	Winter Melody	7	11-03	Bill Smith	J Hanson
1979	Flying Diplomat	3	10-06	Mr Tim Thomson Jones	A 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	Roger Chapman	Fulke Walwyn
1984	Dalbury	6	09-12	P. Corrigan	P. 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	S. 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	Mr 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

See also

• Horseracing in Great Britain
• List of British National Hunt races

References

1. Riley, Stuart. "Festival bonus unlikely for Imperial Cup winner". Racing Post. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
2. "British Horseracing Authority Announces Upgrades to Jump Pattern Races for 2013/14". Retrieved 28 August 2013.

• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
• Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992-93
• horseracinghistory.co.uk – profile of Trespasser, a three-time winner of the Imperial Cup.
• Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 55. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
• Race Recordings