2024 Aintree Hurdle Betting
The Grand National meeting is the final national hunt festival of the season and also gives the trainers the chance to land one more grade 1 race of the season. Taking place over three days, the premier hurdle race on the opening day is the Aintree Hurdle, which is scheduled to take place as the feature race of the day. When it comes to this race, there are many runners who will have participated in the Cheltenham Festival, and if you’re looking at the betting odds, it's these horses who will stand out from the crowd when it comes to betting odds.
Aintree Hurdle Betting Odds
Within our selection of odds from the Grand National Meeting, you’ll find all the horses who may participate in the Aintree Hurdle. These odds may alter as we get closer to the race itself as we await the final declarations, but if you’re looking to place ante post bets, we will have the markets available so you can place your bets weeks before the race takes place.
However, if you prefer to wait until the day of the race, you’ll have the chance to place win, each-way, forecast bets and add horses to your accas, then we have the best odds, whether you’re looking to back a horse with a specific name, trainer, or jockey.
Aintree Hurdle Overview
Classed as a Grade 1 National Hunt race, the Aintree Hurdle is run as the name suggests at Aintree. Established in 1976, the race was shortened to its current distance in 1988 and was usually contested on the festival's final day. However, in 2013, it was moved to the opening day of the Festival to add another Grade 1 to the race card.
One of the iconic races on the grand national meeting card, the Aintree Hurdle is normally the destination for those runners who took on the Champion Hurdle course at Cheltenham, although this may come as a stiffer test the turns on the Mildmay course can be harder to navigate.
The race itself is open to horses aged four years and older, and these hurdlers often prefer to go over a shorter trip and choose this race over the Liverpool Hurdle. There are eleven fences for the runners to take in across a two-mile four-furlong distance.
Aintree Hurdle Betting Tips
Before placing any bets on the Aintree Hurdle, we'd recommend punters browsing our betting tips which will feature not only a selection for this race, but also the other feature races in the Grand National Festival. It's here you may encounter Cheltenham Festival winners or those who've waited for the milder weather to potentially enjoy success.
Grand National Ladies Day Tips
Aintree Hurdle Winners
There are many legendary horses who have managed to pick up wins within the Aintree Hurdle, Night Nurse and Morley Street are just two which stand out, but if you're looking for the most recent winners to take on the hurdles at Aintree racecourse, we've highlighted them below:
- 2023 - Constitution Hill
- 2022 - Epatante
- 2021 - Abacadabras
- 2019 - Supasundae
- 2018 - L'Ami Serge
- 2017 - Buveur D'Air
- 2016 - Annie Power
Many of these horses have competed in both the Christmas Hurdle and Champion Hurdle, so they are also good races to explore form.
Aintree Hurdle Winning Jockeys
When it comes to winning jockeys of the Aintree Hurdle, there is one who leads the way with five wins, and that is Ruby Walsh, between 2002 and 2016. No other rider has yet to surpass that amount, and if you're looking for which jockeys to follow, those who fly the Irish flag should be on your radar.
- 2023 - Nico de Boinville
- 2022 - Aidan Coleman
- 2021 - Jack Kennedy
- 2019 - Robbie Power
- 2018 - Daryl Jacob
- 2017- Barry Geraghty
- 2016 - Ruby Walsh
Aintree Hurdle Winning Trainers
There are many trainers who have attempted to add the Aintree Hurdle to their collection of wins, and some who have managed that include Nigel Twiston Davies. However, trainer Nicky Henderson and Toby Balding top the rankings top the list, having won the race five times across their training careers. Henderson is more recognisable to modern racing audiences, but we've also listed the most recent winning trainers to help you when placing a bet.
- 2023 - Nicky Henderson
- 2022 - Nicky Henderson
- 2021 - Denise Foster
- 2019 - Jessica Harrington
- 2018 - Nicky Henderson
- 2017 - Nicky Henderson
- 2016 - Willie Mullins
Aintree Hurdle FAQS
When is the Aintree Hurdle?
The race is contested on the first day of the Grand National Festival which is Thursday.
Who was the last mare to win this race?
The last mare to win this race was Annie Power
Has any horse won the Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle in the same season?
Yes. both Annie Power and Buveur D'Air managed to find success in both races during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Who has won the Aintree Hurdle on the most occasions?
In terms of jockeys and trainers, Ruby Walsh, Toby Balding and Nickey Henderson all have five wins.
Who is the most successful horse in the Aintree Hurdle?
This award goes to Morley Street between 1990 and 1993 who won the race on four consecutive occasions.
Are there any trials for the Aintree Hurdle?
There are no trials as such, but Grade 1 races such as the Champion Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle can be a good place to identify runners.
