Wellington Hurdle Winners

WINNERS OF THE WELLINGTON HURDLE

The first of what could be considered the Wellington Hurdle (originally the Winter Hurdles) was run in 1885. In addition to there being no meeting in 1915, 1941 or 1946 (due to the Army’s use of Trentham), 1950 when the third day of the Winter meeting was abandoned, or in 2004, 2005 and 2008 when atrocious weather and conditions caused the meetings to be abandoned.

Run over 2 miles for the first four years, it was then reduced to 1¾ miles, returning to 2 miles in 1895. It was increased to 2¼ miles in 1920, converted to 3600 metres in 1974. The current name was first used in 1972. The inside hurdle lane was first used in 1975, resulting in a reduction in the race distance to 3400 metres but was declared unsafe after a safety audit in 2008 with the race returning to the course proper in 2009. The times below are for the current distance.

Fastest times:

3:48.70 - Rand - 2000

3:51.77 - Harbour Lights – 2001

3:57.97 - Pal O’Mine - 1988

Slowest times:

4:39.78 - Thatz David – 2013 (Course Proper)

4:39.45 – Honey – 2011 (Course Proper)

4:35.12 - Counter Punch – 2009 (Course Proper)

4:33 – Hunting Chief – 1978

Highest winning weights:

12 st 0 lb (76 kg) - Chevalier * - 1900

11 st 8 lb (73½ kg) – Nukumai - 1927

11 st 8 lb (73½ kg) - Corineus - 1949

* Chevalier (formerly Cavalier, under which name he won the Great Northern Hurdles a month earlier), dead-heated with Hauriri. The mares’ record is 11 st 5 lb (72 kg) by Tally-ho in 1897. The other mares to win were Marina in 1898, Immensity in 1914, Revision in 1935, Harbour Lights in 2001 and Honey in 2011. Kelly Murray became the first female jockey to win the race when successful on Ricki Roo in 2002, while Shelley Houston joined her when she won on Super Dupa in 2003 and Jo Rathbone on Honey in 2011.

Since metrication in 1974, the highest weights carried have been 67 kg by Van Winkle in 2007 (63kg minimum) and Counter Punch in 2009. 66 kg was carried by Mr Hickey in 1980 and Floodlight in 1983 when the minimum weight was 57 kg.

Most Wins:

Only one horse has won three times - the great Nukumai in 1924, 1927 and 1931, the last time as a 12-year-old.

Dual Winners:

Paddon (1932, 1933)

Corineus (1948, 1949)

Hunting Chief (1978,1979)

Van Winkle (2006 (run at Awapuni) 2007 (Run at Trentham))

The oldest winner

Other than those listed in old records as “aged” and whose age cannot be calculated from either earlier Turf Registers or the Stud Book, was Nukumai in his third win as a 12 year old.

The youngest winners

Were the four-year-olds Shillelagh in 1888, Louis in 1889, Tahae in 1904, Immensity in 1914, Omahu in 1919, First Born in 1923, Evans Head in 1942 and Eager Mars in 1961.

Most wins for a trainer.

Although many trainers have win the race twice, only Evan Rayner has managed three wins since trainers names were first listed in 1926 -Mister Divinsky (1990) and Van Winkle (2006 at Awapuni and 2007).

Only two jockeys have won three times

Gary Bell on Blueit (1972), Warpath (1973), and Lord Lu (1975), and Eddie Lamb on Neils Hope (1996), Ballina Bold (1999) and Rand (2000).

Foxonewa in 1969 gave Matamata owner-trainer Bob Autridge his only riding success over fences.

The following horses have won both the Wellington Hurdles and Wellington Steeplechase races:

Kangaroo - (hurdles 1887, steeples 1888)

Omahu - (hurdles 1919, steeples 1924 and 1925)

Beau Cavalier - (steeples 1927, hurdles 1928)

Good Armour – (hurdles 1945, steeples 1947)

Dunray - (hurdles 1958, steeples 1959 and 1961)

Kumai - (hurdles 1966, steeples 1967)

Mr Hickey - (hurdles 1980, steeples 1984)

(The Wellington Racing Club sincerely thanks Chris McQuaid, New Zealand’s jumping historian and statistician, for supplying the above information.)

WELLINGTON HURDLES (3400m Open) (Winter Hurdles until 1971)
Year	Horse	Owners	Trainer	Jockey	Time	Age	Weight
1885 to 1888 the distance was about 2 Miles
1885	Erebus	D Fulton		Mr A Herd		5g	10.8
1886	Orient	F B Gentry		Mr F B Gentry	4.16	8g	10.1
1887 #	Kangaroo	H Hill		T Winteringham	4.14.1/2	ag	10.3
assume that all runners fell or that the distance was much further, as other times on the day were not so slow as to be comparable with this
1888	Shillelagh	J B Williamson		W Hadfield	4.03	4g	9.10
1889 to 1894 the distance was about 1 3/4 miles
1889	Louis	C O'Connor		Mr C O'Connor	3.34	4h	10.4
1890	Raven	R Gooseman		J Hickey	3.55.1/2	ag	10.12
1891	Ival	S H Gollan		J Gallagher	3.31	8g	9.10
1892	Waterbury	W Douglas		Matthews	3.51.3/5	6g	11.10
1893	Unity	G Hawkins		J McTaggard	3.34	5g	9.2
1894	Oaklands ^	T T Watt		Mr R Kingan	3.4	8+g	10
	^ non-Stud Book - already “aged” when first raced
1895 to 1919 the distance was about two miles
1895	Langley the Devil	J Boyd		G Galbraith	4.01.1/2	7g	9.3
1896	Kauri Gum	W Carr		A Mitchell	4.12.1/2	7g	9.8
1897	Tally Ho	R Connop	owner	C Mitchell	4.16	6m	11.5
1898	Marina	JL Proctor	owner	R Arnott	4.00.2/5	6m	9.4
1899	Shylock	J Taylor		H Phillips	4.16	6g	9.12
1900 Dead heat	Chevalier *	L Harris		P Johnson	4.10	6g	12.0
	*formerly Cavalier (under which name he won the 1900 Great Northern Hurdles)
1900 Dead heat	Hauriri	J S Palmer		J walls	4.10	6g	9.0
1901	Hotu	Mrs Batchelor		J Watson	4.05	6g	10.7
1902	Royal Conqueror	T Wylie		J Wilson	4.13.1/5	6g	11.7
1903	Slow Town	WJ Taggart		BE Harley	4.11.2/5	6g	9.10
1904	Tahae	FG Parker		E Howard	4.02.1/5	4g	9.3
1905	Pushful	JB A'Deane		D Watt	4.03.3/5	7g	10.4
1906	Shrapnel	D Thompson		J McGregor	4.00.3/5	7g	10.2
1907	Lull	A Hall		H Telford	3.52.4/5	7g	9.4
1908	Compass	J Casserley		Tait	4.04.3/5	5g	9.5
1909	Tauira	JR McDonald		H Telford	4.02.1/5	6g	9.0
1910	Paisaino	GB Orman		W Young	4.05.1/5	6g	10.10
1911	The Rover	AM Wright		C Price	4.02.1/5	5g	9.5
1912	White Cockade	J Westerman		F Douglas	4.20.3/5	8g	9.2
1913	Marton	G Morris	Rayner ?	W Adams	3.57.4/5	7g	10.7
1914	Immensity	T Byrne	Cameron	F McCabe	4.01	4m	9.12.1/2
1915	No Race
1916	Marconi	J O E Jackson	C W Coleman	S Henderson	3.55	5g	9.11
1917	Leonta	TS Bristol		E Copestake	4.01	7g	10.6
1918	Gladful	WR Kemball		S Reed	4.00.3/5	7g	11.0
1919	Omahu	J Bull		A McDonald	3.45.3/5	4g	9.8
1920 to 1973 the distance was about 2 1/4 miles
1920	Slowcoach	Hon. EW Alison		H Turner	4.32	5g	9.9
1921	Alteration	J George		H McSweeney	4.24	7g	9.3
1922	Rorke's Drift	FA & VN Price		AS Ellis	4.29	10g	9.0
	Was 12th favourite in field of 15 – press reports refer only to it paying “a good price”
1923	First Born	JB Gaisford		RS Bagby	4.32	4g	9.2.1/2
1924	Nukumai	SG Davidson	A M Wright?	WJ Bowden	4.29.2/5	5g	9.13
1925	Lucullent	RFG Werner		NV Rowe	4.59	7g	9.5.1/2
1926	Zircon	J Paterson	W H Patterson	E Warner	4.39	7g	9.9
1927	Nukumai	SG Davidson	A M Wright	WJ Bowden	4.33.1/4	8g	11.8
1928	Beau Cavalier	AG Quartley	S Tooman	S Henderson	4.33	8g	10.2
1929	Overhaul	Ricardson & Wilson	D P Wilson	A Hobson	4.46	6g	9.3
1930	Carinthia	WH & CL Orbell	F Trilford	F Thompson	4.26.1/2	5g	9.9
1931	Nukumai	SG Davidson	M Conway	R Mills	4.41.1/2	12g	10.1
1932	Paddon	W James	owner	J Burgess	4.14.3/4	9g	9.2
1933	Paddon	W James	owner	L Dulieu	4.45.1/2	10g	10.7
1934	Rasouli	H Elworthy	E J Ellis	E Mackie	4.34.1/2	7g	9.0
1935	Revision	Mrs WA Fuller	J O E James	G Ridgway	4.45	8m	9.9
1936	Travelling Agent	JE Tutchen	owner	J Fergus	4.25	8g	9.8
1937	John Charles	NEF Loisel	H S Greene	A Lord	4.39.1/2	9g	9.6
1938	Courtyard	D Neill	A McMullan	G Ridgway	4.56.1/2	8g	10.2
1939	Curie	WM McKinnon	owner	J McLaughlin	4.57	10g	10.4
1940	Jewelled Girdle	Mrs EM Sloane	owner	HC Maria	4.56.1/2	10g	10.13
1941	No Race
1942	Evan's Head	G Seifert	A L Seifert	D MacKinnon	4.47.3/4	4g	9.12
1943	Town Survey	WS Goosman	A Winder	LC Brown	4.25.1/4	6g	10.0
1944	Borak	C Matthew	A M Wright	A Midwood	4.34.1/4	5g	9.0
1945	Good Armour	AJF Walker	C E Walker	FJ Hain	4.38.1/4	5g	9.11
1946	No Race
1947	Desert Trek	HA Anderton & WR Grey	H A Anderton	JW Winder	4.32.3/4	5g	9.7
1948	Corineus	A Yarndley	owner	RL Collett	4.32.1/2	5g	10.12
1949	Corineus	A Yarndley	owner	RL Collett	4.43	6g	11.8
1950	No Race
1951	Dakota	G Cobb, FW & JF Lee	G Cobb	BJ Langford	4.53.1/2	6g	9.10
1952	Oklahoma	NM Bradanovich	L G Albrey	AG Waddell	4.36.1/4	7g	9.12
1953	Cabana	C Walker	M J Burridge	RB Hill	4.58.1/2	5g	9.12
1954	Knight's Star	R Demler, CH Ferguson & GH Mitchell	R Demler	VH Simpson	4.51.3/4	6g	9.2.3/4
1955	Amiens	TD Stewart & SB Wilson	T D Stewart	JH Hely	4.45	8g	9.3
1956	Moghul Emperor	HD Caro	J D Frew	NS Manning	4.53.1/2	6g	9.0
1957	Armed	CM Jillings	owner	JH Hely	4.29.1/2	7g	9.0
1958	Dunray	Mrs MG Meilke	D J Meikle	AG Walsh	4.31.1/4	5g	9.2
1959	Count D'Azure	PG & W Payne	Owners	KJ Cropp	4.34	5g	9.1.3/4
	paid 44 pounds 6s
1960	Big Chief	A Lavich	C Owen	JF Grylis	4.26.1/2	5g	9.4
1961	Eager Mars	M Ryan	B A V Preston	BJ Langford	4.27.1/4	4g	9.0
1962	Kenloch	W Conaghan	H J Waller	J Williamson	4.36.1/4	7g	9.5
1963	Summerford	AHJ Gudsell	D Grubb	CM McGovern	4.38.1/2	5h	9.0
	paid 58 pounds 5s 6d
1964	Smoke Ring	MC Conway & SG Jones	M C Conway	BL Hillis	4.33.3/4	5g	10.7
1965	Saturnian	Mrs RM Bull	E Temperton	BJ Clements	4.46	6g	9.11
1966	Kumai	TKS Sidey	H A Anderton	BJ Anderton	4.24.3/4	8g	10.1
1967	Beyond	AHJ Gudsell	A D Whiteman	G Jenkins	4.36.3/4	7g	10.6
1968	Garnishee	FR Jamieson & WM Young	F C Pratt	A Skipper	4.44.1/2	7g	9.4
1969	Foxonewa	R Autridge	Owner	R Autridge	4.26	6g	10.11
1970	Spray Doone	AG & Mrs Lye	C R Lewis	CR Lewis	4.38.1/2	6g	9.5
1971	Royal Fleet	JK Gray	H Green	H Green	4.38.1/4	7h	9.8
1972	Blueit	LJK & Mrs Hamilton	G R Bell	GR Bell	4.55	7g	9.6
1973	War Path	CG Brown & PW Hawke	G R Bell	GR Bell	4.44	5g	9.7
1974 Raced over 3600 metres
1974	Daylight	RR Cheak	M C Conway	RJ Walsh	4.54.3/4	5g	60.5
Raced over 3400 metres (inside hurdle lane)
1975	Lord Lu	RA Demler, GT Mitchell & RG Rowe	R G Rowe	GR Bell	4.08.1/2	8g	57.5
1976	Owhata Chief	CJ Jenkins & WB Sale	T J McDermott	AT Hounsell	4.22	6g	64.5
1977	Royal Mail	SR Burgess	H R Isaacson	GS McIntosh	4.12	6g	65
1978	Hunting Chief	WS Davey	B Robinson	S Jenkins	4.33	10g	57
1979	Hunting Chief	WS Davey	B Robinson	LJ Carston	4.22.3/4	11g	62.5
1980	Mr Hickey	NS Littlejohn	GK Sanders	R Rokela	4.15.3/4	5g	66
1981	Purcil	D McK, JG & MJ Duncan	D McK Duncan	JG McGifford	4.06.00	5g	58.5
1982	Demonstrandum	WD Myers	WD Myers	SJ Jenkins	4.03.75	7g	62.5
1983	Floodlight	N Martin & L Morehu	DN Couchman	MJ Gillies	4.11.66	9g	66
1984	Mondo Mel	Messrs EJ McConnell, GN & KW McLean & JA Muir	EJ McConnell	PW Membery	4.08.66	7g	62
1985	Gun For Fun	KT & WD Myers	WD Myers	KA Treweek	3.59.29	10g	59.5
1986	Vincere	BJ Allen, BJ Amundsen, J McFadzean & Mrs GL Saunders	RJ Mudgway	GJ Lord	4.21.91	8g	63
1987	Rosenveld	Mr & Mrs S Brosnan	Mrs MJ & S Brosnan	GW Cave	4.06.10	8g	60.5
1988	Pal O'Mine	IG Crozier	KR & N Crawford & Mrs K Fursdon	DR Miller	3.57.97	7g	61.5
1989	Valrodian	P Hogan and D W Samuel	IJ Adams	BD Revell	4.09.47	5g	62.5
1990	Mister Divinsky	R Allan, J D Dillon, C Rua and G P Scully	EW Rayner & JW Parker	CE Clifton	3.59.80	6g	60.5
1991	Decoy Lad	J K Costello	NW Coulbeck	CW Johnson	4.00.94	6g	62
1992	Sounds Fair	Curragh Racing Syndicate	GR Vile	RN Elliot	4.08.13	5g	64
1993	Dunedin	G B Anderton, P J Kennelly and R P Sullivan	GB Anderton	RW Cassidy	3.58.19	5g	60
1994	Tawhiti Road	Messrs AC Appleyard, B Mann, RW Sharrock & JA Thomson	RW & SA Sharrock	MB Scott	3.58.94	8g	63.5
1995	Bay Willem	Mrs A Browne & KS Browne MBE	Mrs A & KS Browne	PS Hillis	4.15.97	7g	61
1996	Neils Hope	Mesdames E Gardiner & RC Gaume	GR Vile	ED Lamb	4.17.95	6g	60
1997	Kerry Son	H O'Leary	KT Myers	KA Treweek	4.07.22	6g	60.5
1998	Sir Avion	Mrs AE & Messrs JM Arnott & KJ & Mrs LG O'Connor	KJ O'Connor	RN Elliot	4.13.74	5g	63
1999	Ballina Bold	Messrs IM Harris & JN & Mrs MA Wallace	J Wallace	ED Lamb	4.05.05	8g	61
2000	Rand	Messrs LA Clark & JM Creaven	MK Oulaghan	ED Lamb	3.48.70	5g	60.25
2001	Harbour Lights	RA Physick	RA Physick	WP Hillis	3.51.77	5m	61
2002	Ricki Roo	Messrs RM Anderson & TJ Chambers	TJ Chambers	KM Murray	3.31.31	6g	60.5
	the official time on a very heavy track was 3:31.31, more than 17 seconds under the record set on a much better track two years earlier. Clockings of the video recording of the race indicate a time of 4:23.07
2003	Super Dupa	P D Stewart		SS Houston	4.04.19	8g	60
2004	Meeting abandoned
2005	Meeting abandoned
3200 metres (Run at Awapuni)
2006	Van Winkle * (At Awapuni over 3200m)	Dr WS Alexander, GJ Blackmore, Dr EW Glenn, RD & SP Irvin, GN Johnson, Est late EJ Deans & Est late WJ Harris	EW & Miss JJ Rayner	RE Eynon	4.09.77	9g	64
3400 metres (inside hurdle lane)
2007	Van Winkle	Dr WS Alexander, GJ Blackmore, Dr EW Glenn, RD & SP Irvin, GN Johnson, Est late EJ Deans & Est late WJ Harris	EW & Miss JJ Rayner	JR Gillies	4.02.36	10g	67
2008	Meeting abandoned
3400 metres (course proper)
2009	Counter Punch	Mrs AP Duncan, Messrs MD Ormsby, MK Oulaghan & SJ Speedy	MK Oulaghan	TJ Hazlett	4.35.12	8g	67
2010	Solid Steel	I See Red Syndicate	PS Nelson	JKB Riddell	4.31.74	10g	63
2011	Honey	H T & Miss M J O'Leary	KT Myers	JL Rathbone	4.39.45	7m	63
2012	Waitaha Toa	R L Campbell, D J Morris & Mrs D C Simpson	Miss LM Latta	JKB Riddell	4.21.98	9g	65.5
2013	Thatz David	Mrs A B Davies	Ms AB Davies	GJ Walsh	4.39.78	7g	65.5
2014	Just Got Home	R C Hirst & Kakapo Lodge Ltd	RP Liefting	CJ Singer	4.26.26	6g	65.0
2015	Wee Biskit	Mrs J M & Ken Duncan	KM Duncan	MR Cropp	4.31.36	6m	66.0
2016	Wee Biskit	Mrs J M & Ken Duncan	KM Duncan	MR Cropp	4.20.98	7m	66.5
2017 (Run at Hastings over 3100m)	The Shackler	S P Dromgool	PS Nelson	AN Kuru	3.53.95	10g	65.0
2018	Zedeedudadeeko	J P Phillips & The McInteer Family Trust	James Phillips	Charlie Studd	4.23.25	10g	69.0
2019	No Tip	Mrs C & P S Nelson	P Nelson & C McDougall	AN Kuru	4.32.82	7g	65.0
2020
2021 (at Hastings)	The Cossack	J A Frizzell, D P W & P H Grieve & P S Nelson	P Nelson & C McDougall	S Phelan	3.41.04	7g	66.0
2022	Nedwin	M F & S L Gardner, Mrs C & P S Nelson	P Nelson & C McDougall	S Phelan	4.42.05	7g	69.0
2023	Sulliman	I See Red Syndicate	P Nelson & C McDougall	H McNeill	4.39.16	9g	66.0

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Wellington Hurdle Winners

WINNERS OF THE WELLINGTON HURDLE

Fastest times:

Dual Winners:

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