John Smiths Champion Standard Open NHF Race

5.40 Aintree: The John Smith’s Champion Standard NH Flat Race (Grade 2) (2m1f)

The final race of the Aintree three day Festival is traditionally the Champion Bumper race, it was established in 1987 when the fixture was extended to seven races and provides an opportunity for the young up and coming horses to gain some valuable experience at a big meeting and to compete for a very nice prize.

Over the years some good horses have been involved in this contest and horses like Black Moccasin, Brief Gale and Steps To Freedom have been triumphant before going on to be very useful hurdlers the following season. In 2012 The New One trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies won this race before going on to win the Neptune at Cheltenham in 2013 and the quality of the horses that turn up here helped in making it a Grade 2 race in 1995. It has retained its status ever since with the aid of runners doubling up that ran in the Cheltenham equivalent the month previous and is certainly a race that is worth noting for the future.

Previous Winners

2013: Killyglass E.Lavelle 20/1

2012: The New One N.Twiston-Davies 8/1

2011: Steps To Freedom G.Elliott 12/1

2010: Megatsar G.Moore 9/1

2009: Sitting Tenant K.Walton 66/1

2008: Honest John T.Tate 14/1