The Cleeve Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt

National Hunt racing

National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...

 hurdle race

Hurdling (horse race)

A Hurdle race in England is a National Hunt horse race where the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles that are over three and a half feet high. They are typically made of brush, that has some flexability. Hurdle races always have a minimum of eight hurdles and a minimum distance of two miles ....

 in Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

 which is open to horses

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham

Cheltenham Racecourse

Cheltenham Racecourse is a racecourse for horse racing events, located at Prestbury Park, in the suburban village of Prestbury on the outskirts of the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire...

 over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in January.

In the late 1980s the event was classed at Listed level, and its full title was the Bishops Cleeve Hurdle. It was promoted to Grade 1 status in 1991, and in the following years its title was shortened to the present form. The race was initially run over 2½ miles (4,023 metres), but this has been subsequently modified several times. It was downgraded to Grade 2 status in 2004, and its distance was extended to the present length in 2005. In its analysis of that year's running, the Racing Post

Racing Post

The Racing Post is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting newspaper, appearing in print form and online.From 30 May 2011 - 3 July 2011 it had a circulation of 56,507.-History:...

 commented that the modified Cleeve Hurdle was "effectively replacing the long-distance hurdle formerly run at Haydock on Peter Marsh day."

The race is now a leading trial for the World Hurdle

World Hurdle

The World Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped...

 at the Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...

.

Winners since 1988

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer
1988	Cloughtaney	7	Tony Mullins	Paddy Mullins Paddy Mullins Paddy Mullins was an Irish racehorse trainer in a career which spanned fifty two years.His first winner was Flash Parade, which won the 1953 La Touche at Punchestown...
1989	Calapaez	5	Simon Sherwood	Brooke Sanders
1990	Beech Road	8	Richard Guest	Toby Balding Toby Balding Gerald Barnard Balding, Jr. OBE , known as Toby Balding, is a retired British racehorse trainer.-Biography:He was born in the United States where his father, Gerald Barnard Balding, Sr., ran a polo team and is part of a famous racing family. His brother, Ian Balding, also a retired trainer, trained...
1991	Crystal Spirit	4	Jimmy Frost	Ian Balding Ian Balding Ian Balding emigrated with his family to England in 1945. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Barnard Balding, Sr. and the younger brother of trainer Toby Balding. Kingsclere became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally...
1992	no race 1992
1993	Muse	6	Paul Holley	David Elsworth David Elsworth David Elsworth is a horse trainer living in the United Kingdom. He is perhaps best known for being the trainer of Desert Orchid, 1988 Grand National winner Rhyme 'n' Reason and 1990 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Barnbrook Again - just three horses amongst a host of top-class performers over...
1994	Flakey Dove	8	Richard Dunwoody Richard Dunwoody Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...	Richard Price
1995	Mudahim	9	Norman Williamson Norman Williamson Norman Williamson is a professional jockey in the Irish National Hunt.- References :...	Chris Broad
1996	no race 1996
1997	Large Action	9	Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne is a jockey and race horse trainer. Born 28 August 1967 he rode his first winner in March 1986 and in 1999 obtained his trainers licence. Once a favourite of the Queen Mother, he was acquitted of race fixing in 1998.-References:...	Oliver Sherwood
1998	Mistinguett	6	Carl Llewellyn	Nigel Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Naunton, Gloucestershire....
1999	Lady Rebecca	7	Norman Williamson Norman Williamson Norman Williamson is a professional jockey in the Irish National Hunt.- References :...	Venetia Williams Venetia Williams Venetia Williams is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. She is based at stables at Aramstone in Herefordshire, England....
2000	Lady Rebecca	8	Norman Williamson Norman Williamson Norman Williamson is a professional jockey in the Irish National Hunt.- References :...	Venetia Williams Venetia Williams Venetia Williams is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. She is based at stables at Aramstone in Herefordshire, England....
2001	Lady Rebecca	9	Norman Williamson Norman Williamson Norman Williamson is a professional jockey in the Irish National Hunt.- References :...	Venetia Williams Venetia Williams Venetia Williams is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. She is based at stables at Aramstone in Herefordshire, England....
2002	Kates Charm	9	Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald is an Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He has ridden the winners of the Grand National, on Rough Quest in 1996, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business in 1999. He was the stable jockey for Nicky Henderson and was leading jockey at the...	Robert Alner Robert Alner Robert Alner is a British racehorse trainer specializing in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Droop, near Sturminster Newton in Dorset, England. He trained the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Cool Dawn in 1998....
2003	Classified	7	Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....	Martin Pipe Martin Pipe Martin Pipe was a racehorse trainer until his retirement in April 2006.The son of a West-Country bookmaker, Pipe was an amateur jockey before turning his attention to training in 1974 at Nicholashayne, Devon, near Wellington, England....
2004	Crystal d'Ainay	5	Jimmy McCarthy	Alan King Alan King (horse racing) Alan King is a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at Barbury Castle stables near Wroughton, Wiltshire....
2005	Patriarch Express	8	Jim Culloty Jim Culloty Jim Culloty is a racehorse trainer and retired professional National Hunt jockey who won both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season....	Sue Smith
2006	Fire Dragon	5	Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....	Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill is an Irish National Hunt racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is a native of Castletownroche, County Cork in Ireland. Based at the Jackdaws Castle training establishment in England, O'Neill is the private trainer to J. P. McManus, one of the largest owners of steeplechasers and...
2007	Blazing Bailey	5	Robert Thornton Robert Thornton (jockey) Robert "Choc" Thornton is an English National Hunt jockey currently employed as stable jockey to Alan King....	Alan King Alan King (horse racing) Alan King is a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at Barbury Castle stables near Wroughton, Wiltshire....
2008	Inglis Drever Inglis Drever Inglis Drever was a champion racehorse trained in the North of England by Howard Johnson. He was one of the most successful hurdle racing horses to date and the only horse to have won the World Hurdle three times...	9	Richard Johnson Richard Johnson (jockey) Richard Johnson is an English National Hunt jockey.-Background:Johnson comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.-Jockey career:...	Howard Johnson
2009	Big Buck's Big Buck's Big Buck's is a National Hunt racehorse trained in Britain by Paul Nicholls and specialising in racing over hurdles. At the 2011 Cheltenham Festival Big Buck's made history by winning 3 consecutive World Hurdles, beating Grands Crus by one and a half lengths...	6	Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...	Paul Nicholls Paul Nicholls (horse racing) Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...
2010	Tidal Bay Tidal Bay Tidal Bay is an Irish bred Bay gelding Thoroughbred race horse foaled on 12 May 2001. He is the winner of two Grade 1 jumps races, the Arkle Challenge Trophy and the Maghull Novices' Chase in 2008...	9	Brian Hughes	Howard Johnson
2011	Grands Crus	6	Tom Scudamore Tom Scudamore Tom Scudamore is a third-generation British flat and steeplechase jockey. He is the son of eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore; his grandfather Michael won the Grand National on Oxo in 1959.-Background:...	David Pipe

The 2006 running took place at Sandown Park.