Events / Malcolm Pannett / 17 December 2008 /

Saturday's Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot is one of the most important World Hurdle pointers in the campaign. Read Malcolm Pannett's full race history here.

The Long Walk Hurdle is one of the key pointers to the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. In the last 10 years, eight World Hurdle winners have run in this race, most recently My Way de Solzen, who took both races in 2005/06 season.

Highland Abbe, Derring Rose, Crimson Embers and Baracouda (pictured) all won this race before going on to take the stayers' crown. While Princeful, Anzum, and multiple winners Crimson Embers and Baracouda won it while champion.

First run in 1965, the first year that Ascot added jump racing to its roster, the race was initially run as a handicap with Richard Pitman being successful in the inaugural event on the Bill Shand-Kydd-trained Minute Gun. In 1972, the Bill Smith-ridden St. Patrick's Blue became the first winner of the race as a conditions event and in 1990 Floyd, trained by David Elsworth, won the first running as a Grade 1 event.

Former-Cesarewitch winner John Cherry was the only horse to have won the race more than once (1977 and 1979) until the French-trained Baracouda started his domination of the race in the early part of this century. Francois Doumen's charge became a standing dish taking the prize four times. Conversely, the enigmatic Deano's Beeno was second four times in a row before finally prevailing in 2002.

Other notable winners include Lanzarote who, as the reigning Champion Hurdler, set the weight carrying record in 1975. Lord Howard de Walden's star shouldered 12st 5lb to victory cruising home by eight lengths in the hands of John Francome.

Royal Athlete won this in 1989 and went on to win the Grand National in 1995.

The race has been abandoned five times due to frost, snow, waterlogging or foot and mouth disease but has had a clear run since 1992.

25 years ago - Reigning-Champion Stayer Crimson Embers won his third race at Ascot, running on well to take the prize by four lengths from Kintbury. Fulke Walwyn's charge went on to take the stayers' crown again in 1986 and should probably have been awarded the race in 1985 as well. Crimson Embers was badly hampered on the run-in by Rose Ravine. Connections didn't object as both horses were owned by Mrs S W Smart. The local stewards let the result stand, however the Disciplinary Committee of the Jockey Club made it clear that, under the rules in force at the time, they thought Crimson Embers should have been promoted to first place.

10 years ago - Reigning-Champion Stayer Princeful was the only one who could live with the super fast pace set by Deano's Beano. The Jenny Pitman-trained seven-year-old, under an energetic ride from Richard Dunwoody, collared the pacesetter close to the line to win by half-a-length with 30 lengths back to the third.

Five years ago - The mighty Baracouda came with his trademark late run to win eased down by 30 lengths to notch up his third success in this race. The dual-Champion Stayer would lose his crown the following March to Iris's Gift and would be second again to Inglis Drever the year after. His 18th and final win came with his fourth success in the Long Walk in 2004 which was run at Windsor as Ascot was in the process of being re-developed.

Last Year - Lough Derg, under Tom Scudamore, stole a march on his rivals taking the race by the scruff of the neck to win by nine lengths from the former dual-Champion Hurdler Hardy Eustace who was having his first try over a staying trip.

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