The Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 hurdle race in Ireland which for horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 2 miles and 6 furlongs and takes place each year in late January or early February.
First run in 1999, the name honours that of Golden Cygnet, a racehorse trained by Edward O'Grady who was fatally injured while racing in 1978. The race itself was awarded Grade 3 status in 2003 and then raised to Grade 2 in 2008.
Prior to 2018 it was run over 2 miles and 4 furlongs, and in 2018 it was extended to its present distance and upgraded to a Grade 1 contest when it was incorporated into the new Dublin Racing Festival.
These are the top three quickest run Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle over the last 20 years:
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2017 - Lets Dance (4:41.00)
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2004 - Watson Lake (4:44.40)
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2007 - Kazal (4:58.50)
The slowest winning time was set in 2002 when Pietro Vannucci (5:49.10) landed the spoils.
Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle Winners
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2021 - (5:45.40) Gaillard Du Mesnil 5yo 11-10 13/8F (Paul Townend/W P Mullins)
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2020 - (5:32.70) Latest Exhibition 7yo 11-10 7/2 (B J Cooper/Paul Nolan)
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2019 - (5:20.90) Commander Of Fleet 5yo 11-8 13/2 (Jack Kennedy/Gordon Elliott)
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2018 - (5:48.20) Tower Bridge 5yo 11-8 25/1 (J J Slevin/Joseph Patrick O'Brien)
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2017 - (4:41.00) Lets Dance 5yo 10-10 8/11F (R Walsh/W P Mullins)
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2016 - (5:05.90) A Toi Phil 6yo 11-3 6/4F (B J Cooper/W P Mullins)
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2015 - (5:07.50) Outlander 7yo 11-3 5/1 (Paul Townend/W P Mullins)
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2014 - (4:59.80) Sure Reef 5yo 11-0 9/4F (R Walsh/W P Mullins)
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2013 - (5:10.50) Pont Alexandre 5yo 11-7 4/7F (R Walsh/W P Mullins)
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2012 - (5:21.80) Boston Bob 7yo 11-10 9/4F (R Walsh/W P Mullins)
Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle Statistics
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Age: 7 of the last 10 winners were aged 5 or 6.
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Price: 6 of the last 10 favourites/joint favourites have won, 9/10 winners came from the top three in the horse racing odds.
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Last Run: 7 of the last 10 winners won on their last run before the Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle, 10/10 winners ran within the last 49 days. 3/10 winners ran in the Navan Novice Hurdle on their last run, 3 of the 3 won.
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Course Form: 8/10 winners had at least one previous run at Leopardstown, 5/10 winners had at least one previous win at Leopardstown.
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Distance Form: 10/10 winners had at least one previous run over 20-22 furlongs, 7/10 had at least one previous win over 20-22 furlongs.
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Hurdle Form: 10/10 winners had at least two previous runs over hurdles, 8/10 winners had at least one previous win over hurdles.
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Rating: 3/10 winners were rated 142 or higher (7/10 were unrated).
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Graded Wins: 5/10 winners had at least one previous win in a Grade 1-3 race.
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Season Form: 10/10 winners had at least two runs that season, 10/10 winners had at least one win that season.
Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle Trainers
The leading trainer in the Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle over the last 20 years is Willie Mullins who has won the race 7 times.
Those 7 winners are made up of Boston Bob (2012), Pont Alexandre (2013), Sure Reef (2014), Outlander (2015), A Toi Phil (2016), Lets Dance (2017) & Gaillard Du Mesnil (2021).
Other trainers to record multiple wins in the Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle are Noel Meade (3 wins) and Jessica Harrington (2 wins). Gordon Elliott just has one victory to his name.
Surprisingly Henry De Bromhead has saddled 11 runners in the race to date without recording any wins.
Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle Jockeys
The leading jockey since 1999 with 4 wins was the now retired Ruby Walsh: Boston Bob (2012), Pont Alexandre (2013), Sure Reef (2014) and Let's Dance (2017).
Of the current crop of jockeys, Bryan Cooper and Paul Townend who have both won the race twice each.
Cooper’s winners have been with A Toi Phil (2016) and Latest Exhibition (2020). Townend’s winners have been with Outlander (2015) & Gaillard Du Mesnil (2021).
Despite being an elder statesman of the weighing room, Davy Russell has ridden a total of 15 mounts in the race but without recording any wins.
Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle 'Trial' Races
The Navan Novice Hurdle has a major tie-in with this race and punters should always take note of which horses run well in that event and then check out their odds in the relevant sports betting markets.
In the majority of previous years, the winner of this goes straight to the Cheltenham Festival next.
Cheltenham Festival Run That Season:
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4/10 winners ran in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the next Cheltenham Festival, 0 of the 4 won, 3 placed.
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4/12 winners ran in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at the next Cheltenham Festival, 0 of the 4 won, 2 placed.
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1/10 winners ran in the Dawn Run Mares Novice Hurdle at the next Cheltenham Festival, 1 of the 1 won, 0 placed.
Starting Prices
Looking back at the starting prices over the last 20 renewals, the biggest priced winner was Tower Bridge at 25/1 in 2018.
A study of the head of the market over the same period of time uncovers that there has been a total of 11 winning favourites in the race.
Check out our 888Sport blog for all the latest racing tips today.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 1st February 2022
