The Aintree Hurdle 2026 is one of the standout Grade 1 contests on Opening Day of the Grand National Festival. It’s a key race for horses coming out of the Cheltenham Festival, particularly those who ran in the Champion Hurdle or Mares’ Hurdle but didn’t win.
In this guide, we give you a full breakdown of the latest Aintree Hurdle runners, their form, and the official racecard to help you understand how the race might unfold.
What Is the Aintree Hurdle?
The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 hurdle race run on Opening Day of the Grand National Festival. It is run over 2 miles and 4 furlongs, and runners have to jump 11 hurdles on Aintree’s Mildmay course.
It’s an intermediate-distance hurdle but still tests both speed and stamina on Aintree’s flatter track.
Aintree Hurdle Date, Time, and Race Details
- Date: Thursday, 9th April, 2026
- Race time: 4:05 pm BST
- Age: 4 years and above
- Distance: 2m 4f
- Location: Aintree Racecourse
- Status: Grade 1
- Prize Money: £140,325
- Going: Good
- Number of Hurdles: 11
- Runners: 10 (Max 22)
Aintree Hurdle 2026 Runners
We give you the full list of contenders and their hurdle form below. If you want to explore their form in detail, look at their runs at major meetings like the Cheltenham Festival and Kempton Park Racecourse. All the runners that made it to the final Aintree Hurdle racecard have already recorded a win or a strong finish in at these festivals in recent years.
| Horse | Career Form in Hurdle Races |
| Alexei (GER) | 10 runs: 5 wins and 2 places |
| El Fabiolo (FR) | 7 runs: 4 wins and 2 places |
| Jingko Blue (FR) | 7 runs: 3 wins and 2 places |
| Kabral Du Mathan (FR) | 9 runs: 5 wins and 3 places |
| Lucky Place (FR) | 11 runs: 3 wins and 4 places |
| Potters Charm (IRE) | 11 runs: 6 wins and 2 places |
| The New Lion (GB) | 7 runs: 5 wins and 1 place |
| Air of Entitlement (IRE) | 6 runs: 3 wins |
| Brighterdaysahead (IRE) | 13 runs: 8 wins and 3 places |
| Golden Ace (GB) | 13 runs: 7 wins and 2 places |
Aintree Hurdle 2026 Racecard
Here’s the complete Aintree Hurdle racecard and odds for 2026. There are plenty of established Grade 1 performers here who arrive straight from Cheltenham.
The odds for each horse are marked as “SP” or starting price. This means the exact odds are revealed just before the start of the race. The SP odds are determined based on market opinion on each horse close to race time.
| Horse | Age / Weight | Official Rating | Jockey / Trainer | Odds |
| Alexei | 6 / 11-10 | 158 | J: Brendan Powell
T: J Tizzard |
SP |
| El Fabiolo | 9 / 11-10 | 154 | T: WP Mullins | SP |
| Jingko Blue | 7 / 11-10 | 153 | T: Nicky Henderson | SP |
| Kabral Du Mathan | 6 / 11-10 | 156 | T: Dan Skelton | SP |
| Lucky Place | 7 / 11-10 | 151 | T: Nicky Henderson | SP |
| Potters Charm | 7 / 11-10 | 154 | J: Sam Twiston-Davies
T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies |
SP |
| The New Lion | 7 / 11-10 | 160 | J: Harry Skelton
T: Dan Skelton |
SP |
| Air of Entitlement | 7 / 11-10 | 144 | T: H De Bromhead | SP |
| Brighterdaysahead | 7 / 11-10 | 159 | T: Gordon Elliott | SP |
| Golden Ace | 8 / 11-10 | 150 | J: Lorcan Williams
T: J Scott |
SP |
Key Contenders to Watch
- El Fabiolo: The 8-year-old won the QuinnBet Hurdle at Leopardstown by 21 lengths in March 2026 and the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase in 2023. He is one of the top performers in chase but has been switched to hurdles recently. He was placed 4th in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham 2026.
- Jingko Blue: Won the Class 1 Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2026. The 7-year-old also placed at Cheltenham last season.
- Kabral Du Mathan: Won the 2026 Relkeel Hurdle (Grade 2) and a 2025 Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) in November 2025.
- Golden Ace: The 7-year-old mare won the Champion Hurdle in 2025, but had a below-par run this year. She has already proven her ability at the highest level and could bounce back at Aintree.
- Alexei: This is one of the youngest horses in the racecard, and also the least experienced at Grade 1 races. However, he has recorded several wins at Grade 2 races and shows a lot of promise for this race.
Trends & Key Stats for the Aintree Hurdle
You’ll hardly see a surprise winner in an elite Grade 1 race. It attracts winners with several past wins and experience with hurdles. Here are some trends to note before placing your wagers:
Typical Winner Profile
Last year’s winner, Lossiemouth (2025), also won the Mare’s Hurdle the same year at Cheltenham. Then the 7-year-old went on to win the Morgiana Hurdle, December Hurdle. In 2026, Lossiemouth won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and placed second at the Irish Champion Hurdle (2nd). Unsurprisingly, it had one of the shortest odds for the Aintree Hurdle last year.
Previous winners had a similar stellar record. Impaire Et Passe (2024) won the Red Mills Chase (Grade 2) this year. 2023 winner Constitution Hill has won 10 of its 14 career Hurdle races.
Age Trends
While the race is open to runners aged four years and over, 10 of the last 11 winners were aged between 6 and 8. All these runners had at least four career Hurdle wins before coming to Aintree.
Moreover, all these horses had an excellent rating of 158 or higher, which is almost exclusively seen only in National Hunt (jump) racing. So, as you can see, all the previous winners had accumulated more experience on the hurdles before coming to Aintree. Use this data when considering a runner for your bet.
Favourite Performance
Morley Street had a notable record of four wins at Aintree (1990–1993). He was a specialist hurdler and went on to win 12 major races in his career. In recent years, Constitution Hill delivered a stellar performance in 2023, winning easily for trainer Nicky Henderson.
This year, Constitution Hill is not competing, but you can see several names in the racecard that have won or placed in their recent races.
Cheltenham Form
The level of competition at the Cheltenham Festival is as strong as it gets. If a horse runs well there (especially in the Cheltenham Gold Cup), you know it can handle elite opposition.
This year’s Cheltenham Festival wrapped up just a month ago. This means horses arriving from Cheltenham are already race-fit. Be on the lookout for not just the winners but also the horses that placed in the top three at Cheltenham races. They’ve proven their ability, and often bounce back strongly at Aintree.
Previous Aintree Hurdle Winners
Trainers like Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins have dominated this race in the last decade. Both have decades of success at various festivals. Willie Mullins, in particular, had eight winners at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. Nicki Henderson’s Jango Baie placed second in the Gold Cup race.
Here’s the list of the last 10 years’ winners. Note that none of these horses is participating this year. However, Impaire Et Passe will be seen at the Aintree Bowl Chase, scheduled at 2:55 pm on the first day.
| Year | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2025 | Lossiemouth | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2024 | Impaire Et Passe | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2023 | Constitution Hill | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2022 | Epatante | Nicky Henderson | Aidan Coleman |
| 2021 | Abacadabras | Denise Foster | Jack Kennedy |
| 2019 | Supasundae | Jessica Harrington | Robbie Power |
| 2018 | L’Ami Serge | Nicky Henderson | Daryl Jacob |
| 2017 | Buveur D’Air | Nicky Henderson | Barry Geraghty |
| 2016 | Annie Power | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2015 | Jezki | Tony McCoy | Jessica Harrington |
FAQs – Aintree Hurdle
When is the Aintree Hurdle 2026?
The Aintree Hurdle 2026 will take place on Thursday, 9 April 2026, on the Opening Day of the Grand National Festival. It’s one of the headline Grade 1 races on the first day, so fans and bettors can expect a lineup of top performers from the Cheltenham Festival.
What time is the Aintree Hurdle?
The Aintree Hurdle is scheduled for 4:05 pm (BST) on Opening Day of the Grand National Festival. It is the fifth race of the day, scheduled after the high-profile Aintree Bowl Chase.
How many runners are in the Aintree Hurdle?
There are currently 10 runners for the Aintree Hurdle. However, the final number will be determined closer to race day. If connections choose to withdraw their horse, it may be declared a non-runner.
What distance is the Aintree Hurdle?
The race is run over 2 miles and 4 furlongs, making it a step up in distance from the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. Runners need to jump 11 hurdles that test both stamina and speed on Aintree’s flat track.
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