You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident youâre betting with more than just gut instinct.
2027 National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Preview
This Premier Handicap Hurdle is scheduled to take place at the Grand National meeting each year at the Aintree racecourse. This race is open to runners aged four or older and was first run in 1989. It is run over a trip of two miles and four furlongs, in which the runners will have to jump a total of eleven hurdles.
National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Information:
- National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Past Winners
- National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Trainer Statistics
- National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Jockey Statistics
If you are interested in other predictions at Aintree, then head over to the Aintree tips page to see which runners are being supported by the OLBG racing tipsters and also compare those predictions to the runners that make the trend shortlist when added below. We cover every race at the Aintree Grand National Meeting, and below you can find links to all of the races for each of Thursday, Friday & Saturday.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2013, when the race had an over-round of 125%. The race in 2026 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 139%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle, the over-round has been 132%, which means the bookie expects to pay out ÂŁ100 for every ÂŁ132 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle races over the last 20 renewals:
- Wellington Arch (4:51.68) in 2026
- Theinval (4:52.20) in 2015
- Wellington Arch (4:53.33) in 2025
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle next time out, then you would have backed a total of 1 winner. Backing all 18 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -15.00. Whilst we wait for the 2027 National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the expert tipsters on the racing predictions page.
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 4:51.68 was set by Wellington Arch in 2026, trained by Jonjo & A J O'Neill and ridden by Jonjo O'Neill Jr, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2018 when Jester Jet won in a time of 5:11.60 for trainer Tom Lacey, who booked Robert Dunne in the saddle.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Past Winners
Here are the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 4:51.68 | Wellington Arch (GB) 7yo 11-11 6/1 | Jonjo O'Neill Jr Jonjo & A J O'Neill (GB) |
| 2025 4:53.33 | Wellington Arch (GB) 6yo 10-6 14/1 | Jonjo O'Neill Jr Jonjo & A J O'Neill (GB) |
| 2024 5:06.36 | Kateira (GB) 7yo 11-5 5/1F | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2023 4:58.57 | Fennor Cross (IRE) 6yo 10-10 8/1 | Ben Harvey (5lbs) John C McConnell (IRE) |
| 2022 4:53.51 | Langer Dan (IRE) 6yo 11-1 4/1F | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2021 5:00.35 | Tronador (IRE) 5yo 10-4 22/1 | Jack Kennedy Mrs Denise Foster (IRE) |
| 2019 4:57.50 | Three Musketeers (IRE) 9yo 10-5 8/1 | Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2018 5:11.60 | Jester Jet (GB) 8yo 10-9 20/1 | Robert Dunne Tom Lacey (GB) |
| 2017 4:54.60 | Rather Be (IRE) 6yo 11-2 10/1 | Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2016 5:01.60 | Party Rock (IRE) 9yo 10-8 33/1 | Sean Quinlan Jennie Candlish (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle have been based:
- GB: 15 winners with an additional 54 placings from 380 runners
- IRE: 5 winners with an additional 5 placings from 44 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 1 placing from 2 runners
National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle over the last 20 renewals is Nicky Henderson, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from Minella Forfitness (2013), Theinval (2015) and Rather Be (2017). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle are Dan Skelton (2 wins), Jonjo O'Neill (2 wins), Gordon Elliott (2 wins) and Jonjo & A J O'Neill (2 wins). Multiple trainers have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle. Paul Nicholls (0-27), David Pipe (0-15), Philip Hobbs (0-13), Charlie Longsdon (0-11) and Nigel Twiston-Davies (0-10) have all failed to produce a single winner despite sending multiple runners to the race.
Here are some of the top National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicky Henderson | 38-3-12 | -8.00 | -3.86 |
| Dan Skelton | 20-2-3 | -9.00 | -10.74 |
| Jonjo O'Neill | 17-2-6 | +18.00 | +14.20 |
| Gordon Elliott | 10-2-3 | +16.00 | +9.25 |
| Jonjo & A J O'Neill | 3-2-2 | +19.00 | +11.50 |
| Donald McCain | 17-1-4 | -6.00 | +3.75 |
| Alan King | 14-1-9 | +3.00 | +12.01 |
| Sue Smith | 4-1-1 | +47.00 | +28.25 |
| Jennie Candlish | 4-1-1 | +30.00 | +17.63 |
| Tom Lacey | 3-1-1 | +18.00 | +10.50 |
National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Jockey Statistics
There are multiple leading jockeys in the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle over the last 20 renewals, with Harry Skelton, Jonjo O'Neill Jr, Jeremiah McGrath, and Jack Kennedy having all won the race twice. Harry Skelton winners have been with Langer Dan (2022) and Kateira (2024). Jonjo O'Neill Jr winners have been with Wellington Arch (2025 & 2026). Jeremiah McGrath's winners have been with Theinval (2015) and Rather Be (2017). Jack Kennedy winners have been with Three Musketeers (2019) and Tronador (2021). Multiple jockeys have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle. Nico de Boinville (0-10), Sam Twiston-Davies (0-10) and Brian Hughes (0-10) have all failed to produce a single winner despite having multiple rides in the race.
Here are some of the top National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Skelton | 12-2-3 | -1.00 | -2.74 |
| Jonjo O'Neill Jr | 5-2-3 | +17.00 | +13.13 |
| Jeremiah McGrath | 5-2-2 | +14.00 | +7.63 |
| Jack Kennedy | 4-2-3 | +28.00 | +19.00 |
| David Bass | 6-1-1 | +5.00 | +1.25 |
| Sean Quinlan | 2-1-1 | +32.00 | +19.63 |
| Robert Dunne | 2-1-1 | +19.00 | +11.50 |
| Ben Harvey | 1-1-1 | +8.00 | +5.00 |
| Nico de Boinville | 10-0-5 | -10.00 | -2.74 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 10-0-1 | -10.00 | -5.37 |
2027 National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 21, 5, 17, (7, 13), 10, PU, 8, 3, 14, 2, (3, PU, PU), (2, 4, 12), 3, 7, 4, (1, 16), 7, (1, 8, 9), 8, (5, 8)
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Ran in 5 - 26 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Not on HY/GF/STD-SLW/STD (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Ran over 2m½f - 3m1½f (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Not BB/BL/GR in colour
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Ran in 2 - 8 races (1 Year)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Off a break of 18 - 143 days
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Had 2 - 13 placings (Career)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - No bigger than 80/1 (Debut)
- 19 / 20 (84%) - No bigger than 8/1 (Last Win)
- 19 / 20 (86%) - No bigger than 25/1 (Career Place)
- 19 / 20 (87%) - Achieved a TS of 101+ (Last 5)
- 19 / 20 (88%) - No more than +18lbs (Vs Min Weight)
- 18 / 20 (61%) - Within the first 12 of the market
- 18 / 20 (81%) - Achieved an RPR of 131+ (Career)
- 18 / 20 (83%) - No bigger than 14/1 (Career Win)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Aintree racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over ÂŁ6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Trend Analysis
â The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +40.00, is when runners were aged 6.
â The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 2 season places, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-92.
The course which has produced the most winners of the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle is Cheltenham; there have been a total of 9 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Uttoxeter; there have been a total of 4 winners of this race who ran at Uttoxeter last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 18 winners from a total of 411 runners, while female runners have produced 2 winners from a total of 15 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle:
- Blue Bresil (2 Wins)
- Oscar (2 Wins)
- Second Empire (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle despite multiple attempts:
- Authorized (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Beneficial (0 Wins from 6 runners)
- Martaline (0 Wins from 5 runners)
- Saint Des Saints (0 Wins from 5 runners)
- Shirocco (0 Wins from 5 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Auroras Encore in 2008, winning for Sue Smith at odds of 50/1 under the guidance of Tjade Collier. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 2 winning favourites in the race. Remember to bookmark the best racing tipsters page so you can get easy access to the best OLBG racing tipsters.
Route to the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle
Many trainers target races as preparation for the National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Wellington Arch Uttoxeter - 1st of 14 (10/3) | JenningsBet 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap Hurdle |
| 2025 - Wellington Arch Uttoxeter - 2nd of 15 (10/3) | JenningsBet 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap Hurdle |
| 2024 - Kateira Kempton - 4th of 11 (15/2) | Read Nicky Hendersons Exclusive Unibet Blog Handicap Hurdle |
| 2023 - Fennor Cross Cheltenham - 11th of 14 (81/1) | Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
| 2022 - Langer Dan Cheltenham - BD of 23 (7/2) | Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle |
| 2021 - Tronador Downpatrick - 7th of 10 (23/1) | Randox Rated Hurdle |
| 2019 - Three Musketeers Haydock - 8th of 11 (9/1) | Peter Marsh Chase |
| 2018 - Jester Jet Warwick - 2nd of 7 (7/1) | olbg.com Mares Hurdle |
| 2017 - Rather Be Cheltenham - UR of 23 (10/1) | Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle |
| 2016 - Party Rock Uttoxeter - PU of 16 (29/1) | Betfred "Treble Odds On Lucky15s" Handicap Hurdle |
Schedule for Thursday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
The three-day Grand National meeting kicks off on Thursday with four Grade 1 events on the seven-race card, which features both the Aintree Hurdle and the Bowl Chase.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:45 Aintree Anniversary 4YO Juvenile Hurdle | Mange Tout (FR) 4yo - 5/1 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| 14:20 Aintree Manifesto Novices Chase | Koktail Divin (FR) 6yo - 3/1 | Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe |
| 14:55 Aintree Bowl Chase | Jango Baie (FR) 7yo - 1/1 | Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville |
| 15:30 Aintree Foxhunters Chase | Barton Snow (IRE) 9yo - 7/4 | J J O'Shea Mr Henry Crow |
| 16:05 Aintree Aintree Hurdle | Brighterdaysahead (FR) 7yo - 13/8 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| 16:40 Aintree Red Rum Handicap Chase | Ryans Rocket (IRE) 8yo - 14/1 | Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke |
| 17:15 Aintree Nickel Coin Mares Bumper | Nans Choice (IRE) 5yo - 9/2 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
Schedule for Friday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
Day 2 of the Grand National meeting is Ladies Day or Fabulous Friday, the highlights on the track being the Melling Chase, plus there is the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:45 Aintree National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle | Wellington Arch (GB) 7yo - 6/1 | Jonjo & A J O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr |
| 14:20 Aintree Mildmay Novices Chase | Gold Dancer (FR) 7yo - 100/30 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:55 Aintree Top Novices Hurdle | Storming George (IRE) 6yo - 16/1 | Neil King Jack Quinlan |
| 15:30 Aintree Melling Chase | Grey Dawning (IRE) 9yo - 5/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 16:05 Aintree Topham Chase | Will The Wise (IRE) 7yo - 9/1 | Gavin Cromwell Conor Stone-Walsh |
| 16:40 Aintree Sefton Novices Hurdle | Zeus Power (GER) 5yo - 3/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien J J Slevin |
| 17:15 Aintree National Meeting 2m Handicap Hurdle | Laafi (FR) 6yo - 20/1 | William Durkan Patrick M O'Brien |
Schedule for Saturday at the Aintree Grand National Meeting
The Grand National is obviously the showpiece of the Aintree meeting, and day 3 also includes three Grade 1 events, the feature of those being the Liverpool Hurdle.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 12:45 Aintree Maghull Novices Chase | Mirabad (FR) 7yo - 50/1 | Dan Skelton Tristan Durrell |
| 13:20 Aintree National Meeting 3m Handicap Hurdle | Wade Out (IRE) 7yo - 18/1 | Olly Murphy Gavin Sheehan |
| 13:55 Aintree Mersey Novices Hurdle | Bossman Jack (GB) 6yo - 11/4 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 14:30 Aintree Freebooter Handicap Chase | Mr Hope Street (IRE) 8yo - 4/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 15:05 Aintree Liverpool Hurdle | Home By The Lee (IRE) 11yo - 5/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien J J Slevin |
| 16:00 Aintree Grand National | I Am Maximus (FR) 10yo - 9/2 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 17:00 Aintree Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race | Forthfactor (IRE) 5yo - 10/1 | Dan Skelton Miss Heidi Palin |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal Races at the Aintree Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Aintree racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
