Horse Racing stats man, Andy has contributed to OLBG for 18 years - An Ipswich fan and F1 fanatic, he also contributes EFL football and Motor Sport opinion.
2026 Liverpool Hurdle Preview
The Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle is run during the Grand National meeting in April of each year at the Aintree racecourse.
The race is open to runners aged four or older competing over a trip of three miles and half a furlongs where thirteen hurdles are to be jumped.
Established in 1974, this race was originally called the 'Long Distance Hurdle' and held at Ascot, it was renamed to its current name and moved to Aintree in 2004 and was awarded Grade 1 status in 2010.
Liverpool Hurdle Information:
In April, the only thing racing fans are interested in is the Grand National tips from the OLBG expert racing tipsters, which of the forty runners are they predicting to win the showcase race at Aintree? 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 2025
How competitive is the Liverpool Hurdle market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2010 when the race had an over-round of 111%. The race in 2019 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 130%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Liverpool Hurdle, the over-round has been 117%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £117 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Liverpool 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 Liverpool Hurdle Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Liverpool Hurdle over the last 20 renewals:
- If The Cap Fits (5:58.20) in 2019
- Whisper (5:58.50) in 2015
- Sire Du Berlais (5:59.82) in 2023
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? From the past 20 if you had followed the winner of the Liverpool Hurdle next time out then you would have backed a total of 10 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since to win at SP next time out, would have returned an LSP of -0.34. Whilst we wait for the 2026 Liverpool Hurdle remember you can get daily racing predictions from the expert tipsters on the racing predictions page.
Over the last 20 renewals, it was If The Cap Fits, trained by Harry Fry and ridden by Sean Bowen who set the fastest winning time in the Liverpool Hurdle, the runner won the race in a time of 5:58.20 when winning the race in 2019. At the other end of the scale, it was the combination of trainer Colin Tizzard and jockey Tom Scudamore with Thistlecrack who set the slowest winning time, the race-winning time was 6:33.40 in the 2016 renewal.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Liverpool Hurdle Past Winners
Here are the Liverpool Hurdle past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won along with the age & weight of the horse. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Liverpool Hurdle are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 6:04.74 | Hiddenvalley Lake (IRE) 8yo 11-10 12/1 | Darragh O'Keeffe Henry De Bromhead (IRE) |
| 2024 6:15.71 | Strong Leader (GB) 7yo 11-10 8/1 | Sean Bowen Olly Murphy (GB) |
| 2023 5:59.82 | Sire Du Berlais (FR) 11yo 11-10 8/1 | Mark Walsh Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2022 6:09.21 | Sire Du Berlais (FR) 10yo 11-7 16/1 | Mark Walsh Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2021 6:12.13 | Thyme Hill (GB) 7yo 11-7 5/2F | Tom O'Brien Philip Hobbs (GB) |
| 2019 5:58.20 | If The Cap Fits (IRE) 7yo 11-7 7/1 | Sean Bowen Harry Fry (GB) |
| 2018 6:20.70 | Identity Thief (IRE) 8yo 11-7 14/1 | Sean Flanagan Henry De Bromhead (IRE) |
| 2017 6:03.40 | Yanworth (GB) 7yo 11-7 9/4F | Barry Geraghty Alan King (GB) |
| 2016 6:33.40 | Thistlecrack (GB) 8yo 11-7 2/7F | Tom Scudamore Colin Tizzard (GB) |
| 2015 5:58.50 | Whisper (FR) 7yo 11-7 5/1 | Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Liverpool Hurdle have been based:
- GB: 15 winners with an additional 25 placings from 159 runners
- IRE: 5 winners with an additional 11 placings from 36 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 4 runners
Liverpool Hurdle Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Liverpool Hurdle over the last 20 renewals is Paul Nicholls who has won the race four times with those four winners coming from Big Bucks (2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Liverpool Hurdle are Nicky Henderson (2 wins), Alan King (2 wins), Gordon Elliott (2 wins), Henry Daly (2 wins) and Henry De Bromhead (2 wins). There is one trainer who has not had the best of times in the Liverpool Hurdle, Nigel Twiston-Davies has sent a total of 10 runners to the race without recording any wins.
Here are some of the top Liverpool 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Nicholls | 17-4-4 | -10.98 | -11.78 |
| Nicky Henderson | 18-2-4 | -7.00 | -8.70 |
| Alan King | 8-2-4 | +1.25 | +0.00 |
| Gordon Elliott | 6-2-3 | +20.00 | +10.98 |
| Henry Daly | 5-2-3 | +1.63 | +0.78 |
| Henry De Bromhead | 3-2-3 | +25.00 | +15.60 |
| Olly Murphy | 5-1-3 | +4.00 | +5.10 |
| Harry Fry | 5-1-1 | +3.00 | +0.20 |
| Nicky Richards | 3-1-2 | +3.50 | +3.80 |
| Philip Hobbs | 3-1-2 | +0.50 | +1.00 |
Liverpool Hurdle Jockey Statistics
There are two leading jockeys in the Liverpool Hurdle over the last 20 renewals with both Sean Bowen and Mark Walsh who have both won the race two times. Sean Bowen's winners have been with If The Cap Fits (2019) and Strong Leader (2024). Mark Walsh winners have been with Sire Du Berlais (2022 & 2023).
Here are some of the top Liverpool 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Bowen | 5-2-3 | +12.00 | +7.00 |
| Mark Walsh | 4-2-2 | +22.00 | +12.40 |
| Nico de Boinville | 8-1-3 | -2.00 | -1.75 |
| Sean Flanagan | 3-1-2 | +12.00 | +7.80 |
| Darragh O'Keeffe | 2-1-1 | +11.00 | +6.20 |
| Harry Skelton | 7-0-2 | -7.00 | -4.65 |
| Paul Townend | 4-0-1 | -4.00 | -2.50 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 4-0-0 | -4.00 | -4.00 |
| Brian Hughes | 4-0-0 | -4.00 | -4.00 |
| Harry Cobden | 4-0-0 | -4.00 | -4.00 |
2026 Liverpool Hurdle Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): UR, 2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 3, 3, 1, 2, 3, 5, 5
The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number 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 (59%) - No bigger than 16/1
- 20 / 20 (67%) - Achieved a TS of 126+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (72%) - Within the first 7 of the market
- 20 / 20 (72%) - Held an OR of 150+
- 20 / 20 (75%) - Ran in 2 - 6 races (1 Year)
- 20 / 20 (75%) - Highest Won is not LST/Cl2/Cl4
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Break of 20 - 152 days (Last Place)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Beaten no more -21l (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Not in a LST/Cl2-4 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Achieved a TS of 132+ (Career)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Not on HY/GF/STD-SLW (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Ran in 9 - 36 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Not in a G3/LST/Cl2 (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Had 5 - 21 placings (Hurdle)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Not in a LST/Cl3 (Last Win)
Remember to use the trends listed above along with the Aintree racing predictions to see if you can find the winner of the Liverpool 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 £6,000 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 Liverpool Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.
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Liverpool Hurdle Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor which had produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +6.90 is when runners had a French bred dam.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 2 career wins with the jockey, when backing these the trend shows a record of 0-29.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Liverpool Hurdle is Cheltenham, there has been a total number of 16 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out.
The race is open to both sexes with the Male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 191 runners whilst the Female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 8 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Liverpool Hurdle:
- Cadoudal (4 Wins)
- Kayf Tara (3 Wins)
- Astarabad (2 Wins)
- Poliglote (2 Wins)
- Sir Harry Lewis (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Liverpool Hurdle despite multiple attempts:
- Kings Theatre (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Oscar (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Flemensfirth (0 Wins from 6 runners)
- In The Wings (0 Wins from 6 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Sire Du Berlais in 2022, winning for Gordon Elliott at odds of 16/1 under the guidance of Mark Walsh. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals there have been 8 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 Liverpool Hurdle
Many trainers will target races to use as prep races before coming to the Liverpool Hurdle, these are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Hiddenvalley Lake Gowran Park - 7th of 9 (7/4) | John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle |
| 2024 - Strong Leader Cheltenham - 3rd of 7 (11/1) | Cleeve Hurdle |
| 2023 - Sire Du Berlais Cheltenham - 1st of 11 (33/1) | Stayers Hurdle |
| 2022 - Sire Du Berlais Cheltenham - 11th of 22 (11/2) | Pertemps Network Final |
| 2021 - Thyme Hill Ascot - 2nd of 8 (7/5) | Long Walk Hurdle |
| 2019 - If The Cap Fits Fontwell - 2nd of 6 (13/8) | National Spirit Hurdle |
| 2018 - Identity Thief Cheltenham - 4th of 11 (50/1) | Champion Hurdle |
| 2017 - Yanworth Cheltenham - DSQ of 11 (2/1) | Champion Hurdle |
| 2016 - Thistlecrack Cheltenham - 1st of 12 (1/1) | Stayers Hurdle |
| 2015 - Whisper Cheltenham - 5th of 16 (8/1) | Stayers 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 Manifesto Novices Chase | Impaire Et Passe (FR) 7yo - 9/4 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:20 Aintree Anniversary 4YO Juvenile Hurdle | Murcia (FR) 4yo - 11/4 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:55 Aintree Bowl Chase | Gaelic Warrior (GER) 7yo - 11/4 | W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins |
| 15:30 Aintree Aintree Hurdle | Lossiemouth (FR) 6yo - 5/4 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 16:05 Aintree Foxhunters Chase | Gracchus De Balme (FR) 9yo - 22/1 | J J O'Shea Mr Huw Edwards |
| 16:40 Aintree Red Rum Handicap Chase | Sans Bruit (FR) 7yo - 5/1 | Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden |
| 17:15 Aintree Nickel Coin Mares Bumper | Seo Linn (IRE) 5yo - 15/8 | P Twomey W J Lee |
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 Mildmay Novices Chase | Caldwell Potter (FR) 7yo - 11/4 | Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden |
| 14:20 Aintree National Meeting 2m4f Handicap Hurdle | Wellington Arch (GB) 6yo - 14/1 | Jonjo & A J O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr |
| 14:55 Aintree Top Novices Hurdle | Salvator Mundi (FR) 5yo - 7/2 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 15:30 Aintree Melling Chase | Jonbon (FR) 9yo - 4/6 | Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville |
| 16:05 Aintree Topham Chase | Gentleman De Mee (FR) 9yo - 14/1 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| 16:40 Aintree Sefton Novices Hurdle | Julius Des Pictons (FR) 6yo - 14/1 | Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan |
| 17:15 Aintree National Meeting 2m Handicap Hurdle | Shes A Saint (IRE) 8yo - 25/1 | Dan Skelton Tristan Durrell |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Aintree National Meeting 3m Handicap Hurdle | Deep Cave (IRE) 7yo - 28/1 | Christian Williams Jack Tudor |
| 13:55 Aintree Mersey Novices Hurdle | Honesty Policy (IRE) 5yo - 5/1 | Gordon Elliott Mark Walsh |
| 14:30 Aintree Freebooter Handicap Chase | Cruz Control (FR) 8yo - 10/1 | Tom Lacey Stan Sheppard |
| 15:05 Aintree Liverpool Hurdle | Hiddenvalley Lake (IRE) 8yo - 12/1 | Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe |
| 16:00 Aintree Grand National | Nick Rockett (IRE) 8yo - 33/1 | W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins |
| 17:00 Aintree Maghull Novices Chase | Kalif Du Berlais (FR) 5yo - 15/8 | Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden |
| 17:35 Aintree Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race | Green Splendour (GB) 5yo - 100/30 | W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins |
Article Contributor Information
We are blessed with an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to creating and maintaining this Liverpool Hurdle Preview are at hand, Andy and James. They both work on the Horse racing tips team team looking after the tipsters and managing the tips settlement, whilst also creating and managing all of the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
James Banting
Tipster Competition Assistant
Andy Powell
Content Editor
