The Morebattle Hurdle is a Class 2 National Hunthandicaphurdle race open to horses aged four years or older. It is run in early March at Kelso Racecourse in the Scottish Borders over a distance of 2 miles and 51 yards; there are eight hurdles to be jumped.[1]
Previously a handicap race, it was first run as a conditions contest in 1984. Jinxy Jack won four consecutive runnings of the race from 1990 to 1993 and went on to finish third in the 1994 renewal named in his honour.[2] The 2010 running saw pre-race Champion Hurdle favourite Zaynar, trained by Nicky Henderson, beaten at starting odds of fourteen-to-one on in one of the shortest-price upsets ever in British horse racing.[3] The race reverted to handicap status in 2021.
^"Full Result 2.50 Kelso | 2 March 2024 | Racing Post". www.racingpost.com. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
^"Never a dull moment with jumping Jack". The Independent. 4 February 1994. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^Cook, Chris (18 February 2010). "Quwetwo sinks Champion Hurdle favourite Zaynar in shock at Kelso". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
^Mottershead, Lee (11 February 2020). "Champ set for racecourse school after Storm Ciara forces Kelso cancellation". Racing Post.