Hear The Lion Roar In Lanzarote Hurdle

We have some quality racing to enjoy this Saturday and help get us through January. The classic chase at Warwick is always a race associated with January as is the Lanzarote hurdle. It is the latter race that offers the best chance of landing a winner today.

I was initially disappointed with Nemean Lion finishing only fifth in the Greatwood hurdle. However, upon reflection it is clear he did well to finish fifth as he nearly came down over the second last hurdle and flattened the final hurdle. Those two mistakes couldn’t have come at a worse time in that race.

Nemean Lion loves cut in the ground and it should be fine tomorrow at Kempton on the hurdle course. He was a high class novice hurdler last season finishing third in the Tolworth hurdle at Sandown before winning a Grade 2 over 2m2f at Kelso. I have no concerns about the trip around Kempton and just hope he jumps well to give himself every chance.

Up For Parol loves testing ground and it will be soft tomorrow. He finished third in this race last season losing out to a well handicapped winner West Balboa. Up For Parol stays well and runs this year off a 3lb lower mark which is a positive.

Jamie Snowden is quoted as saying this race has been the plan all season This is his third run in the race and I think he can improve on his third place finish last year, carrying 10-11 with Tom Bellamy riding.

Kempton 2:42

0.5 point each way Nemean Lion 11/2 Skybet 7 places else 6/1 William Hill, 6 places.

0.5 point each way Up For Parol 18/1 Paddy Power & Betfair SB, 6 places else 20/1 Betfred, 5 places.

Past Results

Click to see past Big Saturday Race Preview Tips results

The Lanzarote Hurdle is a National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (4,225 metres), and during its running there are ten hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in January.

The event is named in memory of the racehorse Lanzarote (1968–1977), the winner of the Champion Hurdle in 1974, and was first run in 1978. Lanzarote had a particularly good record in races at Kempton, and he twice won the track's leading hurdle event, the Christmas Hurdle.

He finished his hurdling career with a total of 20 wins from 33 starts. After achieving a further three victories as a chaser, Lanzarote was made the second favourite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1977. However, during that race he broke his near-hind leg and had to be euthanised.

For many years the distance of the Lanzarote Hurdle was set at 2 miles (3,219 metres), and there were eight hurdles to be jumped. The event was temporarily switched to Carlisle in 2006, and upon its return to Kempton in 2007 there was a substantial increase to its distance. Its regular length was extended by 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and there were an additional two hurdles to jump.

In its analysis of that year's running, the Racing Post commented that this was: "In effect, a new race. Although run under the 'Lanzarote' handle, this was in no way the same race as the Lanzarote of old." Prior to 2023 the race had Listed status. This was removed when Listed handicap races were removed from the racing programme, and the race became a Class 2 handicap.

Winners over past 10 years

Year	Winner	Age	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
2023	West Balboa	7	10-11	Bridget Andrews	Dan Skelton
2022	Cobblers Dream	6	10-10	Jack Quinlan	Ben Case
2021	Boreham Bill	9	10-11	Ben Jones	Emma Lavelle
2020	Burrows Edge	7	11-04	Nico de Boinville	Nicky Henderson
2019	Big Time Dancer	6	10-10	Jonjo O'Neill jr	Jennie Candlish
2018	William Henry	8	11-07	James Bowen	Nicky Henderson
2017	Modus	7	11-04	Barry Geraghty	Paul Nicholls
2016	Yala Enki	6	09-12	Charlie Deutsch	Venetia Williams
2015	Tea For Two	6	09-12	Lizzie Kelly	Nick Williams
2014	Saphir Du Rheu	5	11-07	Harry Derham	Paul Nicholls

Best of Luck,

Nicky