Run as part of Ayr’s Scottish Grand National Festival in April, a week after the National meeting at Aintree, the Scottish Champion Hurdle rather than being a direct equivalent of the English version is a Grade 2 handicap. The event is run over a trip of two miles with nine hurdles being negotiated, the prize fund standing at over £100,000.

The Scottish Champion Hurdle was inaugurated in 1966, the first winner being Blue Venom at a time when it was run at Listed level, but having been promoted to Grade Two status in 1991 the winners have been all the classier despite its handicap status.

A number of winners of this event have also won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, though the most recent was in 1995 when Alderbrook took the race. As well as him, very prominent racing names such as Night Nurse, Sea Pigeon, Copeland, Overturn, Ch’Tibello and Verdana Blue have been victorious here.