Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase

Race Conditions

The Kim Muir Challenge Cup (4:40pm) is a Class B handicap chase run over three miles and about half a furlong. It is open to horses aged five years old and upwards. The total prize fund is £50,000. All horses are ridden by amateur jockeys.

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Recent Winners

The Kim Muir is one of the hardest races of the Festival to predict, with 9 double figure price winners in the last 13 years (and 5 in the last 6 years).

With only amateur jockeys allowed to ride in the race, the jockey’s form and ability can often be as important as the horse’s.

Many will also be keen to base their selection on the trainer and, given their outstanding record at the meeting, that will often mean looking no further than the Pipe yard. However, it is not always their most fancied runner that performs best. In a number of Festival events in recent years, their second, third or even fourth string has often sprung a surprise, as illustrated by the past successes of Maximise and Royal Predica in this race.

Year	Horse	Age	Trainer	Odds
2008	High Chimes	9	Evan Williams	14/1
2007	Cloudy Lane	7	D McCain Jnr	15/2F
2006	You´re Special	9	F Murphy	33/1
2005	Juveigneur	8	N Henderson	12/1
2004	Maximise	10	M Pipe	40/1
2003	Royal Predica	9	M Pipe	33/1
2002	The Bushkeeper	8	N Henderson	9/2F
2000	Honey Mount	9	R Alner	8/1
1999	Celtic Giant	9	L Lungo	20/1
1998	In Truth	10	S Gollings	20/1
1997	King Lucifer	8	D Nicholson	7/2
1996	Stop The Waller	7	F Murphy	16/1
1995	Flyer’s Nap	9	R Alner	11/1
1994	Fighting Words	8	J Gifford	9/2F

Key Trends

24 of the last 28 winners aged 8 or above (8 and 9 year-olds have won 11 of last 15 renewals).

Nicky Henderson has saddled two 1-2's since 2002.

2008 winner High Chimes the first Irish-trained winner for 25 years.

2008 Preview

Watch the 2008 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup:

2007 Review

Another winner at the first attempt for a young trainer as CLOUDY LANE’S victory provided Donald McCain with just about the only thing that eluded his famous father Ginger during his distinguished career – a Festival winner.

It was fine effort too from the seven year old novice who could be a National horse in the making. He had disappointed on his previous start, but heavy ground was to blame there and the faster conditions here clearly suited him.

He was running on empty at the death, having been close to a searing early pace set by Lord of Illusion and Nadover. In fact, the five horses who were in front coming to the last were all going up and down on the spot on the run in and it was left to the flying Parson’s Legacy to grab second. He would probably have been in front in another 50 yards and it was an extraordinary effort given how far behind he was turning for home. Parson’s Legacy is another who likes good ground and he also runs well here.

Cheeky Lady (3rd), Ponmeoath (4th) and Darby Wall (5th) all travelled well throughout the race and looked the likely winner at one stage or another. Cheeky Lady probably needs a bit further and was just outpaced when it really mattered.

By contrast, after travelling best of all, Ponmeoath just got outstayed. He too is a novice and is, therefore, open to bags of improvement. Darby Wall is another who seems to save his best for Cheltenham.

Paul Nicholls’ trio of runners finished sixth, seventh and eighth, whilst the well fancied Liberthine disappointed again in this race and is yet to prove her stamina at this trip.

2006 Review

As always, the Kim Muir was run at a fierce pace and, as a consequence, very few horses ever got competitive.

YOU’RE SPECIAL was one of those who was bang there throughout and seldom looked in danger after he took the lead on the second circuit. He relishes decent ground and has run well at Cheltenham in the past. He is likely to be aimed at some of the top staying handicaps in the future.

The horse provided jockey, Richard Harding with his first Festival success, emulating his older brother, Brian, who won the 1998 Queen Mother Champion Chase on One Man.

The second, Mon Mome, had previously seemed to prefer soft ground, but he improved for conditions here and ran a big race for a novice.

Nina Carberry was third on Undeniable who is nothing if not game and consistent – he has now finished in the first five in all of his last 18 races.

Previous Festival winners Liberthine and Another Rum were both disappointing. The former never got into the race and is surely better than she showed here, whilst the latter probably needs further.