The Hattons Grace Hurdle is a Grade 1 race run over 2 miles 4 furlongs at Fairyhouse as part of their big winter meeting. The 2012 renewal was won by Zaidpour – giving jockey Ruby Walsh a 115th Grade 1 Win. After the race owner Rich Ricci commented “It was nice to get a Grade One win with him outside of novice company – he deserved it “. Niall Cronin in the Irish Herald puts that in context:
“A look back on Zaidpour’s form makes that point hard to argue with. Since winning the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle on the same card two years ago, Zaidpour has won four – three Grade Twos – and finished second four times. First Lieutenant, Oscars Well, Hurricane Fly and Thousand Stars are a fair bunch of horses to finish second to and any beast could be forgiven for coming up short against such a selection over the space of a couple of seasons.”
Punters thinking of backing Zaidpour for the World Hurdle should note Ricci also said “I think the ground has to be fairly soft for us to be thinking about taking on Big Buck’s at Cheltenham, though, I am being realistic.”
Hattons Grace Hurdle 2012 Result
| Pos | Dist | Horse | Trainer | Age | Weight | Jockey | SP |
| 1st | Zaidpour (FR) | W P Mullins | 6 | 11-10 | R Walsh | 7-4 | |
| 2nd | 2½ | Monksland (IRE) | N Meade | 5 | 11-10 | P Carberry | 4-1 |
| 3rd | 1½ | Voler La Vedette (IRE) | C A Murphy | 8 | 11-3 t | A E Lynch | 7-4 |
| 4th | 7½ | So Young (FR) | W P Mullins | 6 | 11-10 | P Townend | 9-2 |
| 5th | 21 | Si C’etait Vrai (FR) | D T Hughes | 6 | 11-10 | D N Russell | 33-1 |
Hattons Grace 2012 Video
Hattons Grace Hurdle Winners
| Year | Winner | Odds | Trainer | Age | WT | OR | Jockey |
| 2011 | Voler La Vedette (IRE) | 7-4 | Murphy, C A | 7 | 11-3 | 151 | Lynch, A E |
| 2010 | Hurricane Fly (IRE) | 11-4 | Mullins, W P | 6 | 11-10 | 166 | Townend, P |
| 2009 | Oscar Dan Dan (IRE) | 11-2 | Mullins, Tom | 7 | 11-10 | 144 | Russell, D N |
| 2008 | Catch Me (GER) | 7-4 | OGrady, E J | 6 | 11-10 | 151 | McNamara, A J |
| 2007 | Aitmatov (GER) | 2-1 | Meade, Noel | 6 | 11-10 | 156 | Carberry, P |
| 2006 | Brave Inca (IRE) | 100-30 | Murphy, C A | 8 | 11-12 | 167 | McCoy, A P |
| 2005 | Solerina (IRE) | 6-4 | Bowe, James | 8 | 11-7 | 158 | Hutchinson, G T |
| 2004 | Solerina (IRE) | 4-5 | Bowe, James | 7 | 11-7 | 154 | Hutchinson, G T |
| 2003 | Solerina (IRE) | 7-4 | Bowe, James | 6 | 11-7 | 148 | Hutchinson, G T |
| 2002 | Limestone Lad (IRE) | 8-15 | Bowe, James | 10 | 11-12 | 164 | Geraghty, B J |
| 2001 | Limestone Lad (IRE) | 9-4 | Bowe, James | 9 | 11-12 | 157 | Carberry, P |
| 2000 | Youlneverwalkalone (IRE) | 5-4 | Roche, C | 6 | 11-12 | 142 | ODwyer, C |
| 1999 | Limestone Lad (IRE) | 13-8 | Bowe, James | 7 | 11-9 | 158 | McGovern, S M |
| 1998 | Istabraq (IRE) | 1-5 | OBrien, A P | 6 | 12-0 | 164 | Swan, C F |
| 1997 | Istabraq (IRE) | 1-3 | OBrien, A P | 5 | 12-0 | 0 | Swan, C F |
