With all the changes to the National, the older horses just can’t compete plus we now have the very popular veteran chases for horses aged 10 and above which probably takes many.
That being said 11 year old Energumene rolled back the years with a great win in a G2 at Fairyhose today and 11 yr old Home By the Lee won the Stayers Hurdle at the Festival this year. There is also the case that the NH horse (and the top horses in particular) arguably aren’t as robust as they once were (they can’t race on ground quicker than good to soft or race much more than 4 times in a season).
Dessie ran 70 times (winning 34 races) in a career that started in 1983 and ended in 1991 – in comparrison Kauto Star’s career spanned from 2003 to 2012 yet he raced a total of 41 times (which is considered a lot for a latter day NH star). Sea Pigeon’s career (that alternated both the flat and jumps) spanned from 1972 to 1981 and he ran 85 times (40 over hurdles and 45 on the flat).
Double digit aged winners in the top end races by and large are very few and far between, interestingly the Grand National has the best record:
Champion Hurdle: Just one horse aged 10+ (Sea Pigeon at age 10 and 11) within the last 50 years
Hennessy Gold Cup: Just two 10yr old winners in the last 50 years, only one older than 10 in total
Gold Cup: Just five 10yr old winners in last 50 years, no winner older than 10 since 1969
King George: Just five 10yr olds in the last 50 years, only 4 winners in total older than 10
QMCC: Just ten winners aged 10+ in the last 50 years
Grand National: Twenty five winners aged 10+ in the last 50 years (last one in 2014).