| The Birdlip Selling Hurdle first took place as a 2-mile selling hurdle at the 1952 Festival and continued to be run over that distance for the next 6 years, but in 1958 it was extended to 3 miles. Prior to 1952 the Birdlip Selling Hurdle and Birdlip Selling Steeplechase had, from time to time, been a part of the April meeting. The Birdlip Selling Chase was run annually up to 1939, but after the war the Birdlip Selling Hurdle was occasionally run at that April meeting, although in 1950 it was earmarked to make its debut on the Wednesday of the Festival meeting unless a race had to be divided. A race was divided, and two more years elapsed before it took its place on the Festival card. On the third anniversary of the race it was won by Mull Sack, a rare hurdle victory for Lester Piggott, and when it was run for the final time in 1962 it was won by St Stephen ridden by Fred Winter, who later celebrated so many victories as a trainer. In 1963 the Birdlip Hurdle was replaced by the George Duller Hurdle which, in due course, was replaced by the Pertemps Hurdle. |