Despite the Cesarewitch Handicap being first run in 1839, the race is remarkably yet to produce a ‘back-to-back’ winner – so can last year’s hero – The Shunter, who is back for more in 2024, become the first?

The Shunter Looking To Create Cesarewitch Handicap History

There have been over 180 Cesarewitch Handicap winners over the years – but strangely we are yet to get a returning horse racing champion successfully defending his (or her) crown.

Okay, I’ll be honest – I don’t know exactly how many winners have come back to run in the race again, but being a handicap open to horses aged 3+, then I suspect quite a few have tried.

We do know the 2020 winner The Great White Shark returned in 2021 but could only manage 15th. While before that the 2015 hero Grumeti was back for more a year later in 2016 – but was 9th.

In 2010 and 2012 we did, however, see a horse winning the 2m2f contest for a second time – the only one to do so in the history of the race – when Aaim To Prosper took the prize twice in three years. The year in between (2011) he didn’t run.

So, the latest horse trying to break this long-running hoodoo is last year’s winner The Shunter, who despite being aged 11 now will be looking to become the first ‘back-to-back’ Cesarewitch Handicap winner EVER.

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The Last 11 Year-old Cesarewitch Handicap Winner Was Caracciola

The Shunter took the 2023 Cesarewitch aged 10, which made him second oldest winner of the race since 1974 and even though he’s another year older – there is hope for him.

This is because the 2008 running of the race produced a 11 year-old winner in Caracciola. Who was representing the Nicky Henderson yard and winning at 50/1 with the best betting sites in the UK.

Last year The Shunter returned at 12/1 with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK and this year he’s expected to be a similar price. With the Willie Mullins-trained Sea Of Sands the likely favourite.

Jockey James Doyle Is Back To Ride The Shunter

Another plus for The Shunter fans is that last year’s jockey James Doyle has already been booked to ride him again.

12 months ago, Doyle steered home the JP McManus horse to win by 3/4 of a length (watch below), in what was also the riders first success in the race.

The pair will be back off a 5lb higher rating, with the horse having only been out once since. Which was at Punchestown in late November.

This Cesarewitch run on Saturday (13th Oct) will be The Shunter’s first outing in 2024 and his 44th career run in total.

The Shunter Career In Numbers