2025 Eclipse Awards: Zanahiyr

Long before he stormed through the uphill stretch to record a narrow win in the Grade 1 American Grand National Hurdle Stakes on Oct. 18 at Far Hills Racecourse in New Jersey, the Irish-bred gelding Zanahiyr was better known for losses in major races in Britain and Ireland.

But in his first trip to the United States, a somewhat erratic but determined Zanahiyr won the $250,000 Grand National for his richest victory. The win left Zanahiyr, an 8-year-old gelding owned by Noel and Valerie Moran’s Bective Stud, as a finalist for the Eclipse Award as North America’s champion steeplechase horse of 2025.

To get there, there were more setbacks in high-profile races.

Zanahiyr was fourth as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle for 4-year-olds at Cheltenham Racecourse in March 2021, Britain’s leading race for the age group.

In 2022 and 2023, Zanahiyr was back at Cheltenham for the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at 2 1/16 miles. He was third in the 2022 Champion Hurdle, later disqualified for a medication violation, and third again in 2023.

Switched to tougher steeplechase fences in late 2023 by trainer Gordon Elliott, Zanahiyr was third by a length in the 22-runner Galway Plate, Ireland’s top summertime race for jumpers, in July 2024.

:: Full list of 2025 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

In the 2025 Galway Plate on July 30, Zanahiyr finished seventh of 22.

Zanahiyr did not lose for the rest of the year.

A drop in class to a minor chase at 2 3/4 miles a mere four days after the Galway Plate led to a four-length win against three rivals. On Aug. 26, Zanahiyr won a minor handicap at 2 1/8 miles on the flat at Bellewstown Racecourse in Ireland for his first win in a race without obstacles since a maiden race at 1 1/2 miles at Fairyhouse in July 2020. The win at Fairyhouse was Zanahiyr final start for his breeder, the Aga Khan.

After the win at Bellewstown, a first-ever trip to the United States became a focus. Zanahiyr, the 2-1 second choice, was last early and was not a fluent jumper at times in the Grand National. Jockey Jack Kennedy persisted and coaxed a winning performance by a head from Zanahiyr after dueling with fellow Irish shipper Ballysax Hank through the stretch.

“I was never really happy on him,” Kennedy said in a television interview. “He’s an honest horse and tried his heart out. He galloped his heart out.

“The hurdles are different than what we have in Ireland. I don’t think he enjoyed it too much. He was very slow at his hurdles. It took a while to get him into his jumping.

“I was hoping I hadn’t used up too much to finish out the race.”

Zanahiyr was one of five winners for Elliott on the program.

Zanahiyr, an 8-year-old by the Galileo stallion Nathaniel, had started in more lucrative races before the American Grand National, among them the Galway Plates and Champion Hurdles.

For one day, however, far from home, he was the star.

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