Grade 1 race | |
Location | Cheltenham Racecourse Cheltenham, England |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1927 |
Race type | Hurdle race |
Sponsor | Unibet |
Website | Cheltenham Racecourse |
Race information | |
Distance | 2m 87y (3,298 metres) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
Weight | 11 st 0 lb (4yo); 11 st 10 lb (5yo+) Allowances 7 lb for fillies and mares |
Purse | £465,750 (2024) 1st: £262,078 |
2024 | ||
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State Man | Irish Point | Luccia |
Previous years | ||
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2023 | ||
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Constitution Hill | State Man | Zanahiyr |
2022 | ||
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Honeysuckle | Epatante | Saint Roi |
2021 | ||
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Honeysuckle | Sharjah | Epatante |
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and ½ furlong (2 miles and 87 yards, or 3,298 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is the last leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling and is scheduled to take place each year on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival in March.
As its title suggests, the Champion Hurdle is the most prestigious hurdling event in the National Hunt calendar. Its list of winners features many of the most highly acclaimed hurdlers in the sport's history, and several of these, such as National Spirit, Istabraq, Hatton's Grace, Persian War and Lanzarote, have had races named in their honour.
As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online gambling operator Unibet, the race is now known as the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
History
[edit]The first Champion Hurdle was run in 1927, and its inaugural winner, Blaris, was awarded prize money of £365. In its second year the event was won by Brown Jack, who subsequently became a prolific winner of long-distance flat races. The Champion Hurdle was abandoned in 1931 due to persistent frost, and in 1932 it was contested by just three horses – the smallest field in its history. The race was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1943 and 1944.
The 1947 renewal paved the way for a golden era in the Champion Hurdle with just 3 winners until 1955 – National Spirit, Hatton's Grace and Sir Ken, all of them etched into the list of greatest ever hurdlers. Even though it was postponed twice because of winter snows, taking place in mid-April, it proved most popular with a record attendance at that time of 30,000 racing fans.[1] The winner National Spirit became the second horse to retain the hurdling crown while the runner-up to him, a bay horse called Le Paillon trained by Alec Head's father, went on to race on the flat and won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe the same year.
As National Spirit was winning his second Champion Hurdle, the horse down the field, Hatton's Grace, trained by one of the most important figures in horse racing Vincent O'Brien, was about to make history and improved for the next seasons to become the first hat-trick winner of the race. The achievement of Hatton's Grace was soon to be matched by Sir Ken, who recorded three successive victories in the 1950s. Before the second of these Sir Ken was given a starting price of 2/5 (a £5 bet would have won £2). He is the shortest-priced horse to have won the race.
The 1970s produced another golden era of hurdling with the third Champion Hurdle triple winner Persian War and the exploits of double champions in Night Nurse, Monksfield, Bula and Comedy of Errors, who was the first horse to win two non-consecutive titles. The Racing Post declared the 1977 running to be the "strongest of fields ever assembled", with Night Nurse beating two other subsequent dual Champion Hurdle winners in Sea Pigeon and Monksfield.[2]
The 1984 winner, Dawn Run, became the second mare to win the Champion Hurdle. In the same year she also won the Irish and French versions of the event, and two seasons later she won the most prestigious chase in National Hunt racing, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. She remains the only horse to have completed the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double. From 1985 to 1987 the Champion Hurdle was dominated by See You Then, who became the event's fourth three-time winner. The sixth and most recent mare to win the race was Honeysuckle, the winner of the 2021 and 2022 renewals.
The last triple winner of the Champion Hurdle was Istabraq, whose successes came in 1998, 1999 and 2000. In the early weeks of 2001 he was the odds-on favourite to win the race again, for an unprecedented fourth time. However, this opportunity was lost as the entire Cheltenham Festival was cancelled that year because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Istabraq returned for the 2002 running, but on this occasion he failed to complete the race, and he was retired thereafter.
Commercial sponsorship of the Champion Hurdle began in 1978, and it was initially backed by Waterford Crystal. The Smurfit (now known as the Smurfit Kappa Group), began supporting the race in 1991 and from 2010 to 2017 was sponsored by StanJames.com. Stan James's parent company Unibet became the title sponsor from the 2018 running. The race is the final leg of the Road to Cheltenham, a series of high-class hurdles races consisting of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, the International Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle Trial.[3]
The Champion Hurdle has been continually run on a Tuesday since 1980. The 1927 race was run on a Wednesday, followed by a Thursday in 1928 and then Tuesday from 1929 to 1939. The race moved to Wednesday for 1940 and 1941 followed by rare Saturday runnings in 1942 and 1945. Tuesday became the established day for the Champion Hurdle from 1946 to 1960, with the exception of the postponed races in 1947 (Saturday) and 1955 (Wednesday). From 1961 to 1979 the race was always run on a Wednesday, except in 1964 when it took place on Friday for the only time in its history.
In 2023 Zanahiyr became the first horse to be disqualified. After finishing third in the 2022 running ahead of Saint Roi, he was disqualified and placed last by a British Horseracing Authority tribunal in early 2023 after a banned substance was discovered in a sample taken on race day. Saint Roi was awarded third place and all other runners were promoted by one place.[4]
Records
[edit]Most successful horse (3 wins):
- Hatton's Grace – 1949, 1950, 1951
- Sir Ken – 1952, 1953, 1954
- Persian War – 1968, 1969, 1970
- See You Then – 1985, 1986, 1987
- Istabraq – 1998, 1999, 2000
Leading jockey (4 wins):
- Tim Molony – Hatton's Grace (1951), Sir Ken (1952, 1953, 1954)
- Ruby Walsh – Hurricane Fly (2011, 2013), Faugheen (2015), Annie Power (2016)
- Barry Geraghty - Punjabi (2009), Jezki (2014), Buveur D'Air (2018), Epatante (2020)
Leading trainer (9 wins):
- Nicky Henderson – See You Then (1985, 1986, 1987), Punjabi (2009), Binocular (2010), Buveur D'Air (2017, 2018), Epatante (2020), Constitution Hill (2023)
Leading owner (9 wins):
- J. P. McManus – Istabraq (1998, 1999, 2000), Binocular (2010), Jezki (2014), Buveur D'Air (2017, 2018), Espoir d'Allen (2019), Epatante (2020)
List of renewals
[edit]- Winning mares indicated by †
- Winning trainers based in Great Britain unless indicated (IRE) = Ireland
Date |
Winner |
SP |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Runners |
Runners-up |
Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1927, 9 March | Blaris | 11/10F | 6 | George Duller | Bill Payne | Mrs H. Hollins | 4 | 2nd. (8 L) Beddam 7/2 3rd. (1 L) Harpist 9/4 |
4:13.6 |
1928, 15 March | Brown Jack | 4/1 | 4 | Bilbie Rees | Aubrey Hastings | Sir Harold Wernher | 6 | 2nd. (1+1⁄2 L) Peace River 5/1 3rd. (6 L) Blaris 2/1F |
4:05.0 |
1929, 12 March | Royal Falcon | 11/2 | 6 | Dick Rees | Bob Gore | Miss Victoria Williams-Bulkeley | 6 | 2nd. (4 L) Kolie 4/1 3rd. (6 L) Cleer Cash 7/4F |
4:01.2 |
1930, 11 March | Brown Tony | 7/2 | 4 | Tommy Cullinan | Jack Anthony | Mrs J. de Sélincourt | 5 | 2nd. (hd) Cleer Cash 2/1F 3rd. (sh) Peertoi 9/2 |
4:20.2 |
[a] | No race 1931|||||||||
1932, 1 March | Insurance | 4/5F | 5 | Ted Leader | Basil Briscoe | Dorothy Paget | 3 | 2nd. (12 L) Song of Essex 5/4 3rd. (dst) Jack Drummer 33/1 |
4:14.2 |
1933, 7 March | Insurance | 10/11F | 6 | Billy Stott | Basil Briscoe | Dorothy Paget | 5 | 2nd. (3⁄4 L) Windermere Laddie 4/1 3rd. (8 L) Indian Salmon 100/8 |
4:37.6 |
1934, 6 March | Chenango | 4/9F | 7 | Danny Morgan | Ivor Anthony | Pete Bostwick | 5 | 2nd. (5 L) Pompelmoose 9/2 3rd. (6 L) Black Duncan 20/1 |
4:17.0 |
1935, 12 March | Lion Courage | 100/8 | 7 | Gerry Wilson | Frank Brown | R. Fox Carlyon | 11 | 2nd. (1⁄2 L) Gay Light 9/4F 3rd. (3⁄4 L) Hill Song 3/1 |
4:00.2 |
1936, 9 March | Victor Norman | 4/1 | 5 | Frenchie Nicholson | Morgan Blair | Mrs Michael Stephens | 8 | 2nd. (3 L) Free Fare 5/2F 3rd. (1+1⁄2 L) Cactus II 20/1 |
4:14.4 |
1937, 9 March | Free Fare | 2/1F | 9 | Georges Pellerin | Ted Gwilt | Ben Warner | 7 | 2nd. (2 L) Our Hope 100/8 3rd. (sh) Menton 11/2 |
4:19.2 |
1938, 8 March | Our Hope | 5/1 | 9 | Perry Harding | Roderic Gubbins | Roderic Gubbins | 5 | 2nd. (1+1⁄2 L) Chuchoteur 9/2 3rd. (10 L) Lobau 100/6 |
4:04.8 |
1939, 7 March | African Sister† | 10/1 | 7 | Keith Piggott | Charles Piggott | Horace Brueton | 13 | 2nd. (3 L) Vitement 20/1 3rd. (1⁄2 L) Apple Peel 100/8 |
4:13.6 |
1940, 13 March | Solford | 5/2F | 9 | Sean Magee | Owen Anthony | Dorothy Paget | 8 | 2nd. (1+1⁄2 L) African Sister 8/1 3rd. (4 L) Carton 3/1 |
4:13.4 |
1941, 19 March | Seneca | 7/1 | 4 | Ron Smyth | Vic Smyth | Sir Malcolm McAlpine | 6 | 2nd. (hd) Anarchist 33/1 3rd. (2 L) Ephorus 8/1 |
4:09.0 |
1942, 14 March | Forestation | 10/1 | 4 | Ron Smyth | Vic Smyth | Vic Smyth | 20 | 2nd. (3 L) Anarchist 100/8 3rd. (3 L) Southport 9/2F |
4:10.4 |
[b] | No races 1943–44|||||||||
[5] | 1945, 31 MarchBrains Trust | 9/2 | 5 | Fred Rimell | Gerry Wilson | F. Blakeway | 16 | 2nd. (3⁄4 L) Vidi 100/6 3rd. (3⁄4 L) Red 10/1 April |
4:09.4 |
1946, 12 March | Distel | 4/5F | 5 | Bobby O'Ryan | Charles Rogers (IRE) | Dorothy Paget | 8 | 2nd. (4 L) Carnival Boy 7/2 3rd. (1⁄2 L) Robin O'Chantry 100/6 |
4:05.0 |
[c] | 1947, 12 AprilNational Spirit | 7/1 | 6 | Danny Morgan | Vic Smyth | Len Abelson | 14 | 2nd. (1 L) Le Paillon 2/1F 3rd. (2 L) Freddy Fox 8/1 |
4:03.8 |
1948, 2 March | National Spirit | 6/4F | 7 | Ron Smyth | Vic Smyth | Len Abelson | 12 | 2nd. (2 L) D.UKW. 5/1 3rd. (3⁄4 L) Encoroli 20/1 |
3:54.8 |
1949, 7 March | Hatton's Grace | 100/7 | 9 | Aubrey Brabazon | Vincent O'Brien (IRE) | Mrs Harry Keogh | 14 | 2nd. (6 L) Vatelys 10/1 3rd. (1 L) Captain Fox 100/9 |
4:00.6 |
1950, 7 March | Hatton's Grace | 5/2F | 10 | Aubrey Brabazon | Vincent O'Brien (IRE) | Mrs Harry Keogh | 12 | 2nd. (1+1⁄2 L) Harlech 9/2 3rd. (2 L) Speciality 100/6 |
3:59.6 |
1951, 6 March | Hatton's Grace | 4/1 | 11 | Tim Molony | Vincent O'Brien (IRE) | Mrs Harry Keogh | 8 | 2nd. (5 L) Pyrrhus III 11/2 3rd. (1⁄2 L) Prince Hindou 9/2 |
4:11.2 |
1952, 4 March | Sir Ken | 3/1F | 5 | Tim Molony | Willie Stephenson | Maurice Kingsley | 16 | 2nd. (2 L) Noholme 100/7 3rd. (4 L) Approval 9/1 |
4:03.2 |
1953, 3 March | Sir Ken | 2/5F | 6 | Tim Molony | Willie Stephenson | Maurice Kingsley | 7 | 2nd. (2 L) Galatian 4/1 3rd. (1⁄2 L) Teapot II 100/9 |
3:55.4 |
1954, 2 March | Sir Ken | 4/9F | 7 | Tim Molony | Willie Stephenson | Maurice Kingsley | 13 | 2nd. (1 L) Impney 9/1 3rd. (3 L) Galatian 10/1 |
4:11.0 |
1955, 9 March | Clair Soleil | 5/2F | 6 | Fred Winter | Ryan Price | Gerry Judd | 21 | 2nd. (hd) Stroller 7/2 3rd. (4 L) Cruachan 50/1 |
4:12.8 |
1956, 6 March | Doorknocker | 100/9 | 8 | Harry Sprague | Charlie Hall | Clifford Nicholson | 15 | 2nd. (3⁄4 L) Quita Que 33/1 3rd. (4 L) Baby Don 100/8 |
4:02.2 |
1957, 12 March | Merry Deal | 28/1 | 7 | Grenville Underwood | Arthur Jones | Arthur Jones | 16 | 2nd. (5 L) Quita Que 15/2 3rd. (5 L) Tout Ou Rien 100/8 |
4:07.4 |
1958, 11 March | Bandalore | 20/1 | 7 | George Slack | Stan Wright | Dorothy Wright | 18 | 2nd. (2 L) Tokoron 5/1F 3rd. (3 L) Retour de Flamme 11/2 |
3:56.0 |
1959, 3 March | Fare Time | 13/2 | 6 | Fred Winter | Ryan Price | Gerry Judd | 14 | 2nd. (4 L) Ivy Green 40/1 3rd. (1 L) Prudent King 13/2 |
4:07.8 |
1960, 8 March | Another Flash | 11/4F | 6 | Bobby Beasley | Paddy Sleator (IRE) | John Byrne | 12 | 2nd. (2 L) Albergo 11/2 3rd. (3 L) Saffron Tartan 3/1 |
3:55.0 |
1961, 8 March | Eborneezer | 4/1 | 6 | Fred Winter | Ryan Price | Dr Burjor Pajgar | 17 | 2nd. (3 L) Moss Bank 7/4F 3rd. (1+1⁄2 L) Farmer's Boy 8/1 |
4:10.0 |
1962, 14 March | Anzio | 11/2 | 5 | Willie Robinson | Fulke Walwyn | Sir Thomas Ainsworth | 14 | 2nd. (3 L) Quelle Chance 11/2 3rd. (1+1⁄2 L) Another Flash 11/10F |
4:00.2 |
1963, 13 March | Winning Fair | 100/9 | 8 | Alan Lillingston[d] | George Spencer (IRE) | George Spencer | 21 | 2nd. (3 L) Farrney Fox 10/1 3rd. (nk) Quelle Chance 100/7 |
4:15.5 |
[e] | 1964, 6 MarchMagic Court | 100/7 | 6 | Pat McCarron | Tommy Robson | James McGhie | 24 | 2nd. (4 L) Another Flash 6/1F 3rd. (3⁄4 L) Kirriemuir 100/7 |
4:08.0 |
1965, 10 March | Kirriemuir | 50/1 | 5 | Willie Robinson | Fulke Walwyn | Dorothy Beddington | 19 | 2nd. (1 L) Spartan General 8/1 3rd. (1+1⁄2 L) Worcran 8/1 |
4:06.6 |
1966, 16 March | Salmon Spray | 4/1 | 8 | Johnny Haine | Bob Turnell | Mrs John Rogerson | 19 | 2nd. (3 L) Sempervivum 20/1 3rd. (3⁄4 L) Flyingbolt 15/8F |
4:10.2 |
1967, 15 March | Saucy Kit | 100/6 | 6 | Roy Edwards | Peter Easterby | K. F. Alder | 23 | 2nd. (4 L) Makaldar 11/4F 3rd. (1 L) Talgo Abbess 100/8 |
4:11.2 |
1968, 20 March | Persian War | 4/1 | 5 | Jimmy Uttley | Colin Davies | Henry Alper | 16 | 2nd. (4 L) Chorus 7/2F 3rd. (5 L) Black Justice 100/6 |
4:03.8 |
1969, 19 March | Persian War | 6/4F | 6 | Jimmy Uttley | Colin Davies | Henry Alper | 17 | 2nd. (4 L) Drumikill 100/7 3rd. (22 L) Privy Seal 33/1 |
4:41.8 |
1970, 18 March | Persian War | 5/4F | 7 | Jimmy Uttley | Colin Davies | Henry Alper | 14 | 2nd. (1+1⁄2 L) Major Rose 8/1 3rd. (1+1⁄2 L) Escalus 25/1 |
4:13.8 |
1971, 18 March | Bula | 15/8F | 6 | Paul Kelleway | Fred Winter | Bill Edwards-Heathcote | 9 | 2nd. (4 L) Persian War 3rd. (1 L) Major Rose |
4:22.3 |
1972, 15 March | Bula | 8/11F | 7 | Paul Kelleway | Fred Winter | Bill Edwards-Heathcote | 9 | 2nd. (8 L) Boxer 25/1 3rd. (3 L) Lyford Cay 66/1 |
4:25.3 |
1973, 14 March | Comedy of Errors | 8/1 | 6 | Bill Smith | Fred Rimell | Ted Wheatley | 8 | 2nd. (1+1⁄2 L) Easby Abbey 20/1 3rd. (2 L) Captain Christy 85/40 |
4:07.7 |
1974, 13 March | Lanzarote | 7/4 | 6 | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter | Lord Howard de Walden | 7 | 2nd. Comedy of Errors 4/6F 3rd. Yenisei 100/1 |
4:17.7 |
1975, 12 March | Comedy of Errors | 11/8F | 8 | Ken White | Fred Rimell | Ted Wheatley | 13 | 2nd. Flash Imp 12/1 3rd. Tree Tangle 10/1 |
4:28.5 |
1976, 17 March | Night Nurse | 2/1F | 5 | Paddy Broderick | Peter Easterby | Reg Spencer | 8 | 2nd. (1 L) Birds Nest 100/30 3rd. Flash Imp 40/1 |
4:05.9 |
1977, 16 March | Night Nurse | 15/2 | 6 | Paddy Broderick | Peter Easterby | Reg Spencer | 10 | 2nd. (2 L) Monksfield 3rd. (1 L) Dramatist |
4:24.0 |
1978, 15 March | Monksfield | 11/2 | 6 | Tommy Kinane | Des McDonogh (IRE) | Dr Michael Mangan | 13 | 2nd. (2 L) Sea Pigeon 5/1 3rd. (5 L) Night Nurse 3/1F |
4:12.7 |
1979, 14 March | Monksfield | 9/4F | 7 | Dessie Hughes | Des McDonogh (IRE) | Dr Michael Mangan | 10 | 2nd. (1⁄2 L) Sea Pigeon 6/1 3rd. Beacon Light 22/1 |
4:27.9 |
1980, 11 March | Sea Pigeon | 13/2 | 10 | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Easterby | Pat Muldoon | 9 | 2nd. Monksfield 3rd. Birds Nest |
4:06.0 |
1981, 17 March | Sea Pigeon | 7/4F | 11 | John Francome | Peter Easterby | Pat Muldoon | 14 | 2nd. Pollardstown 9/1 3rd. Daring Run 8/1 |
4:11.4 |
1982, 16 March | For Auction | 40/1 | 6 | Colin Magnier[d] | Michael Cunningham (IRE) | Danno Heaslip | 14 | 2nd. Broadsword 100/30 3rd. Ekbalco 7/2 |
4:12.4 |
1983, 15 March | Gaye Brief | 7/1 | 6 | Richard Linley | Mercy Rimell | Sheikh Ali Abu Khamsin | 17 | 2nd. Boreen Prince 50/1 3rd. For Auction 3/1 JF |
3:57.8 |
1984, 13 March | Dawn Run† | 4/5F | 6 | Jonjo O'Neill | Paddy Mullins (IRE) | Charmian Hill | 14 | 2nd. Cima 66/1 3rd. Very Promising 16/1 |
3:52.6 |
1985, 12 March | See You Then | 16/1 | 5 | Steve Smith Eccles | Nicky Henderson | Stype Wood Stud | 14 | 2nd. Robin Wonder 66/1 3rd. Stans Pride 100/1 |
3:51.7 |
1986, 11 March | See You Then | 5/6F | 6 | Steve Smith Eccles | Nicky Henderson | Stype Wood Stud | 23 | 2nd. Gaye Brief 14/1 3rd. Nohalmdun 20/1 |
3:53.3 |
1987, 17 March | See You Then | 11/10F | 7 | Steve Smith Eccles | Nicky Henderson | Stype Wood Stud | 18 | 2nd. Flatterer 10/1 3rd. Barnbrook Again 14/1 |
3:57.20 |
1988, 15 March | Celtic Shot | 7/1 | 6 | Peter Scudamore | Fred Winter | David Horton | 21 | 2nd. (4 L) Classical Charm 33/1 3rd. (3 L) Celtic Chief 5/2F |
4:14.40 |
1989, 14 March | Beech Road | 50/1 | 7 | Richard Guest | Toby Balding | Tony Geake | 15 | 2nd. (2 L) Celtic Chief 6/1 3rd. (1 L) Celtic Shot 8/1 |
4:02.10 |
1990, 13 March | Kribensis | 95/40 | 6 | Richard Dunwoody | Michael Stoute | Sheikh Mohammed | 19 | 2nd. (3 L) Nomadic Way 8/1 3rd. (3⁄4 L) Past Glories 150/1 |
3:50.70 |
1991, 12 March | Morley Street | 4/1F | 7 | Jimmy Frost | Toby Balding | Michael Jackson Bloodstock | 24 | 2nd. (1⁄2 L) Nomadic Way 9/1 3rd. (hd) Ruling 50/1 |
3:54.80 |
1992, 10 March | Royal Gait | 6/1 | 9 | Graham McCourt | James Fanshawe | Sheikh Mohammed | 16 | 2nd. (1⁄2 L) Oh So Risky 20/1 3rd. (shd) Ruling 20/1 |
3:57.40 |
1993, 16 March | Granville Again | 13/2 | 7 | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe | Eric Scarth | 18 | 2nd. (1 L) Royal Derbi 50/1 3rd. (2+1⁄2 L) Halkopous 9/1 |
3:51.40 |
1994, 15 March | Flakey Dove† | 9/1 | 8 | Mark Dwyer | Richard Price | John Price | 15 | 2nd. (1+1⁄2 L) Oh So Risky 9/4F 3rd. (3⁄4 L) Large Action 8/1 |
4:02.30 |
1995, 14 March | Alderbrook | 11/2 | 6 | Norman Williamson | Kim Bailey | Ernie Pick | 15 | 2nd. (5 L) Large Action 4/1 JF 3rd. (2 L) Danoli 4/1 JF |
4:03.10 |
1996, 12 March | Collier Bay | 9/1 | 6 | Graham Bradley | Jim Old | Wally Sturt | 16 | 2nd. (2+1⁄2 L) Alderbrook 10/11F 3rd. (6 L) Pridwell 33/1 |
3:59.00 |
1997, 11 March | Make A Stand | 7/1 | 6 | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe | Peter Deal | 17 | 2nd. (5 L) Theatreworld 33/1 3rd. (3⁄4 L) Space Trucker 9/2 |
3:48.40 |
1998, 17 March | Istabraq | 3/1F | 6 | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) | J. P. McManus | 18 | 2nd. (12 L) Theatreworld 20/1 3rd. (1 L) I'm Supposin 6/1 |
3:49.10 |
1999, 16 March | Istabraq | 4/9F | 7 | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) | J. P. McManus | 14 | 2nd. (3+1⁄2 L) Theatreworld 16/1 3rd. (2+1⁄2 L) French Holly 11/2 |
3:56.80 |
2000, 14 March | Istabraq | 8/15F | 8 | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien (IRE) | J. P. McManus | 12 | 2nd. (4 L) Hors La Loi III 11/1 3rd. (nk) Blue Royal 16/1 |
3:48.10 |
[f] | No race 2001|||||||||
2002, 12 March | Hors La Loi III | 10/1 | 7 | Dean Gallagher | James Fanshawe | Paul Green | 15 | 2nd. (3 L) Marble Arch 25/1 3rd. (1⁄2 L) Bilboa 14/1 |
3:53.80 |
2003, 11 March | Rooster Booster | 9/2 | 9 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | Terry Warner | 17 | 2nd. (11 L) Westender 33/1 3rd. (3 L) Rhinestone Cowboy 5/2F |
3:54.70 |
2004, 16 March | Hardy Eustace | 33/1 | 7 | Conor O'Dwyer | Dessie Hughes (IRE) | Laurence Byrne | 14 | 2nd. (5 L) Rooster Booster 11/8F 3rd. (4 L) Intersky Falcon 8/1 |
3:54.50 |
2005, 15 March | Hardy Eustace | 7/2 JF | 8 | Conor O'Dwyer | Dessie Hughes (IRE) | Laurence Byrne | 14 | 2nd. (nk) Harchibald 7/1 3rd. (nk) Brave Inca 10/1 |
3:51.50 |
2006, 14 March | Brave Inca | 7/4F | 8 | Tony McCoy | Colm Murphy (IRE) | Novices Syndicate | 18 | 2nd. (1 L) Macs Joy 13/2 3rd. (3+1⁄2 L) Hardy Eustace 11/2 |
3:50.00 |
2007, 13 March | Sublimity | 16/1 | 7 | Philip Carberry | John Carr (IRE) | Bill Hennessy | 10 | 2nd. (3 L) Brave Inca 11/2 3rd. (nk) Afsoun 28/1 |
3:55.70 |
2008, 11 March | Katchit | 10/1 | 5 | Robert Thornton | Alan King | D S J P Syndicate | 15 | 2nd. (1 L) Osana 9/2 3rd. (5 L) Punjabi 28/1 |
4:08.10 |
2009, 10 March | Punjabi | 22/1 | 6 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | Raymond Tooth | 23 | 2nd. (nk) Celestial Halo 17/2 3rd. (hd) Binocular 6/4F |
4:00.90 |
2010, 16 March | Binocular | 9/1 | 6 | Tony McCoy | Nicky Henderson | J. P. McManus | 12 | 2nd. (3+1⁄2 L) Khyber Kim 7/1 3rd. (6 L) Zaynar 15/2 |
3:53.80 |
2011, 15 March | Hurricane Fly | 11/4F | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins (IRE) | Creighton / Boyd | 11 | 2nd. (1+1⁄4 L) Peddlers Cross 9/2 3rd. (5 L) Oscar Whisky 7/1 |
3:53.71 |
2012, 13 March | Rock On Ruby | 11/1 | 7 | Noel Fehily | Paul Nicholls | The Festival Goers | 10 | 2nd. (3+3⁄4 L) Overturn 9/2 3rd. (1+3⁄4 L) Hurricane Fly 4/6F |
3:50.10 |
2013, 12 March | Hurricane Fly | 13/8F | 9 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins (IRE) | Creighton / Boyd | 9 | 2nd. (2+1⁄2 L) Rock On Ruby 11/2 3rd. (1+3⁄4 L) Countrywide Flame 16/1 |
3:59.35 |
2014, 11 March | Jezki | 9/1 | 6 | Barry Geraghty | Jessica Harrington (IRE) | J. P. McManus | 9 | 2nd. (nk) My Tent Or Yours 3/1 3rd. (2+1⁄2 L) The New One 100/30 |
3:45.25 |
2015, 10 March | Faugheen | 4/5F | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins (IRE) | Susannah Ricci | 8 | 2nd. (1+1⁄2 L) Arctic Fire 20/1 3rd. (5 L) Hurricane Fly 8/1 |
3:50.90 |
2016, 15 March | Annie Power† | 5/2F | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins (IRE) | Susannah Ricci | 12 | 2nd. (4+1⁄2 L) My Tent or Yours 10/1 3rd. (hd) Nichols Canyon 15/2 |
3:45.10 |
2017, 14 March | Buveur d'Air | 5/1 | 6 | Noel Fehily | Nicky Henderson | J. P. McManus | 11 | 2nd. (4+1⁄2 L) My Tent or Yours 16/1 3rd. (3 L) Petit Mouchoir 6/1 |
3:50.90 |
2018, 13 March | Buveur d'Air | 4/6F | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | J. P. McManus | 11 | 2nd. (nk) Melon 7/1 3rd. (3 L) Mick Jazz 25/1 |
4:05.00 |
2019, 12 March | Espoir d'Allen | 16/1 | 5 | Mark Walsh | Gavin Cromwell (IRE) | J. P. McManus | 10 | 2nd. (15 L) Melon 20/1 3rd. (nk) Silver Streak 80/1 |
3:59.07 |
2020, 10 March | Epatante† | 2/1F | 6 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | J. P. McManus | 17 | 2nd. (3 L) Sharjah 16/1 3rd. (3+3⁄4 L) Darver Star 17/2 |
4:07.03 |
2021, 16 March | Honeysuckle† | 11/10F | 7 | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead (IRE) | Kenny Alexander | 10 | 2nd. (6 L) Sharjah 11/1 3rd. (3 L) Epatante 4/1 |
3:54.63 |
2022, 15 March | Honeysuckle† | 8/11F | 8 | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead (IRE) | Kenny Alexander | 10 | 2nd. (3½ L) Epatante 16/1 3rd. (2 3/4L) Saint Roi 33/1 |
3:50.13 |
2023, 14 March | Constitution Hill | 4/11F | 6 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson | Michael Buckley | 7 | 2nd. (9 L) State Man 7/2 3rd. (4 L) Zanahiyr 66/1 |
3:59.38 |
2024, 12 March | State Man | 2/5F | 7 | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins (IRE) | Mrs J Donnelly | 12 | 2nd. (1+1⁄4 L) Irish Point 9/2 3rd. (4+1⁄4 L) Luccia 33/1 |
4:13.88 |
- ^ The race was abandoned in 1931 due to frost
- ^ Race was not run in 1943 and 1944 because of World War II
- ^ The 1947 running was postponed twice due to winter snows
- ^ a b amateur jockey
- ^ In 1964 an objection to the winner by the stewards was over-ruled.[6]
- ^ The 2001 running was cancelled because of a foot-and-mouth crisis. A substitute race at Sandown was won by Landing Light
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Races set up new record". Cheltenham Chronicle. 19 April 1947. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "Night Nurse: career profile". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 30 January 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
- ^ Stan James Champion Hurdle Sponsorship Announcement Archived 1 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine StanJames.com, 28 September 2010
- ^ Scargill, Peter (8 February 2023). "Gordon Elliott fined and Zanahiyr disqualified from last year's Champion Hurdle". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "Rimell's Hat-Trick Champion Hurdle for Brains Trust". Gloucestershire Echo. 31 March 1945. Retrieved 23 December 2015.(Subscription required.)
- ^ "Cheltenham Result". The Glasgow Herald. 7 March 1964. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
- Champion Hurdle – Cheltenham Pedigree Online
External links
[edit]- Race Recordings [1]