Champion Hurdle

Introduced | 1927 |
Racecourse | Cheltenham, Old Course |
Race Distance | Approximately 2 miles & 1/2 furlong |
Entry Conditions | Horses aged 4 and over |
Current Sponsor | Unibet |
Date & Time | Day 1 / Tuesday 16th March 2021 / 15:30 |
Leading Jockey | Ruby Walsh with 6 wins |
Leading Trainer | Willie Mullins with 6 wins |
The Champion Hurdle is the featured race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival and has a prize fund of £450,000. It is considered to be the most prestigious hurdling event in the National Hunt calendar.
The race is run on the old course at Cheltenham over a distance of approximately 2 miles and 1/2 furlong and features 8 hurdles.
The Champion Hurdle was introduced in 1927 when the prize for the winner (Blaris) was just £365.
Currently, Ruby Walsh and Tim Molony are the leading Champion Hurdle jockeys with 4 wins each. Trainer Nicky Henderson has entered the most winning horses with 7 wins.
Champion Hurdle Past Winners
Year | Horse | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey | Distances | |
2020 | 1st | Epatante | 6 | 2-1f | NJ Henderson | B J Geraghty | |
2nd | Sharjah | 7 | 16-1 | W P Mullins | Mr P W Mullins | 3 lengths | |
3rd | Darver Star | 8 | 17-2 | G P Cromwell | Jonathan Moore | 3 3/4 lengths | |
– | |||||||
2019 | 1st | Espoir d’Allen | 5 | 16-1 | Gavin Cromwell | Mark Walsh | |
2nd | Melon | 7 | 20-1 | W P Mullins | P Townend | 15 Lengths | |
3rd | Silver Streak | 6 | 80-1 | Evan Williams | Adam Wedge | Neck | |
– | |||||||
2018 | 1st | Buveur D’Air | 7 | 4-6F | Nicky Henderson | Barry Geraghty | |
2nd | Melon | 6 | 16-1 | W P Mullins | P Townend | Neck | |
3rd | Mick Jazz | 7 | 33-1 | G Elliott | D N Russell | 3 Lengths | |
– | |||||||
2017 | 1st | Buveur D’Air | 6 | 5-1 | Nicky Henderson | Noel Fehily | |
2nd | My Tent Or Yours | 10 | 16-1 | N J Henderson | Aiden Coleman | 4 1/2 Lengths | |
3rd | Petit Mouchoir | 6 | 6-1 | H De Bromhead | B J Cooper | 3 lengths | |
– | |||||||
2016 | 1st | Annie Power | 8 | 5-2F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh | |
2nd | My Tent Or Yours | 9 | 10-1 | N J Henderson | B J Geraghty | 4 1/2 Lengths | |
3rd | Nichols Canyon | 6 | 15-2 | W P Mullins | P Townend | Head | |
– | |||||||
2015 | 1st | Faugheen | 7 | 4-5F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh | |
2nd | Arctic Fire | 6 | 20-1 | W P Mullins | D E Mullins | 1 1/2 Lengths | |
3rd | Hurricane Fly | 11 | 8-1 | W P Mullins | P Townend | 5 Lengths |
Champion Hurdle Trends
- 15 of the last 17 Cheltenham winners had raced at Cheltenham before
- 13 of the last 17 Champion Hurdle winners had achieved a top 4 finish at the Cheltenham Festival the previous year
- 13 of the last 17 Champion Hurdle winners had won last time out
- 13 of the last 17 Champion Hurdle winners had won at least 6 times over hurdles
- 10 of the last 17 Champion Hurdle winners were aged 6 or 7
- 6 of the last 17 Champion Hurdle winners had won a race at the Cheltenham Festival the previous year
Champion Hurdle Betting Offers
The Champion Hurdle is the featured race on day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival and so you can expect a number of exciting and generous betting offers to be available from a variety of bookmakers.
In the run-up and during the festival, bookmakers will be offering existing customers offers such as extra places, best odds guaranteed, refunds on losing bets, free bets, enhanced odds and more. You will also find that some bookies will be offering enhanced sign up offers for new customers which are worth keeping an eye out for as they often have more value than their standard welcome offers. Cheltenham is usually a great time to start opening accounts with bookies you have not signed up to yet.
See below for the latest and best Champion Hurdle betting offers.