Champion Hurdle Winners

CHELTENHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Robert Thornton and Katchit drive to the line to win The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse on March 11, 2008 in Cheltenham, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Champion Hurdle Winners in the 2000s

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer
2000 Istabraq 8 Charlie Swann Aidan O’Brien
2001 no race 2001 *
2002 Hors La Loi III 7 Dean Gallagher James Fanshawe
2003 Rooster Booster 9 Richard Johnson Phillip Hobbs
2004 Hardy Eustace 7 Conor O’Dwyer Dessie Hughes
2005 Hardy Eustace 8 Conor O’Dwyer Dessie Hughes
2006 Brace Inca 7 Tony McCoy Colm Murphy
2007 Sublimity 7 Philip Carberry John Carr
2008 Katchit 5 Robert Thornton Alan King
2009 Punjabi 6 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson

* In 2001, the race was cancelled as a result of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Champion Hurdle Winners Interesting Facts

  • The 1963 race was won by a one-eyed horse – Winning Fair. This horse was trained in Ireland by George Spencer, who is father of champion flat jockey Jamie Spencer.
  • In 1966, Flyingbolt put on a tremendous display to finish in third place after winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase just a day earlier.
  • Dawn Run became the first mare to win the Champion Hurdle – in 1984. Ten years later, Flakey Dove became the second.
  • It’s been ten years since a novice entry took first place – that was Make a Stand in 1997 jockeyed by Tony McCoy.
  • 2007’s winner, Sublimity, returned at a winning starting price of 16/1, but had previously been bet at odds of 600/1, an indication of the varying nature of Champion Hurdle betting odds.

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