Champion Hurdle
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.
| 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 | ||
| State Man | Irish Point | Luccia |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ||
| Constitution Hill | State Man | Zanahiyr |
| 2022 | ||
| Honeysuckle | Epatante | Saint Roi |
| 2021 | ||
| Honeysuckle | Sharjah | Epatante |
| 2020-2011 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ||
| Epatante | Sharjah | Darver Star |
| 2019 | ||
| Espoir D'Allen | Melon | Silver Streak |
| 2018 | ||
| Buveur D'Air | Melon | Mick Jazz |
| 2017 | ||
| Buveur D'Air | My Tent Or Yours | Petit Mouchoir |
| 2016 | ||
| Annie Power | My Tent Or Yours | Nichols Canyon |
| 2015 | ||
| Faugheen | Arctic Fire | Hurricane Fly |
| 2014 | ||
| Jezki | My Tent Or Yours | The New One |
| 2013 | ||
| Hurricane Fly | Rock on Ruby | Countrywide Flame |
| 2012 | ||
| Rock on Ruby | Overturn | Hurricane Fly |
| 2011 | ||
| Hurricane Fly | Peddlers Cross | Oscar Whisky |
| 2010-2001 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
| Binocular | Khyber Kim | Zaynar |
| 2009 | ||
| Punjabi | Celestial Halo | Binocular |
| 2008 | ||
| Katchit | Osana | Punjabi |
| 2007 | ||
| Sublimity | Brave Inca | Afsoun |
| 2006 | ||
| Brave Inca | Macs Joy | Hardy Eustace |
| 2005 | ||
| Hardy Eustace | Harchibald | Brave Inca |
| 2004 | ||
| Hardy Eustace | Rooster Booster | Intersky Falcon |
| 2003 | ||
| Rooster Booster | Westender | Rhinestone Cowboy |
| 2002 | ||
| Hors La Loi III | Marble Arch | Bilboa |
| 2000-1991 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
| Istabraq | Hors La Loi III | Blue Royal |
| 1999 | ||
| Istabraq | Theatreworld | French Holly |
| 1998 | ||
| Istabraq | Theatreworld | I'm Supposin |
| 1997 | ||
| Make A Stand | Theatreworld | Space Trucker |
| 1996 | ||
| Collier Bay | Alderbrook | Pridwell |
| 1995 | ||
| Alderbrook | Large Action | Danoli |
| 1994 | ||
| Flakey Dove | Oh So Risky | Large Action |
| 1993 | ||
| Granville Again | Royal Derbi | Halkopous |
| 1992 | ||
| Royal Gait | Oh So Risky | Ruling |
| 1991 | ||
| Morley Street | Nomadic Way | Ruling |
| 1990-1981 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | ||
| Kribensis | Nomadic Way | Past Glories |
| 1989 | ||
| Beech Road | Celtic Chief | Celtic Shot |
| 1988 | ||
| Celtic Shot | Classical Charm | Celtic Chief |
| 1987 | ||
| See You Then | Flatterer | Barnbrook Again |
| 1986 | ||
| See You Then | Gaye Brief | Nohalmdun |
| 1985 | ||
| See You Then | Robin Wonder | Stans Pride |
| 1984 | ||
| Dawn Run | Cima | Very Promising |
| 1983 | ||
| Gaye Brief | Boreen Prince | For Auction |
| 1982 | ||
| For Auction | Broadsword | Ekbalco |
| 1981 | ||
| Sea Pigeon | Pollardstown | Daring Run |
| 1980-1970 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | ||
| Sea Pigeon | Monksfield | Birds Nest |
| 1979 | ||
| Monksfield | Sea Pigeon | Beacon Light |
| 1978 | ||
| Monksfield | Sea Pigeon | Night Nurse |
| 1977 | ||
| Night Nurse | Monksfield | Dramatist |
| 1976 | ||
| Night Nurse | Birds Nest | Flash Imp |
| 1975 | ||
| Comedy of Errors | Flash Imp | Tree Tangle |
| 1974 | ||
| Lanzarote | Comedy of Errors | Yenisei |
| 1973 | ||
| Comedy of Errors | Easby Abbey | Captain Christy |
| 1972 | ||
| Bula | Boxer | Lyford Cay |
| 1971 | ||
| Bula | Persian War | Major Rose |
| 1970 | ||
| Persian War | Major Rose | Escalus |
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.