The Irish Champion Hurdle is a Grade One race run over 2m and held at Leopardstown racecourse each year in early February.
In rece
The Irish Champion Hurdle is a Grade One race run over 2m and held at Leopardstown racecourse each year in early February.
In recent years, top hurdlers like Istabraq, Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca, and, more recently, Hurricane Fly, have graced the roll of honour and the race is always a decent guide ahead of the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with Hurricane Fly the most recent horse to land both races in 2011 and 2013. Trainer Willie Mullins has won six of the last 10 runnings, so anything he runs is always respected.
It’s also been a big race for punters in recent years with the last 10 Irish Champion Hurdle favourites all winning! Backed up again in 2020 with the classy mare – Honeysuckle – winning the race for trainer Henry De Bromhead and jockey Rachael Blackmore.
Here at RACING AHEAD we are on-hand with all the key stats ahead of the 2021 renewal – this year staged on Saturday 6th February.
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Irish Champion Hurdle – Recent Winners
2020 – HONEYSUCKLE (8/11 fav)
2019 – APPLE’S JADE (8/11 fav)
2018 – SUPASUNDAE (8/1)
2017 – PETIT MOUCHOIR (9/10 fav)
2016 – FAUGHEEN (3/10 fav)
2015 – HURRICANE FLY (11/10 fav)
2014 – HURRICANE FLY (4/7 fav)
2013 – HURRICANE FLY (1/6 fav)
2012 – HURRICANE FLY (4/5 fav)
2011 – HURRICANE FLY (4/9 fav)
2010 – SOLWHIT (5/6 fav)
2009 – BRAVE INCA (11/4)
2008 – SIZING EUROPE (10/3)
2007 – HARDY EUSTACE (9/1)
2006 – BRACE INCA (6/5 fav)
2005 – MACS JOY (11/8 fav)
2004 – FOREMAN (8/1)
Irish Champion Hurdle Trends
16/17 – Placed in the top three last time
16/17 – Raced within the last 2 months
14/17 – Had won at Leopardstown before
14/17 – Returned 10/3 or shorter in the betting
14/17 – Rated 158 or higher
13/17 – Winning distance – 1 length or more
13/17 – Won last time out
12/17 – Went onto finish in the top six of that season’s Champion Hurdle
12/17 – Winning favourites
11/17 – Irish bred
11/17 – Raced within the last 4 weeks
11/17 – Raced at Leopardstown last time out
6/17 – Trained by Willie Mullins (6 of last 10 runnings)
3/17 – Went onto win the Champion Hurdle
2 of the last 12 winners were second season hurdlers
The average winning SP in the last 17 runnings is 9/4
