For Irish bettors, studying past Chamption Hurdle helps identify which horses have the required speed to win. This guide explains the basic rules, reviews past results, and outlines the betting markets for the upcoming 2026 race.
About the Champion Hurdle: Big Prize Over the Smaller Obstacles
The Champion Hurdle is the highest level of hurdle racing (Grade 1). It is open to horses aged four and older. Here is how the event works from start to finish:
- The Distance: The race is a fast sprint. It covers exactly 2 miles and 87 yards (roughly 3,298 metres).
- The Obstacles: The horses must jump over 8 small, flexible barriers called hurdles.
- The Outcome: Because they run at top speed, the winner is usually the horse that clears all 8 hurdles perfectly. Hitting an obstacle slows a horse down and ruins their chance of winning.
You can find this event listed in the Betmaster app on the Tuesday of the Cheltenham Festival at 16:00 UK/Irish time. Understanding these basic rules helps you evaluate the runners.
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Champion Hurdle 2026: Time, Favourites, and Place
The 2026 Champion Hurdle is the main event on the first day of the festival. Here are the key details for this year’s race:
- The Schedule: The race starts on Tuesday, 10th March 2026, at exactly 16:00 GMT.
- The Open Field: The 2023 winner (Constitution Hill) has switched to flat racing, and the 2024 winner (State Man) is out with a season-ending injury. Because these champions are absent, bookmakers have adjusted the odds to show a very open race.
- The UK Contender: The New Lion (around 2/1) leads the betting markets for the UK.
- The Irish Contenders: Lossiemouth (9/4) and Brighterdaysahead (11/4) are the main challengers. They bring a strong, proven form from Ireland.
- The Defending Champion: Golden Ace won the race in 2025. She returns to defend her title at odds of 6/1.
These fractional odds will change on the Betmaster platform right up until the race starts. Tracking these changes leads naturally to analysing historical betting trends.
Champion Hurdle Odds & Betting Trends
When evaluating champion hurdle odds, you must look at the mathematical advantages given to certain horses. The most important rule involves female horses.
- The Mares’ Allowance: Female horses (mares) receive a 7lb weight allowance. This means they carry roughly 3.1 kilograms less weight than male horses. Over a two-mile race, this equals an advantage of roughly two full horse lengths.
- Mares Winning: Because of this weight advantage, mares have won five of the last ten renewals (Annie Power, Epatante, Honeysuckle twice, and Golden Ace).
- Age Profile: Horses aged between six and eight statistically win 85% of modern races.
- Recent Form: Winners usually finish first or second in their final practice race before Cheltenham.
How Each-Way Betting Works: If you place a €10 “Each-Way” bet at odds of 10/1, your total stake is €20. If the horse wins, you receive the full payout. If the horse finishes in the top three, the “place” part of your bet pays out at one-fifth of the odds (2/1). This returns €6 on that specific portion.
On the Betmaster bet slip, tapping the “E/W” box calculates this math automatically.
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Irish Champion Hurdle Winners
The Irish Champion Hurdle is a separate race held every February at Leopardstown in Dublin. It is the primary practice run for Irish horses preparing for Cheltenham.
If a horse wins at Leopardstown, their Cheltenham odds immediately decrease because it has proven its fitness.
- State Man: Won three consecutive Leopardstown titles (2023, 2024, 2025).
- Honeysuckle: Claimed three titles before her Cheltenham victories (2020, 2021, 2022).
- Faugheen: Won the Leopardstown event in 2016.
- Hurricane Fly: Holds the record with five consecutive Leopardstown wins (2011–2015).
Trainer Willie Mullins trains the vast majority of Irish Champion Hurdle winners. When looking at advance betting markets, checking the February Leopardstown results is the most reliable way to filter the contenders.
Most Notable Records, Horses, and Facts in Champion Hurdle History
Winning this race requires peak physical condition. Maintaining that physical condition for multiple years is rare.
- Three-Time Winners: Only five horses have ever won three times. These are Hatton’s Grace, Sir Ken, Persian War, See You Then, and Istabraq.
- The Unique Double: Dawn Run (1984) is the only horse to win this race and later win the longer Cheltenham Gold Cup.
- Leading Trainer: Nicky Henderson holds the record with nine total victories.
- Leading Jockeys: Tim Molony, Barry Geraghty, and Ruby Walsh share the record with four wins each.
Istabraq remains the most famous winner for many Irish bettors. He won three consecutive races from 1998 to 2000. He was prevented from attempting a fourth win when the 2001 festival was cancelled due to a disease outbreak.
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Champion Hurdle Winners: The Last 10 Years
Analysing the champion hurdle winners list over the last decade shows a clear dominance by two trainers: Willie Mullins in Ireland and Nicky Henderson in the UK.
This list of Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winners also shows that short-priced favourites frequently justify their odds.
| Year | Winner | Starting Odds | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Golden Ace | 25/1 | Jeremy Scott |
| 2024 | State Man | 2/5F | Willie Mullins |
| 2023 | Constitution Hill | 4/11F | Nicky Henderson |
| 2022 | Honeysuckle | 8/11F | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2021 | Honeysuckle | 11/10F | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2020 | Epatante | 2/1F | Nicky Henderson |
| 2019 | Espoir d’Allen | 16/1 | Gavin Cromwell |
| 2018 | Buveur d’Air | 4/6F | Nicky Henderson |
| 2017 | Buveur d’Air | 5/1 | Nicky Henderson |
| 2016 | Annie Power | 5/2F | Willie Mullins |
Espoir d’Allen (2019) is a rare exception to the age rule, winning as a five-year-old. Golden Ace (2025) is an exception to the odds rule, winning at 25/1 after the favourites fell. Recognising standard patterns helps you make objective selections.
Champion Hurdle Winners: The First 5 Years
Bettors often review the Champion Hurdle winners since 1970, but the race actually began much earlier. The first five years established the event as a permanent fixture.
- 1927: Blaris won the first race at odds of 11/10.
- 1928: Brown Jack won before switching to flat racing.
- 1929: Royal Falcon won by a distance of four lengths.
- 1930: Brown Tony won in a tight finish by a single head.
- 1931: The race was cancelled due to frozen ground.
The first prize money in 1927 was £365. This shows how the race’s financial scale has grown over a century.
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FAQ
Who won the Champion Hurdle?
The most recent winner of the Champion Hurdle is Golden Ace. She won the 2025 renewal at odds of 25/1. Prior to that, State Man won in 2024, and Constitution Hill won in 2023.
Who are the most famous Champion Hurdle winners?
The most famous Champion Hurdle winners include Istabraq, See You Then, Persian War, Sir Ken, and Hatton’s Grace. Each of these horses won the race three times. The mare Dawn Run is also famous for winning both this race and the Gold Cup.
How many Champions Hurdles has Willie Mullins won?
Willie Mullins has won the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle 5 times. His winners are Hurricane Fly (2011, 2013), Faugheen (2015), Annie Power (2016), and State Man (2024).
What is the prize money for winning the Champion Hurdle?
The total prize money fund for the Champion Hurdle is £450,000 (roughly €525,000 depending on exchange rates). The winning horse’s owners receive approximately £253,215 (around €295,000) from that total pot.
