The Champion Hurdle is one of the four feature races at the Cheltenham Festival. The four-day racing feast takes place in March and the Champion Hurdle occupies the prime-time slot on the opening day, a Tuesday. This is run over a shade more than two miles, with eight hurdles to contend with, and is the number one event for hurdlers on the National Hint calendar. As a Grade 1 contest it attracts the best hurdlers from both sides of the Irish Sea, the lure of almost £200,000 for connections of the winner more than enough to ensure a star-studded field.
It is run over the Cheltenham Old Course and is the third instalment of hurdling’s Triple Crown, which also includes the Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdle. Irish horse Kribensis is the only horse to have won all three in the same season (1989/90) and he is one of the many legends associated with this race. Five horses have won the Champion Hurdle on three occasions, most recently the legendary Istabraq (1998-2000). At the time of writing Honeysuckle is a very distant outsider in the ante post market to complete her own hat-trick, having won in 2022 and 2021.
2024
2023
- 1st - Constitution Hill 4/11F, Jockey: Nico de Boinville, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 2nd - State Man 7/2, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Zanahiyr 66/1, Jockey: Davy Russell, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
2022
- 1st - Honeysuckle 8/11F, Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 2nd - Epatante 16/1, Jockey: Aidan Coleman, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 3rd - Saint Roi 33/1, Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Willie Mullins
2021
- 1st - Honeysuckle 11/10F, Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 2nd - Sharjah 11/1, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Epatante 4/1, Jockey: Aidan Coleman, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
2020
- 1st - Epatante (FR) 2/1F, Jockey: Barry Geraghty, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 2nd - Sharjah (FR) 16/1, Jockey: Patrick Mullins, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Darver Star (IRE) 17/2, Jockey: Jonathan Moore, Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
2019
- 1st - Espoir D'Allen (FR) 16/1, Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
- 2nd - Melon 20/1, Jockey: Paul Townsend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Silver Streak (IRE) 80/1, Jockey: Adam Wedge, Trainer: Evan Williams
2018
- 1st - Buveur D'Air (FR) 4/6F, Jockey: Barry Geraghty, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 2nd - Melon 7/1, Jockey: Paul Townsend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Mick Jazz (FR) 25/1, Jockey: Davy Russell, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
2017
- 1st - Buveur D'Air (FR) 5/1, Jockey: Noel Fehily, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 2nd - My Tent or Yours (IRE) 16/1, Jockey: Aidan Coleman, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 3rd - Petit Mouchoir (FR) 6/1, Jockey: B J Cooper, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
2016
- 1st - Annie Power (IRE) 5/2F, Jockey: Ruby Walsh, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - My Tent or Yours (IRE) 10/1, Jockey: Barry Geraghty, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 3rd - Nichols Canyon 15/2, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
2015
- 1st - Faugheen (IRE) 4/5F, Jockey: Ruby Walsh, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - Arctic Fire (GER) 20/1, Jockey: Danny Mullins, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Hurricane Fly (IRE) 8/1, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
2014
- 1st - Jezki (IRE) 9/1, Jockey: Barry Geraghty, Trainer: Mrs John Harrington
- 2nd - My Tent Or Yours (IRE) 3/1, Jockey: A P McCoy, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
- 3rd - The New One (IRE) 100/30, Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies, Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies