County Handicap Hurdle

The County Handicap Hurdle is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 179 yards, or 3,382 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.

County Handicap Hurdle

Class	Premier Handicap
Location	Cheltenham Racecourse Cheltenham, England
Inaugurated	1920
Race type	Hurdle race
Sponsor	William Hill (2025) Boylesports (2026)
Website	Cheltenham
Race information
Distance	2m 179y (3,382 metres)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Five-years-old and up
Weight	Handicap
Purse	£100,000 (2023) 1st: £56,270

County Handicap Hurdle

2024
Absurde	L'eau Du Sud	Pied Piper

Previous years
2023
Faivoir	Pied Piper	Filey Bay
2022
State Man	First Street	Colonel Mustard
2021
Belfast Banter	Petit Mouchoir	Milkwood

2020-2011
2020
Saint Roi	Aramon	Embittered
2019
Ch'tibello	We Have A Dream	Countister
2018
Mohaayed	Remiluc	Whiskey Sour
2017
Arctic Fire	L'Ami Serge	Ozzie The Oscar
2016
Superb Story	Fethard Player	Sternrubin
2015
Wicklow Brave	Sort It Out	Quick Jack
2014
Lac Fontana	Arctic Fire	Montbazon
2013
Ted Veale	Tennis Cap	Manyriverstocross
2012
Alderwood	Edgardo Sol	Sailors Warn
2011
Final Approach	Get Me Out of Here	Nearby

2010-2001
2010
Thousand Stars	Arcalis	Dee Ee Williams
2009
American Trilogy	Stradbrook	Cockney Trucker
2008
Silver Jaro	Psycho	French Saulaie
2007
Pedrobob	Ouninpohja	Premier Dane
2006
Desert Quest	Noble Request	Adamant Approach
2005
Fontanesi	Stance	Borora
2004
Sporazene	Hawadeth	Copeland
2003
Spirit Leader	Balapour	Through The Rye
2002
Rooster Booster	Landing Light	Geos

2000-1991
2000
Master Tern	Danegold	Spokesman
1999
Sir Talbot	Decoupage	Toto Toscato
1998
Blowing Wind	Advocat	Bless Me Sister
1997
Barna Boy	Carlito Brigante	Penny A Day
1996
Star Rage	Romancer	Non Vintage
1995
Home Counties	Family Way	Test match
1994
Dizzy	Diplomatic	Steel Dawn
1993
Thumbs Up	High Baron	Spinning
1992
Dusty Miller	Bank View	Viking Flagship
1991
Winnie The Witch	Celtic Bob	One For The Pot

1990-1988
1990
Moody Man	Smart Performer	Persillant
1989
Willsford	Travel Mystery	Fiefdom
1988
Cashew King	Sunbia	Rampallion

History

The County Hurdle was established in 1920, and its inaugural winner was Trespasser, ridden by George Duller. Its title between 1995 and 2016 was the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle in honour of Vincent O'Brien, an Irish racehorse trainer who retired in 1994. During his career O'Brien recorded a total of twenty-three victories at the Cheltenham festival.

For many years the County Hurdle was traditionally the last race to be run at the Festival. However, a new running order was announced ahead of the 2009 meeting, and it is now the second race on the final day. The race held Grade 3 status until 2022 and was reclassified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority.^[1]

In 2024, the race changed sponsor^[2] from McCoy Contractors to BetMGM

Records

Most successful horse since 1946:

• no horse has won this race more than once since 1946

Leading jockey since 1946 (4 wins):

• Ruby Walsh – Sporazene (2004), Desert Quest (2006), American Trilogy (2009), Final Approach (2011)
• Paul Townend - Wicklow Brave (2015), Arctic Fire (2017), State Man (2022), Absurde (2024)

Leading trainer since 1946 (7 wins):

• Willie Mullins – Thousand Stars (2010), Final Approach (2011), Wicklow Brave (2015), Arctic Fire (2017), Saint Roi (2020), State Man (2022), Absurde (2024)

List of renewals

• Weights given in stones and pounds.

Date	Winner	SP	Age	Weight (st-lb)	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Runners
11-03-1920 1920, 11 March	Trespasser	1000.5714285714 4/7F	4	11-09	George Duller	J. M. Bell	P. Heybourn	8	[3]
3-03-1921 1921, 3 March	Water Bottle	1005 5/1	—	11–13	F. Croney	A. Scott	A. Scott	12	[4]
9-03-1922 1922, 9 March	Lukeston	1003.3333333333 100/30	—	12-02	F. Rees	Harrison	E. Tattersall	7	[5]
7-03-1923 1923, 7 March	Assaroe	1006 6/1	—	11–10	F. Brown[a]	Newey	Stanley Howard	7	[6]
12-03-1924 1924, 12 March	Argo	1002 2/1F	—	11-08	George Duller	Coulthwaite	Lord Londesborough	13	[7]
11-03-1925 1925, 11 March	Rosecome	1014.2857142857 100/7	5	10-06	J. East	W. McKie	A. Sanders	15	[8]
9-03-19261926, 9 March	Checktaker	1002.5 5/2F	5	11–11	George Duller	H. Harrison	Harrison	13	[9]
8-03-19271927, 8 March	Rolie	1007 7/1	6	11-06	H. Cheshire	T. Rimell	T. Rimell	11	[10]
14-03-19281928, 14 March	Truthful James	1007 7/1	—	11-03	Parvin	Powell	Milne	15	[11]
13-03-19291929, 13 March	Castlederg	1008 8/1	7	11-02	F. Rees	Whitelaw	Whitelaw	14	[12]
12-03-19301930, 12 March	Gonedry	1004.5 9/2	8	10–11	P. Dennis	H. Dyke Dennis	Pellerin	15	[13]
01-01-1931 no race 1931 [b]
3-03-19321932, 3 March	Fouquet	1002.75 11/4	5	10-00	W. Stott	F. Wootton	S. Wootton	10	[14]
9-03-19331933, 9 March	Hightide IV.	1020 20/1	7	11-03	Wilson	Bullock	T. Richardson	13	[15]
8-03-19341934, 8 March	Jack Grange	1008 8/1	5	10-00	W. Hollick	Barthropp	Sir A. McAlpine	17	[16]
14-03-19351935, 14 March	Polly Stephens	1002 2/1F	8	11-00	Ingham	Cundell	Rieb	15	[17]
12-03-19361936, 12 March	Back Isle	1007 7/1	8	11-03	Fulke Walwyn[a]	Roberts	C. Jones	21	[18]
01-01-1937 no race 1937 [b]
10-03-19381938, 10 March	Prince Rouge	1010 10/1	8	10–12	J. Prendergast[a]	W. Stubbs	Mrs D. Thomas	17	[19]
9-03-19391939, 9 March	Abbot's Own	1006.5 13/2	8	12-01	H. Nicholson	O'Sullivan	Mrs E. Scott	17	[20]
20-03-19401940, 20 March	Sam Brown	1006 6/1	6	11-01	T. Rimell	trained privately	M. C. Willes	10	[21]
20-03-19411941, 20 March	Celibate II	1007 7/1	9	11-04	Hollick	D. Dick	Mrs D. P. Dick	19	[22]
21-03-19421942, 21 March	Red April	1012.5 100/8	5	11–13	E. Foley	Stalbridge	M. Jones	21	[23]
01-01-1943 no race 1943–45 [c]
14-03-19461946, 14 March	Vidi	1006 6/1	5	11–10	Don Butchers	Reg Hobbs	A. E. Saunders	27	[24]
01-01-1947 no race 1947 [d]
4-03-19481948, 4 March	Cape Light	1002 2/1F	5	11-01	Joe Maguire	Ivor Anthony	—	21	[25]
01-01-1949 no race 1949 [e]
9-03-19501950, 9 March	Blue Raleigh	1025 25/1	7	10-00	Jimmy Power	Bobby Renton	Mrs L. Brotherton	19	[26]
25-04-19511951, 25 April	Southwick	1014.2857142857 100/7	7	10-03	George Spann	J. Whiting	—	21	[27]
6-03-19521952, 6 March	Ballymacan	1014.2857142857 100/7	5	10–12	Bryan Marshall	Neville Crump	H. D. Waddington	20	[28]
5-03-19531953, 5 March	Teapot II	1004 4/1	8	12-07	Pat Taaffe	Clem Magnier	—	16	[29]
1954	Bold Baby		8	12-00	Paddy Powell	Michael Dawson
01-01-1955 no race 1955 [e]
1956	Pommel		9	10–11	Steve Boddy	John Waugh
1957	Flaming East		8	10-05	Peter Pickford	Ricky Vallance
1958	Friendly Boy		6	10-05	Liam Brennan	Joe Osborne
1959	Approval		13	11-02	Derek Leslie	Syd Mercer
1960	Albergo		6	12-05	Doug Page	Clem Magnier
1961	Most Unusual		6	10-07	Josh Gifford	Bill Ransom
1962	Sky Pink		5	10–11	Fred Winter	Ryan Price
1963	Bahrain		6	10-06	Tommy Carberry	Dan Moore
1964	Icy Wonder		5	10-02	Jeff King	Vernon Cross
1965	Mayfair Bill		6	10-04	Andrew Turnell	Bob Turnell
1966	Roaring Twenties		6	11-02	George Milburn	Ken Oliver
1967	Cool Alibi		5	10-09	Roddy Reid	Rodney Bower
1968	Jolly Signal		6	10–11	Jimmy Uttley	Earl Jones
1969	Gay Knight		5	10-03	Aly Branford	Les Kennard
1970	Khan		6	09-11	Lord Petersham[a]	Delmer Harty
1971	Carry Off		7	10-01	David Goulding	Nigel Angus
1972	Cold Day		6	10-08	Ron Hyett	Katie Gaze
1973	Current Romance		7	10-07	David Nicholson	Frenchie Nicholson
1974	True Song		5	11-02	Gary Old	Donald Underwood
01-01-1975 no race 1975 [f]
1976	Java Fox		6	10-01	George Jones[a]	Roy Cambidge
1977	Kilcoleman		5	10-07	Tommy Kinane	Billy Boyers
01-01-1978 no race 1978 [f]
1979	Monte Ceco		6	10–12	Colin Tinkler	Fred Rimell
1980	Prince of Bermuda		5	10-00	Steve Knight	Bob Turnell
1981	Staplestown		6	10-07	Tommy Ryan	Edward O'Grady
1982	Path of Peace		6	10-06	Jonjo O'Neill	Chris Thornton
1983	Robin Wonder		5	10-03	Jeff Davies	David Elsworth
1984	Hill's Guard		5	10–11	Andrew Stringer	Andrew Scott
1985	Floyd		5	10-05	Colin Brown	David Elsworth
1986	Jobroke		6	10-03	Jonjo O'Neill	Peter Easterby
1987	Neblin		8	11-00	Richard Guest	Toby Balding
17-03-19881988, 17 March	Cashew King	1009 9/1	5	10-04	Trevor Wall	Bryan McMahon	Mrs J A Wall	24	[30]
16-03-19891989, 16 March	Willsford	1011 11/1	6	10-08	Michael Bowlby	Jenny Pitman	A M Kaplan	21	[31]
15-03-19901990, 15 March	Moody Man	1009 9/1	5	11-02	Peter Hobbs	Philip Hobbs	James Burley	20	[32]
14-03-19911991, 14 March	Winnie the Witch	1033 33/1	7	09-08	David Bridgwater	Ken Bridgwater	Paddocks Thoroughbred Racing Ltd	26	[33]
12-03-19921992, 12 March	Dusty Miller	1009 9/1	6	10-06	Jamie Osborne	Simon Sherwood	Watership Down Racing	27	[34]
18-03-19931993, 18 March	Thumbs Up	1016 16/1	7	10-02	Richard Dunwoody	Nicky Henderson	Michael Buckley	21	[35]
17-03-19941994, 17 March	Dizzy	1012 12/1	6	10-00	Tony Dobbin	Peter Monteith	Lt-Col W L Monteith	24	[36]
16-03-19951995, 16 March	Home Counties	1014 14/1	6	10–12	James Moffatt	Dudley Moffatt	Roxy Cinemas (dalton)	23	[37]
14-03-19961996, 14 March	Star Rage	1014 14/1	6	10-00	Dean Gallagher	Jimmy Harris	J David Abell	28	[38]
13-03-19971997, 13 March	Barna Boy	1014 14/1	9	10–12	Richard Dunwoody	Nicky Henderson	Lynn Wilson	20	[39]
19-03-19981998, 19 March	Blowing Wind	1001.875 15/8F	5	11-08	Tony McCoy	Martin Pipe	P A Deal	27	[40]
18-03-19991999, 18 March	Sir Talbot	1010 10/1	5	10-00	Timmy Murphy	Jim Old	W E Sturt	28	[41]
16-03-20002000, 16 March	Master Tern	1004.5 9/2F	5	10-03	Tony Dobbin	Jonjo O'Neill	John P McManus	21	[42]
01-01-2001 no race 2001 [g]
14-03-20022002, 14 March	Rooster Booster	1008 8/1	8	11-01	Richard Johnson	Philip Hobbs	Terry Warner	21	[43]
13-03-20032003, 13 March	Spirit Leader	1010 10/1	7	11-07	Barry Geraghty	Jessica Harrington	D Thompson	28	[44]
18-03-20042004, 18 March	Sporazene	1007 7/1J	5	10–13	Ruby Walsh	Paul Nicholls	Ged Mason & David Jackson	23	[45]
18-03-20052005, 18 March	Fontanesi	1016 16/1	5	10–10	Timmy Murphy	Martin Pipe	The Johnson Family	30	[46]
17-03-20062006, 17 March	Desert Quest	1004 4/1J	6	10–10	Ruby Walsh	Paul Nicholls	Mrs M Findlay	29	[47]
16-03-20072007, 16 March	Pedrobob	1012 12/1	9	10-00	Philip Carberry	Tony Mullins	Barry Connell	28	[48]
14-03-20082008, 14 March	Silver Jaro	1050 50/1	5	10–13	Noel Fehily	Tom Hogan	Miss M A Masterson	22	[49]
13-03-20092009, 13 March	American Trilogy	1020 20/1	5	11-00	Ruby Walsh	Paul Nicholls	Fulton,Donlon,Kilduff & Scott-MacDonald	27	[50]
19-03-20102010, 19 March	Thousand Stars	1020 20/1	6	10-05	Katie Walsh[a]	Willie Mullins	Hammer & Trowel Syndicate	28	[51]
18-03-20112011, 18 March	Final Approach	1010 10/1	5	10–12	Ruby Walsh	Willie Mullins	Douglas Taylor	26	[52]
16-03-20122012, 16 March	Alderwood	1020 20/1	8	11-01	Tony McCoy	Thomas Mullins	John P McManus	26	[53]
15-03-20132013, 15 March	Ted Veale	1010 10/1	6	10-06	Bryan Cooper	Tony Martin	John Breslin	28	[54]
14-03-20142014, 14 March	Lac Fontana	1011 11/1	5	10–11	Daryl Jacob	Paul Nicholls	Potensis Limited	28	[55]
13-03-20152015, 13 March	Wicklow Brave	1025 25/1	6	11-04	Paul Townend	Willie Mullins	Wicklow Bloodstock Limited	24	[56]
18-03-20162016, 18 March	Superb Story	1008 8/1	5	10–12	Harry Skelton	Dan Skelton	Holt, Robinson, Taylor & Miller	26	[57]
17-03-20172017, 17 March	Arctic Fire	1020 20/1	8	11–12	Paul Townend	Willie Mullins	Wicklow Bloodstock Limited	26
16-03-20182018, 16 March	Mohaayed	1033 33/1	6	10–08	Bridget Andrews	Dan Skelton	Mrs June Watts	24
15-03-20192019, 15 March	Ch'tibello	1012 12/1	8	11-05	Harry Skelton	Dan Skelton	Can't Say No Partnership	24
13-03-20202020, 13 March	Saint Roi	1005.5 11/2	5	10-13	Barry Geraghty	Willie Mullins	John P McManus	23
19-03-20212021, 19 March	Belfast Banter	1033 33/1	6	10-00	Kevin Sexton	Peter Fahey	Direct Bloodstock Ltd	23
18-03-20222022, 18 March	State Man	1002.75 11/4F	5	11-01	Paul Townend	Willie Mullins	Mrs J Donnelly	26
17-03-20232023, 17 March	Faivoir	1033 33/1	8	10-07	Bridget Andrews	Dan Skelton	Mrs S Lawrence	24
15-03-20242024, 15 March	Absurde	1012 12/1	6	10-10	Paul Townend	Willie Mullins	H O S Syndicate	17

1. amateur jockey
2. The race was abandoned in 1931 because of frost, and in 1937 because of flooding
3. It was cancelled in 1943–45 because of World War II
4. The 1947 edition was abandoned because of snow and frost
5. It was cancelled in 1949 due to frost, and in 1955 due to snow
6. The race was abandoned in 1975 due to waterlogging, and in 1978 because of snow.
7. The 2001 running was cancelled because of a foot-and-mouth crisis.

See also

• Horse racing in Great Britain
• List of British National Hunt races