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, 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.
William Peter Mullins is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is a seventeen-time Irish National Hunt Champion trainer. Mullins is the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, having saddled more than 100 winners.
The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs, and during its running there are ten hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles ½ furlong, and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.
The Champion Four Year Old Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles, and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May. The race is currently sponsored by the Ballymore Group
The Galmoy Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland. It is run at Gowran Park in January, over a distance of about 3 miles and during the race there are 13 flights of hurdles to be jumped. The race was first run in 2002 and was contested at Grade 3 level between 2003 and 2008.
The Johnstown Novice Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle horse race in Ireland. It is run at Naas in February over a distance of about 2 miles and during the race there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race was first run in 1984 as a Listed race and it was upgraded to Grade 2 in 2003. The race is currently sponsored by Paddy Power bookmakers and has been run under sponsored titles since 2011.
Annie Power is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. A National Hunt horse specialising in hurdle racing, she won fifteen of her seventeen races including the Johnstown Novice Hurdle, Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle, Ascot Hurdle, Doncaster Mares' Hurdle and Mares Champion Hurdle. In 2016, she became the first mare for twenty two years to win the Champion Hurdle.
More Of That is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. After winning his only race as a novice he won two handicaps and the Grade II Relkeel Hurdle before taking the Grade I World Hurdle at the 2014 Cheltenham Festival.
The Honeysuckle Mares Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse Racecourse over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs, and during its running there are ten hurdle to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late March or early April at Fairyhouse's Easter meeting.
The Grabel Mares Hurdle is a Listed National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and 2 furlongs, and it is scheduled to take place each year in November.
The Down Royal Mares Novice Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run at Down Royal over a distance of 2 miles and half a furlong. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.
The T. A. Morris Memorial Mares Chase is a Listed National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run at Clonmel over a distance about 2 miles and 4 furlongs. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in November.
The Leopardstown E.B.F. Mares Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 2 miles and four furlongs and during its running there are 10 flights of hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Christmas Festival at the end of December.
The Limestone Lad Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years and over. It is run at Naas over a distance of 2 miles and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in January.
The Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs (3,621 metres) and during the race there are ten hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late January or early February.
Paul Townend is an Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. Townend comes from Lisgoold in County Cork and rides primarily for the stable of Irish trainer Willie Mullins. Townend has worked for Mullins since beginning his career as an apprentice flat racing jockey. He is a six-time Irish jump racing Champion Jockey. He was champion in the 2010–11, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, and 2022–23 seasons.
Honeysuckle a British-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt races. In the 2018/19 season she was unbeaten in four races including the Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle, Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle and Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final. In the following season she compiled another perfect record, winning four times and taking the Hatton's Grace Hurdle, Irish Champion Hurdle and David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle. Another four straight wins in the 2020/21 season saw her repeat her victories in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle and the Irish Champion Hurdle before going on to win the Champion Hurdle and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle. In the 2021-22 season Honeysuckle extended her unbeaten run with further repeat victories in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle before winning a second Champion Hurdle.
Apple's Jade is a French-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt hurdle races. She won 11 times at Grade I level, making her one of the most successful jumping mares of all time.
Penhill is a British-bred racehorse best known for his achievements in National Hunt racing. Racing on the flat in England he showed good form in handicap races, winning five times from eighteen starts. When transferred to Ireland to race over obstacles he was one of the best Novice Hurdlers of the 2016/2017 season, winning six races including the Joe Mac Novice Hurdle, Guinness Novice Hurdle and Spa Novices' Hurdle. His subsequent career was disrupted by chronic injury problems but he recorded his biggest win in March 2018 when he won the Stayers' Hurdle.
