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 11 runnings, so anything he runs is always respected.
It’s also been a big race for punters in recent years with 11 of the last 12 Irish Champion Hurdle favourites winning! Backed up again in 2020 and 2021 with the classy mare – Honeysuckle – winning the race for trainer Henry De Bromhead and jockey Rachael Blackmore. She’s likely to be back for more in 2022!
Here at TQ we are on hand with all the key stats ahead of the 2022 renewal – this year staged on Sunday 6th February.
Recent Irish Champion Hurdle Winners
2021 - HONEYSUCKLE (10/11 fav)
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)
Key Irish Champion Hurdle Trends
17/18 – Placed in the top three last time
16/18 – Raced within the last 2 months
15/18 – Had won at Leopardstown before
15/18 – Returned 10/3 or shorter in the betting
15/18 – Rated 158 or higher
14/18 – Winning distance – 1 length or more
14/18 – Won last time out
13/18 – Went onto finish in the top six of that season’s Champion Hurdle
13/18 – Winning favourites
11/18 – Irish bred
11/18 – Raced within the last 4 weeks
11/18 – Raced at Leopardstown last time out
6/18 – Trained by Willie Mullins (6 of last 11 runnings)
4/18 - Trained by Henry De Bromhead (3 of the last 5 runnings)
4/18 – Went onto win the Champion Hurdle
2 of the last 13 winners were second season hurdlers
The average winning SP in the last 18 runnings is 9/4
