Triumph Hurdle

The Triumph Hurdle, currently sponsored by JCB, has been a fixture of the Cheltenham Festival since 1968. The Grade 1 contest, run over 2 miles and 179 yards on the New Course at Cheltenham, is exclusively contested by juvenile novice hurdlers and is the leading event of its kind in the British National Hunt calendar. The Triumph Hurdle is currently scheduled as the opening race on the four and final day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Nicky Henderson is the most successful trainer in the Triumph Hurdle, having saddled First Bout (1985), Alone Success (1987), Katarino (1999), Zaynar (2009), Soldatino (2010) and Peace And Co (2015) for a total of six wins. Barry Geraghty, who was stable jockey for Nicky Henderson until June 2015, is the most successful jockey, having ridden Spectroscope (2003), Zaynar (2009), Soldatino (2010), Peace And Co (2015) and Ivanovich Gorbatov (2016) for a total of five wins.

Occasionally, winners of the Triumph Hurdle go on to further Festival success in the Champion Hurdle. The 1988 winner, Kribensis, could only finish seventh of 15, beaten 11½ lengths behind Beech Road when 11/8 favourite for the 1989 Champion Hurdle, but returned to Cheltenham the following year to beat Nomadic Way by 3 lengths. The 2007 winner, Katchit, started at 10/1 for the 2008 Champion Hurdle, but stayed on strongly to beat Osana by a length.

Traditionally, the Triumph Hurdle attracted a large field, but it’s fair to say that, since the advent of the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle in 2005, the race has taken on a slightly different complexion. The Triumph Hurdle is now contested mainly by bona fide Grade 1 contenders, while those horses just below the highest level tend to be aimed at the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle.