The Martin Pipe Conditional
Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle is run over 2 miles 4½ furlongs on the
New Course at Cheltenham, where it is currently scheduled as the
penultimate race on the fourth, and final, day of the Cheltenham
Festival. The race is a recent addition to the Festival programme,
having been inaugurated in 2009 in honour of National Hunt trainer
Martin Pipe, who had retired three years previously. In a career
spanning 30 years, Pipe trained a total of 4,180 winners – 32 of
them at the Cheltenham Festival – and became Champion Trainer 15
times.
The contest is open to horses aged four
years and upwards, but restricted to conditional jockeys or, in other
words, apprentice National Hunt jockeys, who have not ridden
seventy-five winners under rules and claim a weight allowance
accordingly. No horse has won the Martin Pipe Conditional
Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle more than once, and leading jockey is Danny Gilligan with wins on Better Days Ahead (2024) and Wodhooh (2025). Willie Mullins is the joint leading trainer with tfourwins – Sir Des Champs (2011), Don Poli
(2014), Killultagh Vic (2015) and Galopin Des Champs (2021). Gordon Elliott has four times also (most recently with Better Days Ahead (2024) and Wodhooh (2025).
years and upwards, but restricted to conditional jockeys or, in other
words, apprentice National Hunt jockeys, who have not ridden
seventy-five winners under rules and claim a weight allowance
accordingly. No horse has won the Martin Pipe Conditional
Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle more than once, and leading jockey is Danny Gilligan with wins on Better Days Ahead (2024) and Wodhooh (2025). Willie Mullins is the joint leading trainer with tfourwins – Sir Des Champs (2011), Don Poli
(2014), Killultagh Vic (2015) and Galopin Des Champs (2021). Gordon Elliott has four times also (most recently with Better Days Ahead (2024) and Wodhooh (2025).