The Champion Hurdle

The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about two miles and 110 yards (3,319 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year on the opening day, (Tuesday) of the Cheltenham Festival in March.
As its title suggests, the Champion Hurdle is the most prestigious hurdling event in the National Hunt calendar. Its list of winners features many of the most highly acclaimed hurdlers in the sport's history, and several of these, such as National Spirit, Hatton's Grace, Persian War and Lanzarote, have had races named in their honour.

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

Hatton's Grace – 1949, 1950, 1951
Sir Ken – 1952, 1953, 1954
Persian War – 1968, 1969, 1970
See You Then – 1985, 1986, 1987
Istabraq – 1998, 1999, 2000

Leading jockey (4 wins):
Tim Molony – Hatton's Grace (1951), Sir Ken (1952, 1953, 1954)

Leading trainer (5 wins):
Peter Easterby – Saucy Kit (1967), Night Nurse (1976, 1977), Sea Pigeon (1980, 1981)
Nicky Henderson – See You Then (1985, 1986, 1987), Punjabi (2009), Binocular (2010)

Leading owner (4 wins):
Dorothy Paget – Insurance (1932, 1933), Solford (1940), Distel (1946)
J. P. McManus – Istabraq (1998, 1999, 2000), Binocular (2010)

Year Winner      Age Jockey      Trainer
2012 Rock On Ruby 7 Noel Fehily P. Nicholls
2011 Hurricane Fly 7 Ruby Walsh W. Mullins
2010 Binocular    6 A.P. McCoy N. Henderson
2009 Punjabi         6 B. Geraghty N. Henderson
2008 Katchit         5 R Thornton A. King
2007 Sublimity         7 Paul Carberry J. Carr
2006 Brave Inca 8 A. P. McCoy C Murphy
2005 Hardy Eustace 8 C. O’Dwyer D. Hughes
2004 Hardy Eustace 7 C. O’Dwyer D. Hughes
2003 Rooster Booster 9 R. Johnson P. Hobbs
2002 Hors La Loi III 7 D. Gallagher J. Fanshaw
2001 No Race - - -
2000 Istabraq         8 C. Swann A.O’Brien
1999 Istabraq        7 C. Swann A.O’Brien
1998 Istabraq         6 C. Swann A.O’Brien
1997 Make a Stand 6 A. P. McCoy M. Pipe
1996 Collier Bay 6 G Bradley J Old
1995 Alderbrook 6 N. Williamson K. Bailey
1994 Flakey Dove 8 M. Dwyer R. Price
1993 Granville Agian 7 P. Scudamore M. Pipe
1992 Royal Gait 9 G. McCourt J. Fanshawe
1991 Morley Street 7 J. Frost T. Balding
1990 Kribensis         9 R. Dunwoody M. Stoute

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champion_Hurdle