International Hurdle
The International Hurdle is a Grade 2 race over an extended two miles at Cheltenham in December.
It was originally titled the Cheltenham Trial Hurdle and has long been established as a trial for the Champion Hurdle in March.
Three horses have won the race on three occasions, the most recent being The New One (2013, 2014 and 2016). Other notable winners include Comedy Of Errors (1973, 1974), Sea Pigeon (1975), Rooster Booster (2002) and Binocular (2008).
Find out more about the International Hurdle:
Contents
- 1 Race Overview – The International Hurdle
- 2 International Hurdle 2023 Odds
- 3 International Hurdle 2023 Tips
- 4 International Hurdle Previous Winners
- 5 Famous International Hurdle Winners
- 6 Key International Hurdle Trials
- 7 International Hurdle Betting Trends
- 8 International Hurdle – Top Trainers and Jockeys
- 9 Betting on the International Hurdle
- 10 Popular Questions
- 11 Summary of the International Hurdle
- 12 Related December Articles
- 13 Resources
Race Overview – The International Hurdle
Horses must be four years old or older to compete in the Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle, the International Hurdle in Great Britain.
There are eight hurdles to clear during the race, which is held on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of around 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 179 yards, or 3,382 metres). Every year in December, the race is planned to take place.
International Hurdle 2023 Odds
The International Hurdle odds are listed below:
These odds have not yet been released.
International Hurdle 2023 Tips
The International Hurdle tips are below:
- 2 points to win for TBC at odds of TBC
- 1 point each way for TBC at odds of TBC
Many International Hurdle horses will race in more races throughout the years. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.
International Hurdle Previous Winners
Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1963 | Scottish Memories | 9 | Cathal Finnegan | Arthur Thomas |
1964 | Magic Court | 6 | Pat McCarron | Tommy Robson |
1965 | Salmon Spray | 7 | Johnny Haine | Bob Turnell |
1966 | Sempervivum | 8 | Willie Robinson | Fulke Walwyn |
1968 | Solway Sands | 4 | Brian Fletcher | John McMurchie |
1969 | Celtic Gold | 7 | Stan Murphy | Arthur Stephenson |
1970 | Pendil [a] | 5 | Paul Kelleway | Fred Winter |
1971 | Canasta Lad | 5 | Jeff King | Peter Bailey |
1972 | Bula | 7 | Paul Kelleway | Fred Winter |
1973 | Comedy of Errors | 6 | Bill Smith | Fred Rimell |
1974 | Comedy of Errors | 7 | Ken White | Fred Rimell |
1975 | Sea Pigeon | 5 | Jonjo O'Neill | Gordon W. Richards |
1977 | Birds Nest | 7 | Andrew Turnell | Bob Turnell |
1978 | Birds Nest | 8 | Andrew Turnell | Bob Turnell |
1979 | Celtic Ryde | 4 | Martin O'Halloran | Peter Cundell |
1980 | Birds Nest | 10 | Andrew Turnell | Bob Turnell |
1981 | no race 1981 [b] | |||
1982 | Ekbalco | 6 | Jonjo O'Neill | Roger Fisher |
1983 | Amarach | 5 | Jimmy Duggan | Roger Fisher |
1984 | Browne's Gazette | 6 | Ronnie Beggan[c] | Monica Dickinson |
1985 | Corporal Clinger | 6 | Paul Leach | Martin Pipe |
1986 | Floyd | 6 | Colin Brown | David Elsworth |
1987 | Pat's Jester | 4 | Peter Niven | Dick Allan |
1988 | Condor Pan | 5 | Charlie Swan | Jim Bolger |
1989 | Cruising Altitude | 6 | Jamie Osborne | Oliver Sherwood |
1990 | no race 1990 [b] | |||
1991 | Royal Derbi | 6 | Declan Murphy | Neville Callaghan |
1992 | Halkopous | 6 | Adrian Maguire | Mark Tompkins |
1993 | Staunch Friend | 5 | Declan Murphy | Mark Tompkins |
1994 | Large Action | 6 | Jamie Osborne | Oliver Sherwood |
1995 | no race 1995 [d] | |||
1996 | Large Action | 8 | Jamie Osborne | Oliver Sherwood |
1997 | Relkeel | 8 | Richard Johnson | David Nicholson |
1998 | Relkeel | 9 | Adrian Maguire | David Nicholson |
1999 | Relkeel | 10 | Richard Johnson | Alan King |
2000 | Geos | 5 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson |
2001 | Valiramix [e] | 5 | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe |
2002 | Rooster Booster | 8 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
2003 | Rigmarole | 5 | Robert Thornton | Paul Nicholls |
2004 | Back in Front | 7 | Davy Russell | Edward O'Grady |
2005 | Harchibald | 6 | Paul Carberry | Noel Meade |
2006 | Detroit City | 4 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
2007 | Osana | 5 | Paddy Brennan | David Pipe |
2008 | Binocular [f] | 4 | Tony McCoy | Nicky Henderson |
2009 | Khyber Kim | 7 | Paddy Brennan | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
2010 | Menorah | 5 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
2011 | Grandouet | 4 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
2012 | Zarkandar | 5 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
2013 | The New One | 5 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
2014 | The New One | 6 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
2015 | Old Guard | 4 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls |
2016 | The New One | 8 | Richard Johnson | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
2017 | My Tent Or Yours | 10 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
2018 | Brain Power | 7 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
2019 | Call Me Lord | 6 | James Bowen | Nicky Henderson |
2020 | Song For Someone | 5 | Aidan Coleman | Tom Symonds |
2021 | Guard Your Dreams | 5 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
2022 | no race 2022 [g] |
Famous International Hurdle Winners
The roll of honour for the early years of the International Hurdle is littered with top-class hurdlers; Magic Court (1964), Salmon Spray (1965), Pendil (1970), Bula (1972), Comedy Of Errors (1973, 1974) and Sea Pigeon (1975).
Magic Court won the Champion Hurdle in 1964 while Salmon Spray won hurdling’s top prize in 1966.
Bula won the Champion in 1971 and 1972, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by Paul Kelleway.
Comedy Of Errors won the Champion Hurdle in 1973 and 1975 while Sea Pigeon’s Cheltenham victories came in 1980 and 1981, the latter at the age of eleven.
Birds Nest became the first three-time winner of the race in 1977, 1978 and 1980. He was trained by Andy Turnell and ridden by Bob Turnell. Although he never won the Champion Hurdle he was a regular rival to the likes of Sea Pigeon, Night Nurse and Monksfield during the golden era of hurdling.
Relkeel became the second horse to win it three times, reeling off a hat trick from 1997 to 1999. He was trained by David Nicholson for his first two victories with Alan King training him to his record-equalling third success. The New One (2013, 2014 and 2016) added his name to the list for Nigel Twiston-Davies.
Other notable winners of the International Hurdle include Champion Hurdlers Rooster Booster (2002) and Binocular (2008).
Rooster Booster won the Champion Hurdle for Trainer Philip Hobbs and Jockey Richard Johnson.
The same combination teamed up to win this race with Detroit City in 2006.
Key International Hurdle Trials
The best trial for the International Hurdle in recent seasons has been the Ascot Hurdle. Three of the last twelve winners ran in that race with one winner and one placed. Course form is an asset here with ten of those twelve having had at least two previous runs at Cheltenham and seven of them having at least one course victory.
Class is also a factor with all but one having already been successful at least once at Grade 1 to 3 level.
Three of the last twelve winners ran in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park but all were beaten.
Two ran in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton, Zarkandar (2012) winning and Song For Someone (2020) finishing runner-up.
Seven of the twelve ran in the Champion Hurdle, The New One finished third in 2013-2014.
International Hurdle Betting Trends
There have been six winning outright favourites and one joint favourite in the last twelve years.
The New One was odds-on favourite for his first two victories and a well-backed 13-8 favourite for his third success.
Only one of those twelve winners was outside the first three in the betting, Brain Power at 7-1 in 2018. He and Old Guard (7-1 winning third favourite in 2015) were the longest-priced winners during that period.
Five-year-olds have been the most successful age group. Three ten-year-olds have won this race; Birds Nest (1980), Relkeel (1999) and My Tent Or Yours (2017).
Seven four-year-olds have won the International Hurdle in its history, the most recent being Old Guard in 2015.
It normally requires an official rating of 156 or higher to win this race. Guard Your Dreams (rated 147 in 2021) is the only horse in the past twelve seasons to win off a lower mark.
The highest winning rating during that period was Zarkandar (rated 168 in 2012).
International Hurdle – Top Trainers and Jockeys
The leading Trainer in the history of the International Hurdle is Nicky Henderson with six winners; Geos (2000), Binocular (2008), Grandouet (2011), My Tent Or Yours (2017), Brain Power (2018) and Call Me Lord (2019).
The victory of Guard Your Dreams (2021) was a fifth success for Nigel Twiston-Davies after wins for Khyber Kim (2009) and The New One (2013, 2014 and 2016).
Richard Johnson leads the jockey standings with six winners; Relkeel (1997, 1999), Rooster Booster (2002), Detroit City (2006), Menorah (2010) and The New One (2016).
Betting on the International Hurdle
The International Hurdle has a rich history of producing Champion Hurdle contenders. It often sees the top four-year-olds pitched in against their elders for the first time and it takes a good horse to win here.
Shock results are rare and the form can be followed with confidence for the rest of the season.
Popular Questions
What are important facts about International Hurdle?
Here are some important facts about International Hurdle:
- The International Hurdle is run at Cheltenham Racecourse, Great Britain
- The International Hurdle is for horses aged 4 and over
- The International Hurdle is a National Hunt Hurdle race in Great Britain
- The International Hurdle distance is 2 miles and 1 furlong
Summary of the International Hurdle
Thank you for reading our International Hurdle guide.
The race is one of the very best hurdle races of the season with many going on to claim top honours at The Cheltenham Festival.
In our guide we have looked at history, previous winners, odds and more, so you have all the information if placing a bet or just watching on TV.
- Becher Chase
- Betfair Exchange Trophy Handicap Hurdle
- Bristol Novices' Hurdle
- Challow Novices' Hurdle
- Christmas Hurdle
- Coral Gold Cup
- December Gold Cup
- December Novices' Chase
- Fighting Fifth Hurdle
- Finale Juvenile Hurdle
- Henry VIII Novices' Chase
- Horse Racing In December
- International Hurdle
- Kauto Star Novices' Chase
- Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle
- King George VI Chase
- Long Distance Hurdle
- Long Walk Hurdle
- Many Clouds Chase
- Noel Novices' Chase
- Peterborough Chase
- Quebec Stakes
- Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase
- Summit Juvenile Hurdle
- Tingle Creek Chase
- Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase
- Welsh Grand National
- Wild Flower Stakes
- Winter Novices' Hurdle