Annie Mullins was a super sub for Willie Mullins in 2016 following up his 1-2-3 in 2015 with Faugheen, Artic Fire and Hurricane Fly.
Champion Hurdle Stats
Prep Races
Previous Cheltenham Festival form (not necessarily winning) has been shown by a host of recent winners. Only Hurricane Fly and Sublimity have won without a first three finish at the previous Festival since Make Stand won as a Novice in 1997.
5 of the last 13 winners ran in the first 3 of the previous years Champion Hurdle, 3 winners finished in first 3 in the Neptune, with Katchit and Rooster Booster winning the previous years Triumph and County Hurdles respectively. Jezki had been third in the 2013 Supreme Novices Hurdle.
10 of the last 13 winners won their prep race
8/12 had won a Grade 1 or Grade 2 Hurdle during the season
11/13 ran between 24 and 51 days beforehand
9/12 had run between 10 and 20 times over hurdles
10/12 reappeared before the New Year
9/12 ran in either the Kempton Christmas Hurdle or Leopardstown Ryanair Hurdle
Age Stats
10/12 were aged between 6 and 8
In 2013 Hurricane Fly became only the third 9 year old winners since Sea Pigeon in 1982 ( the other was Rooster Booster in 2003)
There has only been one five year old winner ( Katchit ) since See You Then in 1985
Jockey/Trainer Stats
Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins are 4 time winners in the last decade
Barry Geraghty and Tony McCoy have all won the race twice in the last decade
Nicky Henderson has trained the winner twice since 2005
Champion Hurdle Winners 2007-2016
Champion Hurdle Trivia
Ruby Walsh is the jockey currently racing with most race wins (4)
Retired Champ AP McCoy's was also a 3 time winner . His Champion Hurdle wins were on Binocular (2010), Brave Inca (2006) and Make A Stand (1997)
The Martin Pipe trained Make A Stand won the race as a novice - there is more here
The other jockey with most race wins is Tim Molony - he won the race four times in a row from 1951 to 1954
Three of Tim Molony's win came on Sir Ken ( 1952-154)
Other three time Champion Hurdle winners are Istrabraq (1998-2000), See You Then (1985-1987), Persian War (1968-70) and Hatton's Grace ( 1949-51)
See You Then's trainer Nicky Henderson is joint leading trainer on 5 wins with Peter Easterby
Henderson's other winners were on Punjabi (2009) and Binocular (2010)
