The World Hurdle

The World Hurdle is the most exacting race run over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival. The event is a relatively recent addition to the Cheltenham Festival and was first run in 1972.

The original name for the event was the Stayers’ Hurdle as the race was the longest hurdle race run at the Cheltenham Festival. The name was later changed to the World Hurdle, but the race remains the longest hurdle at the festival and the most prestigious long distance hurdle race in national hunt racing.

The World Hurdle is a Grade 1 national hunt hurdles race open to horses four years old and above. The race takes place on Cheltenham’s New Course and sees the racehorses take on a 3-mile course with twelve hurdles. The emphasis in the race is on endurance rather than speed.

World Hurdle Betting

Age: Three of the last five winners have been 6-year-olds, with all winners falling in the 6- to 9-year-old age range.
Odds: The winner of the last five races has been priced in the 11/8 to 8/1 price margin. During this period the antepost favourite has won the race once and placed twice.
Jockey: This is a big race for the jockeys, and none have managed to ride more than one winner since Thierry Doumen's double on Baracouda in 2002-2003.
Trainer: Howard Johnson has trained three of the last five World Hurdle winners.
World Hurdle Tip: Antepost favourite is worth a place or each-way bet, although there's probably more value to be had from laying favourites over the long run. Restrict back bets to runners under 8/1 and watch out for Howard Johnson's entries in thise race.

World Hurdle Winners

The World Hurdle has a tendency to produce a new winner with each year of running, with Baracouda and Galmoy the only horses to achieve two victories in the race, both doing so in consecutive years.

The World Hurdle is one of the few races at the Cheltenham Festival where the French have made a mark in recent years. In 2002 and 2003 the race was won by Thierry Doumen, riding for his father Francois Doumen. Irish jockeys have tended to dominate the event in the past, but no single jockey has managed to capture the World Hurdle title on more than two occasions.

The trend of no single horse or jockey dominating the World Hurdle is also found amongst the World Hurdle winning trainers. Literally dozens of different trainers have trained the World Hurdle winners, with no trainer achieving more than two victories in the race.

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