Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle Odds

You can find the latest odds for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle below...

The curtain-closer of the Cheltenham Festival, the Martin Pipe tends to attract lots of attention from punters, who are keen to sign off their week on a high, and as a result the market regularly changes throughout the season. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled on horseracing.net for expert views and analysis on the 2021 Martin Pipe as the picture becomes clearer.

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Tips

You can check our tips for the 2021 renewal here...

What is the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle?

The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle is the 28th and final race of the Cheltenham Festival, and brings the final day, Gold Cup Day, to a close. The race is exclusively for conditional jockeys and is run over a distance of two miles, four furlongs and 56 yards.

The history of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

The Martin Pipe was introduced to the festival in 2009, and was named in honour of the legendary trainer Martin Pipe, who retired from training in 2006. It was initially the penultimate race of the festival, but switched places with the Grand Annual ahead of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival as part of the BHA’s review into horse welfare at the festival. The race has proven to be a surprising launch pad for Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders, and each of Sir Des Champs (2011 winner), Don Poli (2014) and Killultagh Vic (2015) have figured prominently in the betting for the showpiece since winning this race - with Sir Des Champs finishing second to Bobs Worth in the 2013 Gold Cup.

What happened in the 2020 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle?

Paul Webber's Indefatigable produced a barnstorming finish to claim victory in the finale of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, as he reeled in Pileon in the shadow of the post. Gordon Elliott's Column Of Fire was upsides Pileon as they jumped the last, but Elliott's charge fell and it was left to Pileon in front, but Indefatigable ran on strongly and in the dying strides grabbed the victory. Pileon claimed an unlucky second, while Great White Shark finished third and Happygolucky was fourth.

Who is the most iconic winner of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle?

Although the race is only a decade old, a few winners of the Martin Pipe have gone on to bigger and better things, including the 2014 winner, Don Poli. He showed plenty of stamina when clearing away to win by four and a half lengths, and it was no surprise to see him sent chasing the following season, producing a fine novice campaign which culminated in winning the 2015 RSA Chase. Don Poli was quickly considered a key contender for the 2016 Gold Cup, and he got his campaign off to a fine start, defeating Grand National winner Many Clouds in a listed contest at Aintree and winning the Christmas Chase at Leopardstown. Don Poli could only finish third in the Gold Cup, and after placing at both Aintree and Punchestown on his next two starts, he arguably hasn’t been the same since, switching to Gordon Elliott from Willie Mullins and then being sold by Gigginstown. He was purchased by the ambitious Darren Yates just before the 2019 Grand National with the view of giving his new owner a run in the big race, and although he was ultimately pulled-up, it will be interesting to see him return for the 2019-20 season, considering he will still only be an eleven-year-old by the time the 2020 spring festivals come around...

Are there any trials for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle?

There are no trials as such for the Martin Pipe, and the differing profiles of recent winners means that there’s no clear path to the race. Several recent winners have been novice hurdlers from Ireland, so keeping an eye on graded novice contests across the Irish Sea is a good starting point, while keeping an eye on trainer comments can also be key in working out where horses will be heading in the spring.

Who is the most successful jockey in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle?

With the race being restricted to conditional jockeys, nobody has ridden the winner of the Martin Pipe more than once.

Who is the most successful trainer in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle?

The most successful trainer in the history of the Martin Pipe is Willie Mullins, who has trained the winner of the race on three occasions. Mullins winners in the Martin Pipe have come courtesy of Sir Des Champs (2011), Don Poli (2014) and Killultagh Vic (2015).