- Cheltenham Festival Day 1
- Cheltenham Festival Day 2
- Cheltenham Festival Day 3
- Cheltenham Festival Day 4
- All Day 1 Races - Tue 10 Mar
- 13:20 Supreme Novices' Hurdle
- 14:00 Arkle Trophy
- 14:40 Fred Winter
- 15:20 Ultima Handicap Chase
- 16:00 Champion Hurdle
- 16:40 Festival Plate
- 17:20 National Hunt Chase
- All Day 2 Races - Wed 11 Mar
- 13:20 Turners Novices' Hurdle
- 14:00 Brown Advisory
- 14:40 BetMGM Cup
- 15:20 Cross Country Chase
- 16:00 Champion Chase
- 16:40 Grand Annual Chase
- 17:20 Champion Bumper
County Handicap Hurdle Tips & Odds
The County Hurdle is the second race on day four of the Cheltenham Festival and it takes place at 14:00 on Friday 13th March 2026. Read More
Check out the latest County Hurdle odds and racecard for the race nearer the off, while our in-house team will have some of their best Cheltenham tips on the day of the race. We also give you help and guidelines on how to place a bet on the race with some leading betting sites, and also have an FAQ section that can help you learn more about the race.
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Cheltenham 14:00
William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)
- 5yo+, 70 Runners
- Jumps,Turf , 2m 179y , GOOD TO SOFT, Good in places (GoingStick: 7.2)
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• 1 (5) = Horse number with the draw number in brackets.
• Number alongside the horse name is the days since the horse last ran.
• Numbers/letters under the jockey silk is the horse form with the most recent figure on the right. Numbers = finishing position (0 = finished outside the top 10), P = pulled up, F = fell, U = Unseated, B = brought down, R = refused, C = carried out, D = disqualified, HR = hit rails, L = left at start, O = ran out, S = slipped up, V = void race. A dash between figures indicates a year between the runs and a slash indicates a new season.
• % alongside jockey/trainer names = strike rate in last 30 days.
• Key to pointers: C = Course winner, D = Distance winner, CD = Course & Distance winner, BF = Beaten Favourite last time out, WS = Has had wind surgery since last run, LT = Longest Travellers, b = Wearing blinkers, b1 = Wearing blinkers for the first time, h = Wearing a hood, h1 = Wearing a hood for the first time, t = Wearing a tongue strap, t1 = Wearing a tongue strap for the first time, v = Wearing a visor, v1 = Wearing a visor for the first time, p = Wearing cheek pieces. OR = Official Rating. RPR = Racing Post Rating. Topspeed is a figure calculated using race times and the going to show how fast the horse can run.
County Hurdle Tips
Eight of the last ten winners of the County Hurdle have been trained by either Dan Skelton or Willie Mullins and unsurprisingly, the champion trainer elect in Britain and perennial Irish champion trainer have strong hands potentially going for glory in 2026.
Absurde is getting no younger but ran well in 2025 for a place after winning the race in 2024 off a big weight, so cannot be counted out even with near top weight once more, but Dan Skelton looks to have pulled off another handicapping masterstroke with SINNATRA and he is worth siding with on the back of a facile Warwick win where Harry Skelton was at pains not to let the horse runaway with the race and spoil his mark.
Sinnatra (EW)
About the County Hurdle
The County Hurdle is a handicap hurdle race on the fourth and final day of the Cheltenham Festival, Gold Cup Day, run over two miles and 179 yards. The race was traditionally the final race of the festival, but was switched to the second race on the card in 2009.
The County Hurdle was established in 1920 and has built up a reputation of being a difficult puzzle for punters to solve, something shown by the fact that only one outright favourite has won the race this century. The race was named in honour of legendary trainer Vincent O’Brien between 1995-2016. Since 1992, the sponsors of the Imperial Cup have offered a bonus for any winner of the race who can follow up at the festival the following week, something which was won by the Martin Pipe-trained Blowing Wind in 1998.
Willie Mullins sent well backed KARGESE out as favourite to lead his strong County Hurdle team in 2025 and she won in almost a canter. Paul Townend was on board and became the first rider in history to win the race in consecutive seasons following his 2024 win on Absurde, who was third in 2025.
County Hurdle Key Trends
- Three favourites have won in the last 10 renewals
- Seven of the last 10 winners have been aged five or six years old
- Six of the last 10 winners have been trained in Ireland
- Six of the last 10 winners have carried less than 11st to victory
Previous Winners Of The County Hurdle
| Year | Winner | Winning Jockey | Winning Trainer | Starting Price | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kargese | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 3/1 Fav | 11-3 |
| 2024 | Absurde | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 12/1 | 10-10 |
| 2023 | Faivoir | Bridget Andrews | Dan Skelton | 33/1 | 10-7 |
| 2022 | State Man | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 11/4 Fav | 11-1 |
| 2021 | Belfast Banter | Kevin Sexton | Peter Fahey | 33/1 | 10-0 |
| 2020 | Saint Roi | Barry Geraghty | Willie Mullins | 11/2 Fav | 10-13 |
| 2019 | Ch'tibello | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton | 12/1 | 11-5 |
| 2018 | Mohaayed | Bridget Andrews | Dan Skelton | 33/1 | 10-8 |
| 2017 | Arctic Fire | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins | 20/1 | 11-12 |
| 2016 | Superb Story | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton | 8/1 | 10-12 |
Frequently Asked Questions About The County Hurdle
When is the County Hurdle?
The race takes place at 14:00 on Friday 13th March 2026.
Where can I watch the County Hurdle
Watch the race live on ITV1 and Racing TV which also offer options to stream the race via their streaming services.
Alternatively, most bookmakers offer a free live horse racing stream allowing you to watch the race after you've placed a bet.
Who is the most iconic winner of the County Hurdle?
A particularly memorable winner of the County Hurdle was the Philip Hobbs-trained Rooster Booster, who won the race back in 2002. Although he was a regular in some of the top handicap hurdle races, Rooster Booster was something of a late bloomer, making the breakthrough on the big stage when winning the County as an eight-year-old. Having held his own in Grade 1 company when fourth in the Aintree Hurdle on his next start, Rooster Booster continued on an upward trajectory the following season, winning his first five starts of the campaign, culminating in the 2003 Champion Hurdle. Rooster Booster went close to sealing back-to-back wins in the Champion Hurdle, finishing second in the 2004 renewal, and his final start came when finishing down the field in the 2005 Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham - before being given a well-deserved retirement.
Are there any trials for the County Hurdle?
There are no specific trial races for the County Hurdle, though there are some regular routes which contenders take to the race, with the most obvious being the previous week’s Imperial Cup at Sandown - with a bonus available for any horse able to win both races. It is also useful to keep an eye on valuable handicap hurdle races throughout the season, such as the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Who is the most successful jockey in the County Hurdle?
The most successful jockey in the County Hurdle (since 1946) is Ruby Walsh, who has ridden the winner of the race on four occasions, courtesy of Sporazene (2004), Desert Quest (2006), American Trilogy (2009), and Final Approach (2011).
Who is the most successful trainer in the County Hurdle?
The most successful trainer in the County Hurdle (since 1946) is Willie Mullins, with seven wins. Mullins’ wins in the race came courtesy of Thousand Stars (2010), Final Approach (2011), Wicklow Brave (2015), Arctic Fire (2017), Saint Roi (2020) and State Man (2022) and Absurde (2024)..