12th - 15th March 2024

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13:30 Cheltenham 15 Mar 2024 View Racecard

1 JCB Triumph Hurdle
Grade 1 | GBB Race | Class 1 | 4YO only
Winner £75,964 - 14 declared to run
2m 179y
Soft-heavy in places

View course guide

Last year’s race

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Winner: Lossiemouth
Jockey: Paul Townend
Trainer: W P Mullins
Owner: Mrs Rich Ricci
Age: 4 Weight: 10st 9lbs
Starting Price: 11/8
Season Form Figures: 112
Previous Best: 1st - Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2), Leopardstown (Dec 2022)

By Paul Jones

There can be no question that this is a different race now than before the introduction of the
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in 2005 so it is a case of concentrating on the stronger patterns
since that handicap’s inception.

The Spring Hurdle in which Kargese led home a Willie Mullins-trained 1-2-3-4-6 has very comfortably
been the best guide in recent seasons featuring eight of the last 12 winners. Three horses have
completed the double in that time span so defeat in that Grade 1 pointer isn’t disastrous at all as five
relatively-recent Triumph winners reversed placings with the winner at Cheltenham for a stiffer test
of stamina.

Kargese certainly had an experience advantage over her stablemates at Leopardstown last month
as had run in four hurdles races previously whereas Storm Heart, Majborough, Bunting and Ethical
Diamond had raced just once over timber and just over 5l covered them all. So, if you want to back a
Mullins representative having saddled the 1-2-3-4 in last year’s Triumph Hurdle, take your pick!

The record of the Spring Hurdle has heavily contributed to the Irish having won eight of the last 11
runnings of the Triumph including being responsible for, get this, the first ten home last year!!! This
on top of landing a 1-2-3-4 in 2016 and 2018 plus a 1-2-3-4-5 in 2023.
Gordon Elliott has a superb record with his 4yos at the Festival having prepared three Triumph and
two Boodles winners in recent years and he has also supplied two Triumph runners-up.

Nicky Henderson has trained seven Triumph winners in total including a 1-2-3 of his own in 2015 and
he leads the home defence with Sir Gino who was so impressive in winning the Finesse Juvenile
Hurdle beating Burdett Road by 10l that he could even be first odds-on winner of the Triumph since
the Sir Peter O’Sullevan-owned Attivo in 1974.

Five of the last 24 Adonis Hurdle winners at Kempton then added the Triumph but the stronger
British guide of late has been the Finesse Hurdle at Cheltenham on Trials Day with Katchit, Peace And
Co and Defi Du Seuil added the Triumph to their Finesse success since 2007.

Since the Boodles became part of the Festival, 15 of the 19 Triumph winners could be found in the

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first four in the betting. That would have of course been 16 had Goshen not suffered an unfortunate
exit at the final flight letting in the 12/1 chance, Burning Victory, four years ago.

That filly had only made her hurdling debut three weeks earlier. With Triumph winners embarking on
their hurdling debut later in the season these days, this places a restriction on the amount of
hurdling experience they are likely to amass meaning that more lightly-raced types over timber are
winning on a regular basis.

Pentland Hills also only made his hurdling debut three weeks before the race in 2019 and Zarkandar
and Soldatino were having their first starts in Britain three weeks beforehand in the Adonis. All three
went on to win the Triumph.

The Spring Hurdle in which Kargese led home a Willie Mullins-trained 1-2-3-4-6 has very
comfortably been the best guide in recent seasons.

After Lossiemouth’s success last season, three mares have taken advantage of the fillies’ allowance
this century, Snow Drop and Burning Victory being the other pair. In fact, Lossiemouth was leading
home a 1-2-3 for fillies last year.

Six of the last 17 winners were officially top rated by the BHA of which three were not sent off
favourite. An official rating of 140 is a pretty good cut off point. Regards ratings from the Flat, only
the 67-Flat rated Spectroscope has won for horses rated lower than 80 in Britain or Ireland since
1996.

Katarino, Upgrade, Tiger Roll and Quilixios were sent straight over hurdles (Katarino had even run in a
chase) and Soldatino and Defi Du Seuil started their careers in French bumpers, but if you fancy an
ex-Flat horse, then make sure it has the right stamina credentials. Prior to Our Conor’s demolition job
11 years ago, the previous 14 winners that had raced on the Flat had all run over at least 1m4f as had
Vauban in France.

French imports have won ten of the last 15 runnings and French-breds have won eight of those and
also supplied 16 of the last 27 win-and-placed horses in the last nine years.
A fairly recent run is of importance as Zaynar’s absence of 55 days is the longest a Triumph winner
has been off the course since Duke Of Monmouth defied a 78-day absence in 1992.

At a glance summary

POSITIVES NEGATIVES

First four in the betting Officially rated below 80 on the Flat

Contested the Spring Juvenile Hurdle Not raced over at least 1m4f if ran on the Flat

Trained in Ireland or by Nicky Henderson Off the track for over eight weeks

The Adonis Hurdle or Finesse Hurdle winner

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BHA top-rated

French breds

For more betting and trends analysis visit Paul Jones Horseracing.

Latest odds from Stats Guides

Tuesday 12 March
JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)
Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
No. Horse Odds
Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1)
SIR GINO (FR) (48) Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
11 J
N de Boinville T
N J Henderson 5/2
Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
MAJBOROUGH (FR) (41) Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Registered As The
5 J
M P Walsh T
W P Mullins 10/3
David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle) (Grade 1)
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Registered As
STORM HEART (FR) (41) The Fred Winter) (Premier Handicap)
12 J
P Townend T
W P Mullins 7/1
National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys'
KARGESE (FR) (41) Novices' Chase (Grade 2)
14 J
D E Mullins T
W P Mullins 8/1
Wednesday 13 March
NURBURGRING (IRE) (80)
7 J
J J Slevin T
J P O'Brien 9/1 Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (Registered
SALVATOR MUNDI (FR) (332) As The Broadway Novices' Chase)
9 J
B Hayes T
W P Mullins 10/1
Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
SALVER (FR) (27) Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
10 J
G Sheehan T
G L Moore 14/1
Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup
View full racecard Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Standard Open
National Hunt Flat Race) (Grade 1)
Thursday 14 March

Turners Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (Registered As The

Golden Miller)
Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier
Handicap)
Ryanair Chase (Registered As The Festival Trophy)
(Grade 1)
Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1)
Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier
Handicap)
Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered
As The Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle)
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur
Jockeys' Handicap Chase

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Friday 15 March

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)

County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered
As The Spa Novices' Hurdle)
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1)
St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open
Hunters' Chase
Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Registered As The
Liberthine Mares' Chase) (Grade 2)
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
Previous winners
Year Going Ran Winner Draw Age Weight OR Form Last Trainer (Distance) Jockey SP Time
run

2023 Soft 15 Lossiemouth 4 10 9 - 1-112 41 W P Mullins Paul Townend 11/ 4:06.94

days 8

2022 Good to 12 Vauban 4 11 0 - 441121 41 W P Mullins Paul Townend 6/ 4 4:05.85

Soft days

2021 Good to 8 Quilixios 4 11 0 - 1-111 40 H De Bromhead Rachael 2/ 1 4:06.37

Soft days Blackmore

2020 Soft 13 Burning Victory 4 10 7 - 5-32161 20 W P Mullins Paul Townend 12/ 1 4:06.28
days

2019 Good to 14 Pentland Hills 4 11 0 - 221131 18 N Henderson (51 Nico De 20/ 4:04.33
Soft days miles) Boinville 1

2018 Soft 9 Farclas 4 11 0 - 4- 40 G Elliott Jack Kennedy 9/ 1 4:17.00

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44122 days

2017 Good 15 Defi Du Seuil 4 11 0 - 111111 48 P Hobbs & J White Richard 5/ 2 4:00.20
days (90 miles) Johnson

2016 Good 15 Ivanovich 4 11 0 - 3-1114 41 A P O'Brien B J Geraghty 9/ 2 3:55.10

Gorbatov days

2015 Soft 16 Peace And Co 4 11 0 - 111 48 N Henderson (51 B J Geraghty 2/ 1 4:40.40

days miles)

2014 Good 15 Tiger Roll 4 11 0 - 12 33 G Elliott Davy Russell 10/ 4:01.10

days 1

2013 Good to 17 Our Conor 4 11 0 - 323111 34 D T Hughes Bryan Cooper 4/ 1 4:11.10

Soft days

2012 Good 20 Countrywide 4 11 0 - 112123 33 J & S Quinn (203 Dougie 33/ 3:58.80
Flame days miles) Costello 1

2011 Good 23 Zarkandar 4 11 0 - 1231 20 P Nicholls (69 miles) Daryl Jacob 13/ 3:54.20
days 2

2010 Good 19 Soldatino 4 11 0 - 11 20 N Henderson (51 B J Geraghty 6/ 1 4:04.90

days miles)

2009 Good to 18 Zaynar 4 11 0 - 92211 55 N Henderson (51 B J Geraghty 11/ 2 4:03.90

Soft days miles)

2008 Good to 14 Celestial Halo 4 11 0 - 002712 41 P Nicholls (69 miles) Ruby Walsh 5/ 1 4:07.83
Soft days

2007 Good to 24 Katchit 4 11 0 - 112111 48 A King (44 miles) R Thornton 11/ 2 3:54.60
Soft days

2006 Good 17 Detroit City 4 11 0 - 612811 41 P Hobbs & J White Richard 7/ 2 3:51.20
days (90 miles) Johnson

2005 Good 24 Penzance 4 11 0 - 000111 20 A King (44 miles) R Thornton 9/ 1 4:03.40

days

2004 Good 24 Made In Japan 4 11 0 - 226331 28 P Hobbs & J White Richard 20/ 4:05.30
days (90 miles) Johnson 1

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