Champion Bumper
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The Champion Bumper is a Grade 1 National Hunt flat race in the United Kingdom for four to six-year-old horses run over a distance of 2 miles 110 yards (3,319 metres) at Cheltenham Racecourse during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
It was first run in 1992, and is the most prestigious flat race in National Hunt racing. It is usually a good source of future top class hurdlers and chasers. The 2002 race was the highest quality renewal with Pizarro first, Rhinestone Cowboy second, Back in Front third, Thisthatandtother fourth and Iris's Gift fifth. Three of these horses won future races at the Cheltenham Festival. The two exceptions are Rhinestone Cowboy who came third twice and Pizarro who came a close second to a future dual Champion Hurdle winner. Other past graduates include future Festival winners Monsieur Le Cure, French Holly, Trabolgan and future Festival placed horses Large Action, Go Ballistic and Cornish Rebel. Possibly the best ever winner of the race, Florida Pearl, was trained by Mullins to win the race in 1997 prior to winning a host of Grade 1 steeplechases in Britain and Ireland. He, Montelado and Monsignor are the three winners to win at a future Cheltenham Festival. Winners of this race tend to either go on to good careers or disappear into obscurity.
Unlike most bumpers, professional jockeys are allowed to ride in it. Indeed, flat jockeys have taken part, Jamie Spencer actually winning it on Pizarro.
The Irish have dominated the race with 11 winners from 14 runnings. The English trained winners were Dato Star, Monsignor and Liberman. Willie Mullins has a phenomenal record in the race, having won it five times.
[edit] Winners
- Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
| 1992 | Montelado | 5 | Richard Dunwoody | Pat Flynn |
| 1993 | Rhythm Section | 4 | Paul Carberry | Homer Scott |
| 1994 | Mucklemeg | 6 | Charlie Swan | Edward O'Grady |
| 1995 | Dato Star | 4 | Mark Dwyer | Malcolm Jefferson |
| 1996 | Wither or Which | 5 | Mr Willie Mullins | Willie Mullins |
| 1997 | Florida Pearl | 5 | Richard Dunwoody | Willie Mullins |
| 1998 | Alexander Banquet | 5 | Mr Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 1999 | Monsignor | 5 | Brendan Powell | Mark Pitman |
| 2000 | Joe Cullen | 5 | Charlie Swan | Willie Mullins |
| 2001 race cancelled because of foot and mouth crisis | ||||
| 2002 | Pizarro | 5 | Jamie Spencer | Edward O'Grady |
| 2003 | Liberman | 5 | A. P. McCoy | Martin Pipe |
| 2004 | Total Enjoyment | 5 | Jim Culloty | Tommy Cooper |
| 2005 | Missed That | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2006 | Hairy Molly | 6 | Paul Carberry | Joseph Crowley |
