December Festival Hurdle
| 2016 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Petit Mouchoir | Nichols Canyon | Ivanovich Gorbatov |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | ||
| |
|
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| Nichols Canyon | Identity Thief | Plinth |
| 2014 | ||
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|
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| Hurricane Fly | Jezki | Arctic Fire |
| 2013 | ||
| |
|
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| Hurricane Fly | Jezki | Our Conor |
| 2012 | ||
| |
 |
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| Hurricane Fly | Unaccompanied | Thousand Stars |
| 2011 | ||
| |
|
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| Unaccompanied | Thousand Stars | Oscars Well |
| 2010 | ||
| |
 |
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| Hurricane Fly | Solwhit | Luska Lad |
| 2009 | ||
| |
 |
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| Solwhit | Sublimity | Jumbo Rio |
| 2008 | ||
| |
 |
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| Sublimity | Won In The Dark | Brave Inca |
| 2007 | ||
 |
 |
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| Al Eile | Hardy Eustace | Jazz Messenger |
| 2006 | ||
| |
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| Brave Inca | Iktitaf | Silent Oscar |
| 2005 | ||
| |
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| Brave Inca | Harchibald | Newmill |
| 2004 | ||
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|
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| Macs Joy | Brave Inca | Hardy Eustace |
| 2003 | ||
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 |
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| Golden Cross | Spirit Leader | Flame Creek |
The December Festival Hurdle, currently known by its sponsored title of the Ryanair Hurdle, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Christmas Festival meeting in late December.
Prior to 2013 the race was named the Istabraq Festival Hurdle in honour of Istabraq, who won it four times. The race took its current title in 2013 when Ryanair began sponsoring the race.[1] Former titles of the event included the paddypower.com iPhone App Hurdle, Sean P. Graham Memorial Hurdle and the Bookmakers Hurdle. The race was first run in 1986, and it has held Grade 1 status since 2002. It is often used as a trial for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Three horses have won both races in the same season – Istabraq three times, Hurricane Fly twice and Brave Inca once.
Records
Most successful horse (4 wins):
- Istabraq – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
- Hurricane Fly – 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014
Most successful jockey (6 wins):
- Charlie Swan – Novello Allegro (1992), Theatreworld (1996), Istabraq (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001)
Most successful trainer (6 wins):
- Paddy Mullins – Derrymore Boy (1986), Cloughtaney (1987), Grabel (1988, 1989, 1990), Boro (1994)
Winners
- Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Derrymore Boy | 4 | Tony Mullins | Paddy Mullins |
| 1987 | Cloughtaney | 6 | Tony Mullins | Paddy Mullins |
| 1988 | Grabel | 5 | Mr Willie Mullins | Paddy Mullins |
| 1989 | Grabel | 6 | Tony Mullins | Paddy Mullins |
| 1990 | Grabel | 7 | Tony Mullins | Paddy Mullins |
| 1991 | Galevilla Express | 4 | Colin Bowens | Victor Bowens |
| 1992 | Novello Allegro | 4 | Charlie Swan | Noel Meade |
| 1993 | Fortune and Fame | 6 | Brendan Sheridan | Dermot Weld |
| 1994 | Boro Eight | 8 | Tommy Treacy | Paddy Mullins |
| 1995 | Kharasar | 5 | Mark Dwyer | Tony Mullins |
| 1996 | Theatreworld | 4 | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien |
| 1997 | Istabraq | 5 | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien |
| 1998 | Istabraq | 6 | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien |
| 1999 | Istabraq | 7 | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien |
| 2000 | Moscow Flyer | 6 | Barry Geraghty | Jessica Harrington |
| 2001 | Istabraq | 9 | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien |
| 2002 | Liss A Paoraigh | 7 | Barry Geraghty | John Kiely |
| 2003 | Golden Cross | 4 | Adrian Lane | Michael Halford |
| 2004 | Macs Joy | 5 | Barry Geraghty | Jessica Harrington |
| 2005 | Brave Inca | 7 | Tony McCoy | Colm Murphy |
| 2006 | Brave Inca | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Colm Murphy |
| 2007 | Al Eile | 7 | Timmy Murphy | John Queally |
| 2008 | Sublimity | 8 | Philip Carberry | Robert Hennessy |
| 2009 | Solwhit | 5 | Davy Russell | Charles Byrnes |
| 2010 | Hurricane Fly | 6 | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 2011 | Unaccompanied | 4 | Paul Townend | Dermot Weld |
| 2012 | Hurricane Fly | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2013 | Hurricane Fly | 9 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2014 | Hurricane Fly | 10 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2015 | Nichols Canyon | 5 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2016 | Petit Mouchoir | 5 | Bryan Cooper | Henry de Bromhead |
See also
References
- ↑ Lamb, Jessica. "Leopardstown signs festival deal with Ryanair". racingpost.com. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- pedigreequery.com – December Festival Hurdle – Leopardstown.