Triumph Hurdle

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 The Triumph Hurdle, a Grade 1 race for 4-year-olds run over 2 miles 179 yards and 8 hurdles on the New Course, was first run at Hurst Park in 1939 when won by Grey Talk, trained by George Bachelor and ridden by Serge Rochet, a French horse, the first of 6 of the first 7 winners which were French. On a number of occasions Flat race jockeys have ridden the winner of the race, most famously in 1954 when Lester Piggott partnered Prince Charlemagne to victory. The final time it was staged at Hurst Park was in 1962 when Beaver II was victorious in the hands of Josh Gifford, but there was a two-year period once Hurst Park closed when the race was not held. Cheltenham incorporated the race into its Festival in 1965 when won by Blarney Beacon, and for a number of years the Daily Express sponsored the famous race. Currently the race traditionally opens the card on Gold Cup day.
Early history:- The very first Triumph Hurdle was held at Hurst Park in 1939 when the French horse Grey Talk, trained by George Bachelor and ridden by Serge Rochet, was successful. The inaugural running of the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival was in 1965 when Blarney Beacon, trained by Ron Smyth, was victorious in the hands of Geordie Ramshaw who later went on to carve a career as a Flat race jockey.
Over the entire history of the race 24% of favourites have been successful, placing the race 17th of the 28 current races.
Over the entire history of the race a level stake bet of £10 on every favourite would have resulted in a £100 loss, placing the race 16th of the current 28 races.
Over the entire history of the race the Irish have been successful 21% of occasions, placing the race 17th of the 28 current races.
Triumph Hurdle Grade 1 2 miles 1 furlong
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1939 GREY TALK Serge Rochet George Bachelor (Fr) Mr M Hennessy 5/2 jt fav
1940-49 Race was not staged in these years
1950 ARBRUPTO Roger Mantelin E Diggle (Fr) Mr M E Marshand 9/2
1951 BLUE SONG II Ferdnand Thirion Georges Pelat (Fr) Mr M D Saint 6/1
1952 HOGGAR Roger Triboit John Cunningham (Fr) Mr M Fabiani 13/2
1953 CLAIR SOLEIL Fred Winter Francois Mathet (Fr) Mme Francois Dupre 6/1
1954 PRINCE CHARLEMAGNE Lester Piggott Tommy Carey Mr L Lipton 11/4 fav
1955 KWANNIN Pierre Delfarguiel Alec Head (Fr) Mme Chataignoux 2/1 fav
1956 SQUARE DANCE Michael Scudamore Fulke Walwyn Mrs V Cardy 13/2
1957 MERITORIUS Denis Dillon Peter Thrale Mr J W Hart 20/1
1958 PUNDIT Harry Sprague Staff Ingham Mrs V Aitken 5/2 fav
1959 AMAZON'S CHOICE Johnny Gilbert Peter Thrale Mr H Verrall 7/1
1960 TURPIAL Arthur Freeman Peter Cazalet Mrs A Hodgson 7/1
1961 CANTAB Fred Winter H Ryan Price Miss E Chanelle 4/1
1962 BEAVER II Josh Gifford H Ryan Price Captain Ryan Price 100/6
1963-64 Race was not staged as Hurst Park closed down
1965 BLARNEY BEACON Geordie Ramshaw Ron Smyth Mr Freddie Laker 8/1
1966 BLACK ICE Bobbie Beasley Arthur Thomas Mr Arthur Thomas 9/2
1967 PERSIAN WAR Jimmy Uttley Brian Swift Mr Henry Alper 4/1
1968 ENGLAND'S GLORY Jimmy Uttley Staff Ingham Mrs M Sherman 9/2
1969 CORAL DIVER Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell Mr B P Jenks 3/1 fav
1970 VARMA Brian Barker Mick Masson Mr Charles Clore 100/7
1971 BOXER Jimmy Uttley Ron Smyth Lord Blakenham 100/30 fav
1972 ZARIB Bill Smith Fred Rimell Mrs A Hornby 16/1
1973 MOONLIGHT BAY Johnny Haine H Ryan Price Mrs J Mullion 85/40 fav
1974 ATTIVO Robert Hughes Cyril Mitchell Mr Peter O'Sullevan 4/5 fav
1975 ROYAL EPIC Fred McKenna Vernon Cross Mr R H Read 25/1
1976 PETERHOF Jonjo O'Neill Mick Easterby Mr H Gould 10/1
1977 MELADON Tommy Carberry Adrian Maxwell (Ire) Mrs N Flynn 6/1
1978 CONNAUGHT RANGER John Burke Fred Rimell Mr J McCaughey 25/1
1979 POLLARDSTOWN Philip Blacker Stan Mellor Mrs Tulloch 12/1
1980 HEIGHLIN Steve Jobar David Elsworth Woodside Engineers Ltd 40/1
1981 BARON BLAKENEY Paul Leach Martin Pipe Mr B Wheatley 66/1
1982 SHINY COPPER Allen Webb Dina Smith Mr D Tyler 66/1
1983 SAXON FARM Mark Perrett Stan Mellor Mr A Birchall 12/1
1984 NORTHERN GAME Tommy Ryan Edward O'Grady (Ire) Mr F Conroy 20/1
1985 FIRST BOUT Steve Smith Eccles Nicky Henderson Mr F M Alathell 5/1
1986 SOLAR CLOUD Peter Scudamore David Nicholson Mrs A McEwen 40/1
1987 ALONE SUCCESS Steve Smith Eccles Nicky Henderson Sheikh A Dahlawi 11/1
1988 KRIBENSIS Richard Dunwoody Michael Stoute Sheikh Mohammed 6/1
1989 IKDAM Nigel Coleman Richard Holder LBI Law Ltd 66/1
1990 RARE HOLIDAY Brendan Sheridan Dermot Weld (Ire) Dr Michael Smurfit 25/1
1991 OH SO RISKY Paul Holley David Elsworth Oh So Risky Syndicate 14/1
1992 DUKE OF MONMOUTH Mark Richards Simon Sherwood Ali Saeed 33/1
1993 SHAWIYA Charlie Swan Michael O'Brien (Ire) Miss G Maher 12/1
1994 MYSILV Adrian Maguire David Nicholson Million in Mind Partners 2/1 fav
1995 KISSAIR Jonothan Lower Martin Pipe Mr Terry Benson 16/1
1996 PADDY'S RETURN Richard Dunwoody Ferdy Murphy Mr P O'Donnell 10/1
1997 COMMANCHE COURT Norman Williamson Ted Walsh (Ire) Mr D F Desmond 9/1
1998 UPGRADE Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies Matt Archer & Miss J Broadhurst 14/1
1999 KATARINO Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Mr Robert Waley-Cohen 11/4 fav
2000 SNOW DROP Thierry Doumen Francois Doumen (Fr) Mr J D Martin 7/1 fav
2001

Race was not held due to foot & mouth crisis
2002 SCOLARDY Charlie Swan Willie Mullins (Ire) Mr David Flynn 16/1
2003 SPECTROSCOPE Barry Geraghty Jonjo O'Neill Mrs Gay Smith 20/1
2004 MADE IN JAPAN Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs Mr Terry Evans 20/1
2005 PENZANCE Robert Thornton Alan King Elite Racing Club 9/1
2006 DETROIT CITY Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs Mr Terry Warner 7/2 fav
2007 KATCHIT Robert Thornton Alan King D S J P Syndicate 11/2
2008 CELESTIAL HALO Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls The Stewart Family 5/1
2009 ZAYNAR Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson Men In Our Position 11/2
2010 SOLDATINO Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson Simon Munir 6/1
2011 ZARKANDAR Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls Chris Giles & Potensis 13/2
2012 COUNTRYWIDE FLAME Dougie Costello John Quinn Estio Pinnacle Racing 33/1
2013 OUR CONOR Bryan Cooper Dessie Hughes (Ire) Man About Town Syndicate 4/1
2014 TIGER ROLL Davy Russell Gordon Elliott (Ire) Gigginstown House Stud 10/1
2015 PEACE AND CO Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson Simon Munir & Isaac Souede 2/1 fav
2016 IVANOVICH GORBATOV Barry Geraghty Aidan O'Brien Mr John P McManus 9/2 fav
2017 DEFI DE SEUIL Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs Mr John P McManus 5/2 fav
2018 FARCLAS Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott (Ire) Gigginstown House Stud 9/1
2019 PENTLAND HILLS Nico De Boinville Nicky Henderson Owners Group 031 20/1
2020 BURNING VICTORY Paul Townend Willie Mullins (Ire) Mrs Audrey Turley 12/1
2021 QUILIXIOS Rachael Blackmore Henry De Bromhead (Ire) Cheveley Park Stud 2/1
2022 VAUBAN Paul Townend Willie Mullins (Ire) Mrs Susannah Ricci 6/4 fav
2023 LOSSIEMOUTH Paul Townend Willie Mullins (Ire) Mrs Susannah Ricci 11/8 fav