The first handicap on Gold Cup day at the Cheltenham Festival is the County Hurdle. This two-mile hurdles race is one of the oldest races at the entire meeting, having first been run in 1920. It's also one of the most valuable non-Grade One races at Cheltenham.
Our guide to the County Hurdle handicap will be published when the entries and weights have been announced.
County Hurdle Result
Position
Name
SP
1st
Kargese
3/1f
2nd
Ndaawi
25/1
3rd
Absurde
5/1
4th
Ethical Diuamond
16/1
5th
Spirit D'Aunou
25/1
County Hurdle Day Card
Cheltenham Day 4 Card
Time
Friday Races (Day 4)
Status
Distance
13:20
Triumph Hurdle
Grade One
2m
14:00
County Hurdle
Grade Three Handicap
2m
14:40
Mares' Chase
Grade Two
2m 4f
15:20
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
Grade One
3m
16:00
Cheltenham Gold Cup
Grade One
3m 2f
16:40
St James's Place Hunter Chase
Class Two
3m 2f
17:20
Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle
Class Two Handicap
2m 4f
County Hurdle History
The County Hurdle is one of the most historic handicap races at the Cheltenham Festival. This Grade Three is open to all hurdlers, and is run over a distance of two miles.
The race was first run in 1920, some four years before the Gold Cup. Some even saw the Gold Cup as the lead-up race to the County Hurdle, which was the feature race on day four during the 20s and 30s.
The County Hurdle has produced many high-calibre horses down the years. 1985 County Hurdle winner, Floyd went on to win plenty of Graded honours, including two victories in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
Willsford won the 1989 County Hurdle, before going on to collect the Midlands Grand National and Scottish Grand National during his time over fences.
Philip Hobbs' Rooster Booster won the 2002 renewal of the County Hurdle. Rooster Booster then returned to the Cheltenham Festival 12 months later and won the Champion Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls has trained four winners of the County Hurdle since 2004, with his most recent triumph coming in 2014 with Lac Fontana.
The last six renewals of this handicap have been shared between William Mullins and Dan Skelton.
Skelton trained his first Cheltenham Festival winner in 2016, when Superb Story won the Country Hurdle. In 2018, Bridget Andrews rode Mohaayed to victory for Skelton, before Dan's brother Harry guided Ch'tibello into the winners' enclosure the following season.
Willie Mullins' is the most successful trainer in County Hurdle history, having saddled the winner five times.
Mullins' most recent success came in 2020, when well-backed favourite, Saint Roi defeated stablemate Aramon to hand Mullins a 1-2-4 in the County Hurdle. There was a big shock in the 2021 County Hurdle, as 33/1 outsider Belfast Banter headed a finish of roughiess
