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2025 County Hurdle Tips, Odds and News

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.

County Hurdle Key Facts

Date Friday 13th March, 2026
Time 2:00pm
Course Cheltenham Festival
Status Grade Three Handicap
Distance 2m
Prize Pool £100k
Age 5YO+

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County Hurdle Tips

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

TimeFriday Races (Day 4)StatusDistance
13:20Triumph HurdleGrade One2m
14:00County HurdleGrade Three Handicap2m
14:40Mares' ChaseGrade Two2m 4f
15:20Albert Bartlett Novices' HurdleGrade One3m
16:00Cheltenham Gold CupGrade One3m 2f
16:40St James's Place Hunter Chase
Class Two
3m 2f
17:20Martin Pipe Handicap HurdleClass Two Handicap2m 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

County Hurdle Winners

Year
Winner
2025 Kargese
2024 Absurde
2023 Faivoir
2022 State Man
2021 Belfast Banter
2020 Saint Roi
2019 Ch'tibello
2018 Mohaayed
2017 Arctic Fire
2016 Superb Story
2015 Wicklow Brave
2014 Lac Fontana
2013 Ted Veale
2012 Alderwood
2011 Final Approach
2010 Thousand Stars
2009 American Trilogy
2008 Silver Jaro
2007 Pedrobob
2006 Desert Quest
2005 Fontanesi
2004 Sporazene
2003 Spirit Leader
2002 Rooster Booster