2026 Champion Hurdle
| Champion Hurdle | |
| Location | Cheltenham Racecourse |
|---|---|
| Date | 10 March 2026 |
| Winning horse | Lossiemouth |
| Starting price | 7/5 |
| Jockey | Paul Townend |
| Trainer | Willie Mullins |
| Owner | Susannah Ricci |
| Conditions | Good to Soft |
The 2026 Champion Hurdle was a horse race held at Cheltenham Racecourse on Tuesday 10 March 2026. It was the 96th running of the Champion Hurdle.
The race was won by 7/5 favourite Lossiemouth, winning by six and half length, ridden by Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins.[1][2]
Lossiemouth tracked Brighterdaysahead during the race before taking the lead on the home turn and finishing six and a half lengths clear of her old rival, with The New Lion in third place and defending champion Golden Ace in fifth. It was her fourth consecutive victory at the Cheltenham Festival and her tenth Grade 1 victory. "“To win the Champion Hurdle definitely outranks everything else she's done", said her trainer after the race.[3]
Lossiemouth became the eighth mare to win the Champion Hurdle, following Golden Ace's victory in 2025.[4]She had previously won the Triumph Hurdle in 2023 and the Mares' Hurdle in 2024 and 2025, giving her four consecutive victories at the Cheltenham Festival.[5]
The remaining finishers were Alexei in fourth, defending champion Golden Ace in fifth, followed by Poniros, Anzadam, Tutti Quanti and Workahead.[6]
The race, which is run on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival was shown live on ITV Racing.
Race details
[edit]- Sponsor: Unibet
- Purse: £450,000
- Going:Good to Soft
- Distance:2 miles 87 yards
- Number of runners: 9
- Winner's time:3:54.24
- Winning margin: 6½ lengths
- Starting price: 7/5
- Winning jockey: Paul Townend
- Winning trainer: Willie Mullins
- Winning owner: Susannah Ricci
References
[edit]- ↑ "'Queen of Cheltenham' Lossiemouth cruises to Champion Hurdle win". BBC Sport. 10 March 2026. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- ↑ "Cheltenham Festival: Lossiemouth extends perfect Festival record with scintillating Champion Hurdle victory". RTE Sport. 10 March 2026. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- ↑ "'This outranks everything else she's done' - Willie Mullins rewarded for rolling the dice as Lossiemouth is crowned queen of Cheltenham". Racing Post. 10 March 2026.
- ↑ "LOSSIEMOUTH BECOMES EIGHTH MARE TO WIN UNIBET CHAMPION HURDLE". Cheltenham Racecourse. Retrieved 2026-08-18.
- ↑ "Cheltenham Festival 2026: Lossiemouth wins Champion Hurdle for Willie Mullins". BBC Sport. 2026-03-10. Retrieved 2026-08-18.
- ↑ McLaughlin, Luke; Wood, Greg; Wood, with Greg (2026-03-10). "Cheltenham festival 2026: Lossiemouth leaves rivals in wake to win Champion Hurdle – as it happened". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-18.
External links
[edit]- 2026 Champion Hurdle at the Racing Post