The International Hurdle is run over two miles and a furlong and is one of the most valuable hurdle races of the season at Cheltenham Racecourse.
The contest is part of ‘The Road To Cheltenham’, a series of four races that is made up of the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November, the Grade 2 Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock Park in January and of course the big one - the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The International Hurdle was run as the Cheltenham Trial Hurdle from 1963 until 1977 before the name was changed to the Bula Hurdle, after the top-class Cheltenham winner.
A three-time winner of the contest was Relkeel, who gained successive victories in the International Hurdle in 1997 and 1998 for the late David Nicholson.
Relkeel went on to complete his hat-trick in 1999 for Nicholson’s understudy and successor - Alan King. The gelding now has a race named after him on the Saturday of the International.
The race has of course provided a whole host of pointers for the Champion Hurdle, and down the years some smart horses have won this race at Cheltenham.
In more recent times Rooster Booster claimed victory in 2002 before going on to land victory in the 2003 Champion Hurdle, while Nigel Twiston-Davies’ The New One won three runnings of the race and My Tent Or Yours was another notable winner.
A summary of the Cheltenham Results 2021 can be found HERE.
International Hurdle Winners
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2020 - Song For Someone 6/1 (Tom Symonds/Aidan Coleman)
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2019 - Call Me Lord 2/1 (Nicky Henderson/James Bowen)
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2018 - Brain Power 7/1 (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville)
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2017 - My Tent Or Yours 5/1 (Nicky Henderson/Barry Geraghty)
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2016 - The New One 13/8 (Nigel Twiston-Davies/Richard Johnson)
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2015 - Old Guard 7/1 (Paul Nicholls/Sam Twiston-Davies)
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2014 - The New One 4/7 (Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies)
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2013 - The New One 2/5 (Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies)
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2012 - Zarkandar 6/5 (Paul Nicholls/Ruby Walsh)
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2011 - Grandouet 5/2 (Nicky Henderson/Barry Geraghty)
International Hurdle Statistics
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Age: 7 of the last 10 winners were aged between 4 and 6.
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Price: 6 of the last 10 favourites/joint favourites have won, 9/10 winners came from the top three in the horse racing odds.
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Last Run: 8 of the last 10 winners won their last race before the International Hurdle, 9/10 winners ran within the last 35 days. 3/10 winners ran in the Greatwood Hurdle (Cheltenham) on their last run, three of the three won.
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Previous Course Form: 10/10 winners had at least two previous runs at Cheltenham, 7/10 winners had at least one previous victory at Cheltenham.
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Previous Distance Form: 10/10 winners had at least five previous runs over 15-17 furlongs, 10/10 had at least two previous wins over 15-17 furlongs.
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Previous Hurdle Form: 10/10 winners had at least seven runs over hurdles, 10/10 winners had at least three wins over hurdles, 10/10 winners had at least four wins over hurdles.
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Rating: 9/10 winners were rated 157 or higher.
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Graded Wins: 7/10 winners had at least one previous win in a Grade 1 race, 10/10 winners had at least one win in a Grade 1-3 race.
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Season Form: 10/10 winners had at least one run that season, 8/10 winners had at least one win that season.
Leading Trainers
Nicky Henderson is the leading trainer in this race in the modern era. His six winners are made up of: Geos (2000), Binocular (2008), Grandouet (2011), My Tent Or Yours (2017), Brain Power (2018) and Call Me Lord (2019).
To check out who the Seven Barrows genius may saddle this year, check out our Nicky Henderson Stable Tour.
Nigel Twiston-Davies has landed this race four times in total. Khyber Kim (2009) and The New One (2013, 2014, 2016).
Paul Nicholls has three winners to his name with Rigmarole (2003), Zarkandar (2012) and Old Guard (2013), while Philip Hobbs is also a triple winner with Rooster Booster (2002), Detroit City (2006) and Menorah 2010.
The only new kid on the block out of the current crop of National Hunt has been Tom Symonds who trained Song For Someone to win the December showpiece in 2020.
Leading Jockeys
Richard Johnson is the most successful jockey to date in the International, having ridden six winners in all: Relkeel (1997, 1999), Rooster Booster (2002), Detroit City (2006), Menorah (2010), The New One (2016).
Of the current jockeys, Sam Twiston-Davies stands on a total of three victories, while Paddy Brennan is on two. The past three renewals have heralded three new International alumni in the shape of Nico De Boinville, James Bowen and Aidan Coleman.
International Hurdle 'Trial' Races
Some of the key race trials for this are the Coral Hurdle at Ascot, the Greatwood Hurdle at the Cheltenham November meeting and the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.
Starting Prices
Over the last 20 renewals, 13 winners were favourite or joint-favourite and backing the market leader blindly would have returned you a profit of £8.00.
If you are a punter who follows a trainer to the hilt in these kinds of races, then there are some interesting statistics for you over the last 20 runnings of this race.
Nick Henderson leads the way with 6 winners from his 18 runners this century (+£19.50), while Nigel Twiston-Davies (4-12, +£6.60) and Paul Nicholls (3-15, +£21.20) have also shown a profit at SP.
Alan King (0-5), Evan Williams (0-5) and Dan Skelton (0-4) are trainers on the International Hurdle cold list.
Our 888sport antepost horse racing tip for the International Hurdle on December 12th is Sceau Royal @ 5/2
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 9th December 2021
