You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2027 Champion Novice Hurdle Preview
The opening Grade 1 race of the Punchestown Festival is the Champion Novice Hurdle, a race that is run over a trip of two miles, half a furlong, where the runners will face nine hurdles. The race is open to novice hurdlers who are aged five or older.
Champion Novice Hurdle Information:
- Champion Novice Hurdle Past Winners
- Champion Novice Hurdle Trainer Statistics
- Champion Novice Hurdle Jockey Statistics
Our dedicated Punchestown tips page will not only bring you predictions from the OLBG racing tipsters for the upcoming card that includes the Champion Novice Hurdle, but will also have predictions for each meeting at Punchestown throughout the season, so be sure to head over there. We cover all of the major races at the Punchestown Festival, and below you can find links to all of the races for each of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Champion Novice Hurdle market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2021, when the race had an over-round of 108%. The race in 2014 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 122%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Champion Novice Hurdle, the over-round has been 114%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £114 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 Champion Novice Hurdle Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Champion Novice Hurdle Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Champion Novice Hurdle races over the last 20 renewals:
- Clopf (3:45.40) in 2007
- Jered (3:47.20) in 2008
- Shot From The Hip (3:49.70) in 2011
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Champion Novice Hurdle next time out, then you would have backed a total of 7 winners. Backing all 18 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -4.46. Before placing your bet on the 2027 Champion Novice Hurdle, see which other runners today are being backed on the racing predictions page.
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2013 renewal when Jezki from Mrs John Harrington under the guidance of Barry Geraghty, won in a time of 4:10.60, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Clopf, trained by E J O'Grady and ridden by Barry Geraghty set the quickest time of 3:45.40 in the 2007 renewal.
Champion Novice Hurdle Past Winners
Here are the Champion Novice Hurdle past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Champion Novice Hurdle are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 4:09.00 | Eachtotheirown (IRE) 7yo 11-12 16/1 | Sean Flanagan Barry Connell (IRE) |
| 2025 4:01.60 | Irancy (FR) 7yo 11-12 18/1 | Mark Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2024 4:07.20 | Mystical Power (IRE) 5yo 11-12 2/1F | Mark Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2023 4:00.80 | Facile Vega (IRE) 6yo 11-12 4/6F | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2022 4:02.30 | Mighty Potter (FR) 5yo 11-12 20/1 | Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott (IRE) |
| 2021 4:05.30 | Echoes In Rain (FR) 5yo 11-7 8/13F | Mr P W Mullins W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2019 4:00.90 | Klassical Dream (FR) 5yo 11-12 8/13F | R Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2018 4:03.70 | Draconien (FR) 5yo 11-12 25/1 | Noel Fehily W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2017 3:58.90 | Cilaos Emery (FR) 5yo 11-12 8/1 | David Mullins W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2016 4:03.20 | Dont Touch It (IRE) 6yo 11-12 16/1 | Barry Geraghty Mrs John Harrington (IRE) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Champion Novice Hurdle have been based:
- IRE: 20 winners with an additional 24 placings from 127 runners
- GB: 0 winners with an additional 4 placings from 15 runners
2026 Champion Novice Hurdle Replay
Champion Novice Hurdle Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Champion Novice Hurdle over the last 20 renewals is W P Mullins, who has won the race eleven times, with those eleven winners coming from Hurricane Fly (2009), Blackstairmountain (2010), Faugheen (2014), Douvan (2015), Cilaos Emery (2017), Draconien (2018), Klassical Dream (2019), Echoes In Rain (2021), Facile Vega (2023), Mystical Power (2024) and Irancy (2025). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Champion Novice Hurdle are Noel Meade (2 wins), Mrs John Harrington (2 wins) and E J O'Grady (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Champion Novice Hurdle trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| W P Mullins | 45-11-19 | +27.25 | +12.07 |
| Noel Meade | 10-2-3 | +1.75 | -0.60 |
| Mrs John Harrington | 6-2-2 | +14.00 | +7.25 |
| E J O'Grady | 2-2-2 | +7.25 | +4.49 |
| Gordon Elliott | 17-1-5 | +4.00 | +1.59 |
| Thomas Mullins | 5-1-1 | -1.50 | -2.44 |
| Barry Connell | 1-1-1 | +16.00 | +9.60 |
| Nicky Henderson | 4-0-1 | -4.00 | -2.10 |
| Henry De Bromhead | 4-0-2 | -4.00 | -2.12 |
| A J Martin | 3-0-1 | -3.00 | -1.00 |
Champion Novice Hurdle Jockey Statistics
There are two leading jockeys in the Champion Novice Hurdle over the last 20 renewals, with both Paul Townend and Mark Walsh, who have both won the race twice. Paul Townend's winners have been with Blackstairmountain (2010) and Facile Vega (2023). Mark Walsh winners have been with Mystical Power (2024) and Irancy (2025).
Here are some of the top Champion Novice Hurdle jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Townend | 12-2-3 | -4.33 | -5.18 |
| Mark Walsh | 5-2-2 | +17.00 | +9.45 |
| Jack Kennedy | 6-1-4 | +15.00 | +10.69 |
| Mr P W Mullins | 5-1-2 | -3.38 | -2.69 |
| Sean Flanagan | 3-1-1 | +14.00 | +7.60 |
| Danny Mullins | 4-0-1 | -4.00 | -3.08 |
| Jordan Gainford | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Sam Ewing | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Brian Hayes | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Barry Browne | 1-0-1 | -1.00 | +12.00 |
2027 Champion Novice Hurdle Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 2, 1, 1, 1, 4, 2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 4, 2, 7, 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 4, 4
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (66%) - Achieved an RPR of 135+ (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (74%) - Not in a G3/LST/Cl2/Cl5 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (74%) - Ran in 4 - 9 races (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (75%) - Break of 12 - 141 days (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Had 3 - 7 placings (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Dam is not GB/GER/ITY/JPN/NZ bred
- 20 / 20 (80%) - Highest Placed is not G3/Cl2/Cl4-5
- 20 / 20 (80%) - No bigger than 25/1
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Break of 12 - 121 days (Last Place)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Highest Won is not LST/Cl2/Cl5
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Ran in 2 - 5 races (180 Days)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Placed within last 2 starts
- 20 / 20 (82%) - No bigger than 20/1 (Career Place)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Not in a G3/LST/Cl2/Cl4 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Achieved an RPR of 134+ (Last 3)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Punchestown racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Champion Novice Hurdle. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Champion Novice Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.
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Champion Novice Hurdle Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +46.67, is when runners ran in a Jumps (NHF) race on debut.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 4 career places in Non-Handicap, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-24.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Champion Novice Hurdle is Cheltenham; there have been a total of 8 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Fairyhouse; there have been a total of 6 winners of this race who ran at Fairyhouse last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 19 winners from a total of 136 runners, while female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 6 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Champion Novice Hurdle; that stallion, Walk In The Park, has produced 2 winners (2023,2015).
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Draconien in 2018, winning for W P Mullins at odds of 25/1 under the guidance of Noel Fehily. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 9 winning favourites in the race. Remember to bookmark the best racing tipsters page so you can get easy access to the best OLBG racing tipsters.
Route to the Champion Novice Hurdle
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Champion Novice Hurdle. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Eachtotheirown Cheltenham - 10th of 11 (41/1) | Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
| 2025 - Irancy Fairyhouse - 1st of 8 (5/1) | Donohue Marquees Novice Hurdle |
| 2024 - Mystical Power Aintree - 1st of 6 (11/10) | Top Novices' Hurdle |
| 2023 - Facile Vega Cheltenham - 2nd of 14 (9/4) | Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
| 2022 - Mighty Potter Cheltenham - PU of 9 (15/2) | Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
| 2021 - Echoes In Rain Fairyhouse - 1st of 9 (2/1) | Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle |
| 2019 - Klassical Dream Cheltenham - 1st of 16 (6/1) | Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
| 2018 - Draconien Fairyhouse - 2nd of 9 (16/1) | Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle |
| 2017 - Cilaos Emery Cheltenham - 5th of 14 (12/1) | Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
| 2016 - Dont Touch It Naas - 3rd of 8 (13/8) | Paddy Power Shops Better Value Novice Hurdle |
Schedule for Tuesday at the Punchestown Festival
The highlight on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival is the Grade 1 Champion Chase, which carries a purse of €300,000. There are also two other Grade 1 races on the card with the Champion Novice Hurdle and the Champion Novice Chase.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle | Kalix Delabarriere (FR) 6yo - 10/1 | W P Mullins Sean Cleary-Farrell |
| Champion Novice Hurdle | Eachtotheirown (IRE) 7yo - 16/1 | Barry Connell Sean Flanagan |
| Punchestown Champion Novice Chase | Western Fold (IRE) 7yo - 18/1 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| Goffs Defender Bumper | Abbeyglen (FR) 4yo - 11/2 | Martin Brassil Mr J L Gleeson |
| Punchestown Champion Chase | Il Etait Temps (FR) 8yo - 8/11 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
Schedule for Wednesday at the Punchestown Festival
The Punchestown Gold Cup is the feature on day two of the festival. This Grade 1 is worth €300,000 and is one of three G1 races on the card, with the Channor Novice Hurdle and Champion I.N.H. Flat Race being the others.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Channor Group Novice Hurdle | Le Frimeur (FR) 5yo - 18/1 | Harry Derham J J Slevin |
| Champion INH Flat Race | With Nolimit (FR) 5yo - 14/1 | Gordon Elliott Mr J M Halford |
| Punchestown Handicap Chase | Nouvotic (FR) 7yo - 7/1 | Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe |
| Punchestown Gold Cup | Gaelic Warrior (GER) 8yo - 5/6 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
Schedule for Thursday at the Punchestown Festival
Two Grade 1 races feature on day three, the highlight of those two being the €300,000 Champion Stayers Hurdle, the other is the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle | Blue Mosque (IRE) 6yo - 6/1 | Noel Meade Donagh Meyler |
| Frontline Security Handicap Chase | Come Walk With Me (IRE) 7yo - 4/1 | Edward Cawley Donagh Meyler |
| Barberstown Castle Novice Chase | Salvator Mundi (FR) 6yo - 13/2 | W P Mullins Harry Cobden |
| Champion Stayers Hurdle | Bob Olinger (IRE) 11yo - 4/1 | Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe |
Schedule for Friday at the Punchestown Festival
The Champion Hurdle is the feature on the Saturday; this Grade 1 is worth €300,000 and is one of two Grade 1s on the card, with the Champion Novice Hurdle being the other.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Punchestown Listed Novice Handicap Chase | Funiculi Funicula (FR) 6yo - 7/2 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle | King Rasko Grey (FR) 6yo - 8/13 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| Punchestown Champion Hurdle | Lossiemouth (FR) 7yo - 2/7 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
Schedule for Saturday at the Punchestown Festival
The final day of the Punchestown Festival sees a couple of Grade 1 races, which both carry purses of €125,000, and those are the Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle and the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle | Place De La Nation (FR) 5yo - 10/1 | W P Mullins Danny Mullins |
| Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle | Saratoga (IRE) 4yo - 9/2 | Padraig Roche Mark Walsh |
| Punchestown Listed Handicap Hurdle | Hello Neighbour (IRE) 5yo - 12/1 | Gavin Cromwell Keith Donoghue |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Champion Novice Hurdle Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal Races at the Punchestown Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Punchestown racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
