home >
Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle
Race Conditions
The Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle (5:50pm) is a Class A Grade 3 hurdle run over two miles and a furlong. It is open to horses aged five years old and upwards. The total prize fund is £70,000.
Click here for free bets and special offers from the leading online bookmakers.
Recent Winners
The traditional finale to the Festival is the County Hurdle. Unfortunately for any punters who have struggled during the meeting up until this point, the race is probably the most competitive of all of the events run over the four days, and as “getting out” stakes go organisers couldn’t have made things any tougher.
The pace is fast and furious from the off, and numerous winners have made up seemingly impossible amounts of ground after the turn into the straight to get their noses in front on the line, so however desperate thing look, don’t rip up your ticket too early!
There are prestigious prizes on offer to the leading jockey and trainer at the Festival and this race can frequently determine who wins those prizes. In 2003, for example, the event proved to be a showdown between Barry Geraghty and Richard Johnson for top jockey honours, with the Irishman coming out on top. In 2006, Ruby Walsh pipped Tony McCoy to the title by winning the race on Desert Quest.
| Year | Horse | Age | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Silver Jaro | 5 | T Hogan | 50/1 |
| 2007 | Pedrobob | 9 | A Mullins | 12/1 |
| 2006 | Desert Quest | 6 | P Nicholls | 4/1JF |
| 2005 | Fontanesi | 5 | M Pipe | 16/1 |
| 2004 | Sporazene | 5 | P Nicholls | 7/1JF |
| 2003 | Spirit Leader | 7 | Mrs J Harrington | 10/1 |
| 2002 | Rooster Booster | 8 | P Hobbs | 8/1 |
| 2000 | Master Tern | 5 | Jonjo O’Neill | 9/2F |
| 1999 | Sir Talbot | 5 | J Old | 10/1 |
| 1998 | Blowing Wind | 5 | M Pipe | 15/8F |
| 1997 | Barna Boy | 9 | N Henderson | 14/1 |
| 1996 | Star Rage | 6 | J Harris | 14/1 |
| 1995 | Home Counties | 6 | D Moffatt | 14/1 |
| 1994 | Dizzy | 6 | P Monteith | 12/1 |
Key Trends
32 of the last 34 renewals were won by a horse starting at no bigger than 16/1.
5 year-olds have won 6 of the last 10 runnings (37 of last 46 winners aged 5 of 6).
Just 4 winners since 1959 were aged older than 7.
17 of the last 20 winners finished in the first 4 last time out (13 finished 1st or 2nd).
Watch the 2008 County Hurdle:
2007 Review
A top class renewal of this traditional Festival finale with the field made up of this year's Champion Hurdle fifth and Arkle second, former winners of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Triumph Hurdle, a couple of high class novices and numerous key players from some of the top handicaps already run this season.
The winner was one of those horses to come here battled hardened from the hustle and bustle of big field handicaps as PEDROBOB improved on his third in the Totesport Trophy at Newbury to triumph in thrilling fashion .
The winner looked to be in trouble turning for home as he had at least ten horses in front of him at that point, plenty of whom were travelling better than him. However, he really picked up after the last to pass a line of eight horses who were strung across the track on the run in. He is likely to face quite a hike in the weights for this success and may, therefore, be switched to fences next season.
Ouninpohja looked all over the winner coming to the last, but to the dismay of punters, who had sent him off one of the favourites, and Ruby Walsh, who needed a win here to claim the prize for leading jockey at the Festival, he was just caught by the winner in the shadow of the post.
Ouninpohja is a quirky customer and has never been an easy ride whether on the flat or over hurdles, but Ruby couldn’t have done much more as he delivered his challenge as late as he dare. The horse has bags of class but finds little for pressure and tends to pull up in front. Nevertheless, this was a good effort for a novice.
Premier Dane ran his best race for some time in third, completing a fine meeting for trainer Nicky Richards. However, he may be another not to trust implicitly.
Kawagino put in a remarkable effort in fourth, as this race came just 72 hours after his fine effort in Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle. He deserves to win a big race, but always seems to find a few too good. He tends to get a bit outpaced early on in his races, which is probably why Cheltenham, with its stiff uphill finish, suits him so well.
Arcalis also ran well under a big weight. He has been waiting all season for some decent ground and may even prefer it a bit quicker than this. A dry winter next year could see him force his way back into the Champion Hurdle picture.
Caracciola finished just one place behind Pedrobob in the Totesport Trophy, and although he was five places behind him today he was beaten less than three lengths. He is another who seems to thrive on the better ground at this time of year.
Remarkably, all twenty eight runners completed the course, so there were no obvious hard luck stories. However, the favourite, Fair Along, faded quickly after being up with the pace for a long way. Tuesday’s exertions in the Arkle had clearly taken their toll on this usually ultra consistent horse.
2006 Review
A fascinating renewal of this traditional Festival finale, with two exciting young hurdlers dominating the finish ahead of a remarkable veteran in third. However, it is hard to know exactly how good the form is as the time was slightly slower than that recorded by the winner of the Triumph hurdle earlier in the day.
DESERT QUEST was certainly visually impressive, as Ruby Walsh delivered this slightly quirky character at the perfect time to scoot clear after the last. He clearly has an impressive turn of foot, relishes decent ground and is suited by a fast pace, all of which suggest he could make up into a Champion Hurdle contender next year.
The same can be said of the runner up, Noble Quest, who has a very similar profile and running style to the winner. In fact, if anything, he could have done with even quicker ground than he encountered here. He was giving the winner a pound and is a year younger and so may be capable of reversing the form in the future.
Adamant Approach, the 12 year old, ran a marvellous race in third. He briefly went clearly turning for home and still led approaching the last, only to be passed by his younger rivals on the climb to the line. He may well have beaten Like A Butterfly in the 2002 Supreme Novices Hurdle but for falling at the last and had things gone his way a bit more during a wonderful career he would surely have competed for a Champion Hurdle or two. A big prize is still within his grasp despite his advancing years, and he certainly deserves one.
Pirate Flagship was finishing as well as anything, only to veer left in the closing stages and throw away any chance he had. Khetaam was also doing his best work at the death having come from a long way back.
Borora, in sixth, is something of a County Hurdle specialist. He seems to save his best for this race, having finished 3rd at big odds last year.
Lord Henry did well to hang on to seventh, having taken a fierce hold and set a strong pace from the outset.
Of the rest, favourite Studmaster would probably have preferred slightly softer ground – he seemed short of pace on this faster surface.