Whether they be from the Timeform all-time ranking lists or purely based on popularity, National Hunt racing fans can all agree that there have been some exemplary hurdlers down the years.
Every compilation of this nature is subjective, and it will differ somewhat from person to person, but at the end of the day, we all recognise that these horses were simply the GREATEST!
ISTABRAQ
Istabraq totally transformed hurdle racing over two miles. In all he won 23 of his 29 races over obstacles, most famously becoming the fifth horse to win three Champion Hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival.
He also won the 1997 Royal Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham as well as four Irish Champion Hurdles, two Hatton’s Grace Hurdles and an Aintree Hurdle over the course of his stellar career.
BULA
Few horses ever won Champion Hurdles as emphatically as Bula. In 1971 he won the hurdling crown by four lengths from the mighty Persian War and the following year doubled the winning margin.
Bula was unbeaten in his first 13 hurdle races, and only lost his 14th start because of an unfortunate error at the last.
SEA PIGEON
As versatile horses go, Sea Pigeon was one of the very best. Winner of 37 of his 85 races on the Flat and over hurdles, he really was a force to be reckoned with.
He twice won the Champion Hurdle, in 1980 and 1981, as well as recording victories in two Chester Cup’s and an Ebor Handicap.
NIGHT NURSE
As well as winning the Champion Hurdle twice, he competed at seven Cheltenham Festivals, the first as a four-year-old and his final one at the age of eleven.
'He was a fine ambassador for jumping and must have made many a convert to the sport’ said Timeform upon his retirement.
MONKSFIELD
Monksfield’s battles with the Peter Easterby-trained pair Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon formed the centrepiece of the ‘golden era of hurdling’ in the late 1970’s.
Monksfield became the Champion Hurdle winner in 1978 and 1979.
SEE YOU THEN
Nicky Henderson's See You Then dominated the Champion Hurdle from 1985 - 1987 to become another three-time winner of the race.
BIG BUCK’S
Big Buck’s established the longest reign by a top staying hurdler with his unbeaten sequence of 18 victories, which included four Stayers’ Hurdle titles.
He was always a popular pick in the horse racing betting every time he ran.
LIMESTONE LAD
People’s champion and durable winning machine, Limestone Lad was successful in 35 of his 65 races, and famously claimed the scalp of Istabraq in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle in 1999.
PERSIAN WAR
Three-times Champion Hurdle victor, Persian war was a National Hunt legend who is considered one of the best hurdlers of his era.
His rating places him behind only Night Nurse, Monksfield and Istabraq in the hurdles hierarchy.
COMEDY OF ERRORS
Comedy of Errors made history in 1975 when becoming the first horse to regain his Champion Hurdle crown.
His battles with Bula and Lanzarote were defining moments in this era of the sport.
* If these horses of yesterday have sparked your interest in the current crop of horses, then please check out our latest Cheltenham odds here.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Adobe*
