December Festival Hurdle

Matheson Hurdle
2023
Yellow and black check, yellow sleeves, black star on cap Emerald green, dark green sleeves, dark green cap, emerald green spots Emerald green and red halved, emerald green sleeves and cap
State Man Impaire Et Passe Echoes In Rain
Previous years
2022
Yellow and black check, yellow sleeves, black star on cap Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves, light green cap Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap
State Man Vauban Sharjah
2021
Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap White and emerald green chevrons, red cap Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap
Sharjah Zanahiyr Saint Roi
2020-2011
2020
Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Pink and white halved, black sleeves, black cap, pink star White and emerald green chevrons, red cap
Sharjah Aspire Tower Petit Mouchoir
2019
Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Maroon and white stripes, maroon cap, white hoop
Sharjah Petit Mouchoir Coeur Sublime
2018
Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Maroon, white star and armlets, royal blue cap
Sharjah Supasundae Tombstone
2017
Royal blue, orange diamond, hooped sleeves, orange cap, royal blue diamond Purple, yellow chevron, yellow cap Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap
Mick Jazz Cilaos Emery Campeador
2016
Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Beige and black halved, black chevrons on sleeves, beige cap Emerald green and orange hooped, quartered cap
Petit Mouchoir Nichols Canyon Ivanovich Gorbatov
2015
Beige and black halved, black chevrons on sleeves, beige cap Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap
Nichols Canyon Identity Thief Plinth
2014
Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap Purple, orange seams, orange star on cap
Hurricane Fly Jezki Arctic Fire
2013
Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap Yellow, dark blue sash, dark blue cap, yellow star
Hurricane Fly Jezki Our Conor
2012
Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Black, white slvs, red cap, black star Red, royal blue sleeves, red cap, royal blue star
Hurricane Fly Unaccompanied Thousand Stars
2011
Black, white slvs, red cap, black star Red, royal blue sleeves, red cap, royal blue star Pink, black sash, pink cap
Unaccompanied Thousand Stars Oscars Well
2010-2001
2010
Royal blue, emerald green triple diamond,royal blue cap, emerald green diamonds Mauve, white disc, white cap, mauve spots Royal blue, yellow stars, yellow sleeves, striped cap
Hurricane Fly Solwhit Luska Lad
2009
Mauve, white disc, white cap, mauve spots Light blue and maroon hoops, blue sleeves, striped cap Red, white cap
Solwhit Sublimity Jumbo Rio
2008
Light blue and maroon hoops, blue sleeves, striped cap Red, dark blue chevron, halved sleeves, quartered cap Purple, yellow disc, sleeves and cap
Sublimity Won In The Dark Brave Inca
2007
Dark blue and emerald green hoops, quartered cap Light blue, yellow hoop, white sleeves, light blue and white striped cap Emerald green, yellow seams, quartered cap
Al Eile Hardy Eustace Jazz Messenger
2006
Purple, yellow disc, sleeves and cap Dark blue, yellow diamond and sleeves, royal blue cap, red diamond Emerald green and light green diamonds, light green sleeves, check cap
Brave Inca Iktitaf Silent Oscar
2005
Purple, yellow disc, sleeves and cap Purple, gold sleeves, hooped cap Yellow and white diabolo, yellow sleeves, emerald green cap
Brave Inca Harchibald Newmill
2004
Royal blue, dark green sleeves, royal blue cap Purple, yellow disc, sleeves and cap Light blue, yellow hoop, white sleeves, light blue and white striped cap
Macs Joy Brave Inca Hardy Eustace
2003
White, blue hoop, red sleeves, red cap, white stars Red and dark blue halved, slvs reversed, striped cap Dark blue, orange hoop, halved sleeves, orange cap
Golden Cross Spirit Leader Flame Creek
2002
Blue, white birds eye, white cap EMERALD GREEN, royal blue sleeves, emerald green cap, white star White, Dark Blue hoop, White sleeves, Dark Blue armlets, White cap, Dark Blue star
Liss A Paoraigh Stage Affair Turtleback
2001
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap EMERALD GREEN and WHITE HALVED, sleeves reversed, white cap, green spots Black, orange diabolo, black sleeves, quartered cap
Istabraq Bust Out Penny Rich
2000-1991
2000
BLACK and WHITE CHEVRONS, white sleeves, striped cap YELLOW, royal blue epaulettes, yellow cap, royal blue star Green, white seams, white sleeves, green armlets, yellow cap
Moscow Flyer Stage Affair Mantles Prince
1999
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap WHITE and YELLOW DIAMONDS, yellow sleeves, quartered cap Yellow, red sleeves, blue cap, red star
Istabraq Derrymoyle Golden Rule
1998
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Pink, grey seams, grey cap, pink star Black, red spots, black cap, white spots
Istabraq Shantarini Gazalani
1997
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap PURPLE, white sleeves, green cap PURPLE, yellow sleeves, striped cap
Istabraq Punting Pete Lady Daisy
1996
Dark blue Red and grey stripes, grey sleeves, red cap Light blue, yellow hoop, emerald green cap
Theatreworld Hill Society Cockney Lad
1995
LIGHT BLUE and MAROON HOOPS, blue sleeves, striped cap EMERALD GREEN and WHITE STRIPES, white sleeves, orange and white striped cap PURPLE, white sleeves, green cap
Kharasar Sambara Punting Pete
1994
Blue, white sash, red and blue quartered cap Pink and black diabolo, black sleeves and cap Emerald green,yellow sleeves,green cap,yellow star
Boro Eight Tropical Lake Magic Feeling
1993
YELLOW, royal blue epaulettes, yellow cap, royal blue star Emerald green, maroon and light blue quartered cap Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap
Fortune And Fame Padashpan Royal Derbi
1992
Red, black sash and sleeves, white cap Maroon and royal blue check, check cap White, blue sleeves, green cap
Novello Allegro Muir Station Crowded House
1991
Pink, black cross sashes, light blue cap J Stewart EMERALD GREEN and ROYAL BLUE CHEVRONS, striped cap
Galevilla Express Clippie Lad Nancy Myles
1990-1988
1990
PURPLE, yellow sleeves, striped cap Yellow, black diamonds, striped sleeves and cap Royal blue, yellow cross-belts
Grabel Jennycomequick Welsh Bard
1989
PURPLE, yellow sleeves, striped cap Light blue, dark blue diamond and diamond on cap Yellow, black hoops on body
Grabel Elementary Wolf Of Badenoch
1988
PURPLE, yellow sleeves, striped cap LIGHT GREEN, yellow sash and armlet, check cap Light blue, dark blue diamond and diamond on cap
Grabel Cloughtaney Lemhill
 

The December Festival Hurdle, currently known by its sponsored title of the Matheson Hurdle, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Christmas Festival meeting in late December.

Prior to 2013 the race was named the Istabraq Festival Hurdle in honour of Istabraq, who won it four times. The race was run as the Ryanair Hurdle from 2013 to 2018 when Ryanair sponsored the race.[1] Matheson took over the sponsorship from the 2019 running.[2] Former titles of the event included the paddypower.com iPhone App Hurdle, Sean P. Graham Memorial Hurdle and the Bookmakers Hurdle. The race was first run in 1986, and it has held Grade 1 status since 2002. It is often used as a trial for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Four horses have won both races in the same season – Istabraq three times, Hurricane Fly twice and Brave Inca and State Man once each.

Records

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Most successful horse (4 wins):

  • Istabraq1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
  • Hurricane Fly2010, 2012, 2013, 2014
  • Sharjah – 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Most successful jockey (6 wins):

  • Charlie SwanNovello Allegro (1992), Theatreworld (1996), Istabraq (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001)

Most successful trainer (11 wins):

  • Willie Mullins - Hurricane Fly (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), Nichols Canyon (2015), Sharjah (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), State Man (2022, 2023)

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
1986 Derrymore Boy 4 Tony Mullins Paddy Mullins
1987 Cloughtaney 6 Tony Mullins Paddy Mullins
1988 Grabel 5 Willie Mullins[a] Paddy Mullins
1989 Grabel 6 Tony Mullins Paddy Mullins
1990 Grabel 7 Tony Mullins Paddy Mullins
1991 Galevilla Express 4 Colin Bowens Victor Bowens
1992 Novello Allegro 4 Charlie Swan Noel Meade
1993 Fortune and Fame 6 Brendan Sheridan Dermot Weld
1994 Boro Eight 8 Tommy Treacy Paddy Mullins
1995 Kharasar 5 Mark Dwyer Tony Mullins
1996 Theatreworld 4 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien
1997 Istabraq 5 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien
1998 Istabraq 6 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien
1999 Istabraq 7 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien
2000 Moscow Flyer 6 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington
2001 Istabraq 9 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien
2002 Liss A Paoraigh 7 Barry Geraghty John Kiely
2003 Golden Cross 4 Adrian Lane Michael Halford
2004 Macs Joy 5 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington
2005 Brave Inca 7 Tony McCoy Colm Murphy
2006 Brave Inca 8 Ruby Walsh Colm Murphy
2007 Al Eile 7 Timmy Murphy John Queally
2008 Sublimity 8 Philip Carberry Robert Hennessy
2009 Solwhit 5 Davy Russell Charles Byrnes
2010 Hurricane Fly 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2011 Unaccompanied 4 Paul Townend Dermot Weld
2012 Hurricane Fly 8 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2013 Hurricane Fly 9 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2014 Hurricane Fly 10 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2015 Nichols Canyon 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2016 Petit Mouchoir 5 Bryan Cooper Henry de Bromhead
2017 Mick Jazz 6 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott
2018 Sharjah 5 Patrick Mullins[a] Willie Mullins
2019 Sharjah 6 Patrick Mullins[a] Willie Mullins
2020 Sharjah 7 Patrick Mullins[a] Willie Mullins
2021 Sharjah 8 Patrick Mullins[a] Willie Mullins
2022 State Man 5 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2023 State Man 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
  1. ^ a b c d e amateur jockey

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lamb, Jessica. "Leopardstown signs festival deal with Ryanair". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Leopardstown Adds New Sponsor to Christmas Festival". 3 December 2019.