The Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is the second leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling and is scheduled to take place each year during the King George VI Chase meeting on Boxing Day.
History During the 1960s Kempton staged a 2-mile handicap race on Boxing Day called the Kempton Park Handicap Hurdle. Its winners included Salmon Spray and Saucy Kit – both subsequent winners of the Champion Hurdle. The race was abandoned in 1967 and 1968, and it returned in the guise of the Christmas Hurdle in 1969.
Six winners of the race in its present format have gone on to victory in the Champion Hurdle. The first was Lanzarote, the winner of the latter event in 1974, and the others are Dawn Run (1983–84), Kribensis (1989–90), Faugheen (2014–15), Epatante (2019–20) and Constitution Hill (2022–23).
Records Most successful horse since 1969 (3 wins): Constitution Hill – 2022, 2023, 2024
Leading jockey since 1969 (6 wins): Nico de Boinville - Verdana Blue (2018), Epatante (2021), Constitution Hill (2022, 2023, 2024), Sir Gino (2025)
Leading trainer since 1969 (14 wins): Nicky Henderson – Geos (2000), Landing Light (2001), Binocular (2010, 2011), Darlan (2012), My Tent Or Yours (2013), Buveur d'Air (2017), Verdana Blue (2018), Epatante (2019, 2021), Constitution Hill (2022, 2023, 2024), Sir Gino (2025)
Winners since 1969 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1969 Coral Diver 4 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell 1970 no race 1970 1971 Coral Diver 6 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell 1972 Canasta Lad 6 Jeff King Peter Bailey 1973 Lanzarote 5 Richard Pitman Fred Winter 1974 Tree Tangle 5 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1975 Lanzarote 7 John Francome Fred Winter 1976 Dramatist 5 Bill Smith Fulke Walwyn 1977 Beacon Light 6 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1978 Kybo 5 Bob Champion Josh Gifford 1979 Birds Nest 9 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1980 Celtic Ryde 5 John Francome Peter Cundell 1981 no race 1981 1982 Ekbalco 6 Jonjo O'Neill Roger Fisher 1983 Dawn Run 5 Jonjo O'Neill Paddy Mullins 1984 Browne's Gazette 6 Dermot Browne Monica Dickinson 1985 Aonoch 6 Jimmy Duggan Sally Oliver 1986 Nohalmdun 5 Peter Scudamore Peter Easterby 1987 Osric 5 Graham McCourt Mick Ryan 1988 Kribensis 4 Richard Dunwoody Michael Stoute 1989 Kribensis 5 Richard Dunwoody Michael Stoute 1990 Fidway 5 Steve Smith Eccles Tim Thomson Jones 1991 Gran Alba 5 Graham McCourt Richard Hannon Sr. 1992 Mighty Mogul 5 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson 1993 Muse 6 Mark Richards David Elsworth 1994 Absalom's Lady 6 Paul Holley David Elsworth 1995 no race 1995–96 1997 Kerawi 4 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies 1998 French Holly 7 Andrew Thornton Ferdy Murphy 1999 Dato Star 8 Lorcan Wyer Malcolm Jefferson 2000 Geos 5 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 2001 Landing Light 6 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 2002 Intersky Falcon 5 Charlie Swan Jonjo O'Neill 2003 Intersky Falcon 6 Liam Cooper Jonjo O'Neill 2004 Harchibald 5 Paul Carberry Noel Meade 2005 Feathard Lady 5 Ruby Walsh Colm Murphy 2006 Jazz Messenger 6 Niall Madden Noel Meade 2007 Straw Bear 6 Tony McCoy Nick Gifford 2008 Harchibald 9 Paul Carberry Noel Meade 2009 Go Native 6 Davy Condon Noel Meade 2010 Binocular 7 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson 2011 Binocular 7 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson 2012 Darlan 5 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson 2013 My Tent Or Yours 6 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson 2014 Faugheen 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2015 Faugheen 7 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2016 Yanworth 6 Barry Geraghty Alan King 2017 Buveur d'Air 6 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2018 Verdana Blue 6 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2019 Epatante 5 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2020 Silver Streak 7 Adam Wedge Evan Williams 2021 Epatante 7 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2022 Constitution Hill 5 2023 6 2024 7 2025 Sir Gino 5
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .
pedigreequery.com – Christmas Hurdle – Kempton.
External links Race Recordings (1982–2011) youtube.com