| Date | Time | Class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 15th March 2024 | 14:10 | Grade 3 | 2 miles 1 furlong |
The County Handicap Hurdle is the Cheltenham Festival’s premier 2 mile 1 furlong race for handicap hurdlers.
The 2024 County Handicap Hurdle
The 2024 County Handicap Hurdle is one of the most competitive races at the Cheltenham Festival, and you can’t rule out the prospects of any horse in the field.
Nevertheless two fairly short odds favourites have emerged in 2024.
One of these is King of Kingsfield, who has a knack for placing in hurdles races, and finished 3rd in a field of 10 in a Grade 1 hurdles race at Leopardstown in February. This performance followed on from a victory at the same course in December.
L’Eau Du Sud has also attracted strong backing despite a modest run of form that saw him pulled up at Cheltenham in November before finishing second in a handicap at Newburg in February.
Race Card
15.03.2024
Heavy
23
2m 179y
| POS | Dist | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 st | Absurde | P Townend | W P Mullins | |
| 2 nd | 1 | L’eau Du Sud | Harry Skelton | D Skelton |
| 3 rd | 3.25 | Pied Piper | D J Gilligan | G Elliott |
| 4 th | nse | Magical Zoe | Adrian Heskin | H De Bromhead |
| 5 th | shd | Afadil | Freddie Gingell | P F Nicholls |
| 6 th | nk | Faivoir | Tristan Durrell | D Skelton |
| 7 th | nk | Zenta | M P Walsh | W P Mullins |
| 8 th | 3.75 | Risk Belle | J S McGarvey | W P Mullins |
| 9 th | nse | Samui | Sam Ewing | G Elliott |
| 10 th | 5 | By Your Side | J Coen | G Elliott |
| 11 th | 2.5 | So Scottish | D Meyler | E Mullins |
| 12 th | nk | Media Naranja | J C Gainford | G Elliott |
| 13 th | hd | Mr Freedom | M Goldstein | Miss S West |
| 14 th | hd | King Of Kingsfield | J W Kennedy | G Elliott |
| 15 th | 3.25 | Bialystok | D E Mullins | W P Mullins |
| 16 th | 2.5 | Petit Tonnerre | Jonjo O’Neill Jr. | Jonjo O’Neill |
| PU | Westport Cove | M J M O’Sullivan | W P Mullins |
County Handicap Hurdle Tips
*Note: Betting tips are only displayed on the day of the race.
| Nap | 
Time
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Racecourse
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Tipster
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Best odds |
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Indicated odds were updated on 2024-04-20 4:38:05 UTC. Please note that
odds are subject to change.
Tips cannot guarantee betting success. Review tipsters performance and bet responsibly.
Tips cannot guarantee betting success. Review tipsters performance and bet responsibly.
2024 County Handicap Hurdle Tips & Analysis
Magical Zoe, who has finished in the top two in six of her seven starts over hurdles, has attracted the attention of some of our top tipsters.
This includes Mercury at the Daily Post, who has a 63.81% strike rate when it comes to picking horses that will place. Magical Zoe has also been backed by Bryan Flanagan at the Irish Daily Star, who has a 52.38% hit rate when it comes to picking horses that will finish in the top three.
To get the best value on Magical Zoe, place each-way or place bets on her at William Hill, who are paying out to 6th place in the County Handicap Hurdle.
Bookmaker Offers
Odds Comparison
About the County Handicap Hurdle
The County Handicap Hurdle is a grade 3 handicap hurdles race run during the Cheltenham Festival. The race is run over a distance of 2 miles 1 furlong over the New Course at Cheltenham, and features eight hurdles. Entry is open to 5-year-old and above hurdlers.
The County Handicap Hurdle is one of the older races at the Cheltenham Festival, first run in 1920. The race used to have a distinctive role in the ritual of Cheltenham, run as the final event of the Festival. During its history the County Handicap Hurdle has been won by some quality racehorses, including Champion Hurdle winner, Rooster Booster, and multiple Grade 1 hurdles winner, Floyd.
The County Handicap Hurdle has a habit of producing upsets. A favourite last won the race in 2006, and it’s common for winners to come home priced over the 20/1 margin. Younger horses tend to do well in the race, and it’s not unusual for winners to be aged 5-6 with wins by older horses less common thanks to the shorter race distance and hurdles format. However, these trends are too general to provide answers on which horses are likely to win the race.
So, as with other handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival, you’ll need to go through the card and check how individual horses have recently performed over similar distances while carrying comparable weight, keeping an eye out for horses who’re likely to improve carrying less weight or if better suited to the ground conditions on race day. With this in mind steer clear of the antepost markets until a clear picture of race conditions and final weights emerges.
Recent Winners
| Date | Winner | Age | Weight (st-lb) | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Faivoir | 8 | 10-07 | Bridget Andrews | Dan Skelton |
| 2022 | State Man | 5 | 11-01 | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 2021 | Belfast Banter | 6 | 10-0 | Peter Fahey | K.C. Sexton |
| 2020 | Saint Roi | 5 | 10-13 | Barry Geraghty | Willie Mullins |
| 2019 | Ch’tibello | 8 | 11-05 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
