# December Hurdle

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Hurdle horse race in Ireland

Matheson Hurdle 2025 Lossiemouth Brighterdaysahead Casheldale Lad

Previous years 2024 Brighterdaysahead Winter Fog State Man 2023 State Man Impaire Et Passe Echoes In Rain 2022 State Man Vauban Sharjah 2021 Sharjah Zanahiyr Saint Roi

2020-2011 2020 Sharjah Aspire Tower Petit Mouchoir 2019 Sharjah Petit Mouchoir Coeur Sublime 2018 Sharjah Supasundae Tombstone 2017 Mick Jazz Cilaos Emery Campeador 2016 Petit Mouchoir Nichols Canyon Ivanovich Gorbatov 2015 Nichols Canyon Identity Thief Plinth 2014 Hurricane Fly Jezki Arctic Fire 2013 Hurricane Fly Jezki Our Conor 2012 Hurricane Fly Unaccompanied Thousand Stars 2011 Unaccompanied Thousand Stars Oscars Well

2010-2001 2010 Hurricane Fly Solwhit Luska Lad 2009 Solwhit Sublimity Jumbo Rio 2008 Sublimity Won In The Dark Brave Inca 2007 Al Eile Hardy Eustace Jazz Messenger 2006 Brave Inca Iktitaf Silent Oscar 2005 Brave Inca Harchibald Newmill 2004 Macs Joy Brave Inca Hardy Eustace 2003 Golden Cross Spirit Leader Flame Creek 2002 Liss A Paoraigh Stage Affair Turtleback 2001 Istabraq Bust Out Penny Rich

2000-1991 2000 Moscow Flyer Stage Affair Mantles Prince 1999 Istabraq Derrymoyle Golden Rule 1998 Istabraq Shantarini Gazalani 1997 Istabraq Punting Pete Lady Daisy 1996 Theatreworld Hill Society Cockney Lad 1995 Kharasar Sambara Punting Pete 1994 Boro Eight Tropical Lake Magic Feeling 1993 Fortune And Fame Padashpan Royal Derbi 1992 Novello Allegro Muir Station Crowded House 1991 Galevilla Express Clippie Lad Nancy Myles

1990-1988 1990 Grabel Jennycomequick Welsh Bard 1989 Grabel Elementary Wolf Of Badenoch 1988 Grabel Cloughtaney Lemhill

The **December Hurdle** is a Grade 1 [National Hunt](/source/National_Hunt_racing) [hurdle race](/source/Hurdling_(horse_race)) in [Ireland](/source/Ireland) which is open to [horses](/source/Horse_racing) aged four years or older. It is run at [Leopardstown](/source/Leopardstown_Racecourse) 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](/source/Istabraq), who won it four times. The race was run as the Ryanair Hurdle from 2013 to 2018 when [Ryanair](/source/Ryanair) sponsored the race.[1] [Matheson](/source/Matheson_(law_firm)) 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](/source/Champion_Hurdle) at the [Cheltenham Festival](/source/Cheltenham_Festival). Five horses have won both races in the same season – Istabraq three times, [Hurricane Fly](/source/Hurricane_Fly) twice and Brave Inca, State Man and Lossiemouth once each.

## Records

**Most successful horse (4 wins):**

- [Istabraq](/source/Istabraq) – *1997, 1998, 1999, 2001*

- [Hurricane Fly](/source/Hurricane_Fly) – *2010, 2012, 2013, 2014*

- Sharjah – *2018, 2019, 2020, 2021*

**Most successful [jockey](/source/Jockey) (6 wins):**

- [Charlie Swan](/source/Charlie_Swan_(horse_trainer)) – *Novello Allegro (1992), Theatreworld (1996), Istabraq (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001)*

**Most successful [trainer](/source/Horse_trainer) (12 wins):**

- [Willie Mullins](/source/Willie_Mullins) - *Hurricane Fly (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), Nichols Canyon (2015), Sharjah (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), State Man (2022, 2023), Lossiemouth (2025)*

## Winners

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 2024 Brighterdaysahead 5 Sam Ewing Gordon Elliott 2025 Lossiemouth 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-am_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-am_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-am_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-am_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-am_3-4) amateur jockey

## See also

- [Horse racing in Ireland](/source/Horse_racing_in_Ireland)

- [List of Irish National Hunt races](/source/List_of_Irish_National_Hunt_races)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Lamb, Jessica. ["Leopardstown signs festival deal with Ryanair"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131226205055/http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/leopardstown-signs-festival-deal-with-ryanair/1562846/#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews). *[Racing Post](/source/Racing_Post)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/leopardstown-signs-festival-deal-with-ryanair/1562846/#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews) on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Leopardstown Adds New Sponsor to Christmas Festival"](https://sportforbusiness.com/leopardstown-adds-new-sponsor-to-christmas-festival/). 3 December 2019.

- [Racing Post](/source/Racing_Post): - [1988](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1988-12-29/27060), [1989](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1989-12-29/32610), [1990](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1990-12-29/38223), [1991](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1991-12-29/43700), [1992](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1992-12-30/49448), [1993](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1993-12-29/55250), [1994](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1994-12-29/61044), [1995](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1995-12-31/66671), [1996](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1996-12-30/233637), [1997](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1997-12-29/247373) - [1998](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1998-12-29/261830), [1999](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/1999-12-29/275887), [2000](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2000-12-31/295712), [2001](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2001-12-29/310792), [2002](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2002-12-29/326616), [2003](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2003-12-29/344012), [2004](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2004-12-29/364544), [2005](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2005-12-29/397866), [2006](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2006-12-29/420094), [2007](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2007-12-29/444626) - [2008](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2008-12-29/469872), [2009](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2009-12-29/494554), [2010](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2010-12-29/518283), [2011](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2011-12-29/543338), [2012](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2012-12-29/567893), [2013](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2013-12-29/591032), [2014](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2014-12-29/615462), [2015](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2015-12-29/640236), [2016](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2016-12-29/665036), [2017](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2017-12-29/690871) - [2018](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2018-12-29/717996), [2019](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2019-12-29/746406), [2020](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2020-12-29/772974), [2021](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2021-12-29/799758), [2022](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2022-12-29/827826), [2023](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2023-12-29/855636), [2024](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2024-12-29/883293), [2025](https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2025-12-29/909393)

- [pedigreequery.com](http://www.pedigreequery.com/index.php?search_bar=stakes&query_type=stakes&field=view&id=5929) – *December Festival Hurdle – Leopardstown.*

v t e Christmas Festival (Leopardstown) O'Driscolls Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle Racing Post Novice Chase Leopardstown E.B.F. Mares Hurdle Savills Chase Christmas Hurdle December Hurdle Paddy's Reward Club Chase Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [December Hurdle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_Hurdle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_Hurdle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.