AIG Champion Hurdle Betting

THE AIG Europe Irish Champion Hurdle is the principal betting event of the season for top Irish hurdlers, is a major trial of Cheltenham Champion Hurdle aspirations and can be one of the most exciting spectacles of the Irish National Hunt or horse racing season full stop.

You can enhance your AIG Europe Irish Champion Hurdle betting thrill on Betfair, where you can get on average 20 per cent better odds than with any of the traditional high street bookmakers.

The race is run at Leopardstown in January, and attracts the winners of other big hurdle races (the Hattons Grace Hurdle in Fairyhouse, the Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown and the Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle in Down Royal) in Ireland and the UK, usually encompassing a number of the horses near the top of the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Ante Post market.

The decision for the punter in terms of his selection from the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle betting market usually revolves around the highest rated horses, some of whom may have championship winning or course and distance form over the two mile flat, left handed Leopardstown track.

Run at level weights over 2 miles, the race represents a very fair test of horse and jockey, with a strong pace and small fields usually meaning little excuse for beaten entrants. The result often means a re-assessment of the winner’s rating and has an impact on the Cheltenham Festival betting markets, including the Champion Hurdle and Stayers (World) Hurdle.

AIG Europe Champion Hurdle betting on Betfair starts after the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, but full win and place markets will be available 24 hours before the race. Betfair is the best place to bet against a horse winning the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle, either by backing one or more of the other entries or by the laying the horse.

Of course, as with many other Betfair Horse Racing markets, the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle betting win market will go in-play from the off, right until the final stride or even until the result of a photo finish or dead heat is announced.

The roll call of winners of the race since 1994 sees the appearance of all time great Istabraq, a four time odds-on winner of the race, as well as English Champion Hurdle winner Collier Bay and other top hurdlers such as Fortune And Fame, Cockney Lad and Ned Kelly, plus the JP McManus-owned pair Like-A-Butterfly and Foreman. Favourites have an excellent record, winning eight of the last eleven renewals - see below for the list of previous AIG Hurdle winners and their starting price odds for the last 10 years. So, bet on the superstar in the this year’s field and you will not go too far wrong!

1994 - Fortune And Fame - 4/5f
1995 - Fortune And Fame - 1/2f
1996 - Collier Bay - 5/1
1997 - Cockney Lad - 10/1
1998 - Istabraq - 4/11f
1999 - Istabraq - 8/15f
2000 - Istabraq - 2/9f
2001 - Istabraq - 4/11f
2002 - Ned Kelly - 11/8f
2003 - Like-A-Butterfly - 6/4f
2004 - Foreman - 8/1

Bet on the AIG Champion Hurdle

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