- The JCB Triumph Hurdle was formerly run at Hurst Park and transferred to Cheltenham in 1965 on the closure of the London course.
- JCB, which supports the contest for the ninth time this year, is only the race’s third sponsor. The Elite Racing Club was due to back the race for a fifth time in 2001 when The Festival was cancelled, while the Daily Express sponsored from 1965 to 1996. The race was originally run at the April Meeting but was transferred to The Festival in 1968.
- The JCB Triumph Hurdle has been one of the most competitive races of The Festival. The 2008 field of 14 was by far the smallest since Connaught Ranger beat 13 rivals in 1978 - the recent introduction of the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle has meant that the JCB Triumph Hurdle now attracts only the very best four-year-olds. The race regularly reached the safety factor, reduced from 28 to 24 in 2004. In fact, the 14 runners in Connaught Ranger's year probably had more to do with the transfer of the race to April following the abandonment of racing on Gold Cup day than any loss of its competitive nature. The smallest field was for its first running at Cheltenham in 1965, when seven runners took part. The largest field was 31 in 1970.
- Since the race has been at Cheltenham, there has only once been an odds-on winner of the Triumph Hurdle. This was Attivo, owned by former BBC TV commentator Sir Peter O'Sullevan, in 1973 at 4/5. The longest-priced winners were Baron Blakeney, Shiny Copper and Ikdam at 66/1 in 1981, 1982 and 1989.
- Three horses have gone on from winning the JCB Triumph Hurdle to victory in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. Persian War won the Triumph in 1967, and reeled off three Champion Hurdles from 1968-70, Kribensis won the Triumph in 1988 and the Champion Hurdle in 1990, while in 2008 Katchit added a Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle victory to his success in the 2007 JCB Triumph Hurdle.
- The JCB Triumph Hurdle has a good record for home-trained winners. French-trained raiders won it on four consecutive occasions at Hurst Park from 1950-53, again in 1955 and with Snow Drop in 2000. There have only been six Irish successes (1977,1984,1990, 1993, 1997 and 2002). Nicky Henderson is the winning-most trainer, having triumphed with First Bout (1985), Alone Success (1987), Katarino (1999) and Zaynar (2009).
- Among jockeys, Jimmy Uttley was successful three times. Fred Winter, Steve Smith Eccles and Richard Dunwoody had two winners as have current riders Richard Johnson, Robert Thornton and Barry Geraghty, but perhaps the most interesting name is that of Lester Piggott, who won the race on King Charlemagne when run at Hurst Park in 1954.
- The fastest time for the winning horse is 3m 51.20s, recorded in 2006 by Detroit City. The previous best was 3m 52.90s, set by Snow Drop in 2000.
- It has a justifiable reputation for being one of the more unpredictable contests at The Festival - there have been three 66/1 winners and only eight successful favourites since 1965.
- Three fillies have been successful; Snow Drop in 2000, Mysilv in 1994 and Shawiya in 1993.
JCB Triumph Hurdle - Roll
(JCB Triumph Hurdle since 2002, Elite Racing Club Triumph Hurdle from 1997-2000, Daily Express Triumph Hurdle 1965- 1996, previously run at Hurst Park. Held at Cheltenham's April meeting from 1965-67)
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Zaynar | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson | 11/2 |
| 2008 | Celestial Halo | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | 5/1 |
| 2007 | Katchit | Robert Thornton | Alan King | 11/2 |
| 2006 | Detroit City | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | 7/2F |
| 2005 | Penzance | Robert Thornton | Alan King | 9/1 |
| 2004 | Made In Japan | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | 20/1 |
| 2003 | Spectroscope | Barry Geraghty | Jonjo O'Neill | 20/1 |
| 2002 | Scolardy | Charlie Swan | Willie Mullins IRE | 16/1 |
| 2001 | ||||
| 2000 | Snow Drop | Thierry Doumen | Francois Doumen FR | 7/1F |
| 1999 | Katarino | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson | 11/4F |
| 1998 | Upgrade | Carl Llewellyn | Nigel Twiston-Davies | 14/1 |
| 1997 | Commanche Court | Norman Williamson | Ted Walsh IRE | 9/1 |
| 1996 | Paddy's Return | Richard Dunwoody | Ferdy Murphy | 10/1 |
| 1995 | Kissair | Jonathon Lower | Martin Pipe | 16/1 |
| 1994 | Mysilv | Adrian Maguire | David Nicholson | (3) 2/1F |
| 1993 | Shawiya | Charlie Swan | Michael O'Brien IRE | 12/1 |
| 1992 | Duke Of Monmouth | Mark Richards | Simon Sherwood | 33/1 |
| 1991 | Oh So Risky | Paul Holley | David Elsworth | 14/1 |
| 1990 | Rare Holiday | Brendan Sheridan | Dermot Weld IRE | 25/1 |
| 1989 | Ikdam | Nigel Coleman | Richard Holder | 66/1 |
| 1988 | Kribensis | Richard Dunwoody | Michael Stoute | 6/1 |
| 1987 | Alone Success | Steve Smith Eccles | Nicky Henderson | 11/1 |
| 1986 | Solar Cloud | Peter Scudamore | David Nicholson | 40/1 |
| 1985 | First Bout | Steve Smith Eccles | Nicky Henderson | 5/1 |
| 1984 | Northern Game | Tommy Ryan | Edward O'Grady IRE | 20/1 |
| 1983 | Saxon Farm | Mark Perrett | Stan Mellor | 12/1 |
| 1982 | Shiny Copper | Allen Webb | Dina Smith | 66/1 |
| 1981 | Baron Blakeney | Paul Leach | Martin Pipe | 66/1 |
| 1980 | Heighlin | Steve Jobar | David Elsworth | 40/1 |
| 1979 | Pollardstown | Philip Blacker | Stan Mellor | 12/1 |
| 1978 | Connaught Ranger | John Burke | Fred Rimell | 25/1 |
| 1977 | Meladon | Tommy Carberry | Adrian Maxwell IRE | 6/1 |
| 1976 | Peterhof | Jonjo O'Neill | Mick Easterby | 10/1 |
| 1975 | Royal Epic | Fred McKenna | Vernon Cross | 20/1 |
| 1974 | Attivo | Robert Hughes | Cyril Mitchell | 4/5F |
| 1973 | Moonlight Bay | Johnnie Haine | Ryan Price | 85/40F |
| 1972 | Zarib | Bill Smith | Fred Rimell | 16/1 |
| 1971 | Boxer | Jimmy Uttley | Ron Smyth | 100/30JF |
| 1970 | Varma | Brian Barker | Mick Masson | 100/7 |
| 1969 | Coral Diver | Terry Biddlecombe | Fred Rimell | 3/1F |
| 1968 | England's Glory | Jimmy Uttley | Staff Ingham | 9/2 |
| 1967 | Persian War | Jimmy Uttley | Brian Swift | 4/1 |
| 1966 | Black Ice | Bobby Beasley | Arthur Thomas | 9/2 |
| 1965 | Blarney Beacon | Geordie Ramshaw | Ron Smyth | 8/1 |
