Champion Bumper

The Champion Bumper is a Grade 1 National Hunt flat race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four to six years. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and ½ furlong (2 miles and 87 yards, or 3,298 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Champion Bumper
Grade 1 race
LocationCheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham, England
Inaugurated1992
Race typeNational Hunt flat race
SponsorWeatherbys
WebsiteCheltenham
Race information
Distance2m 87y (3,298 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFour to six years old
Weight10 st 11 lb (4yo);
11 st 5 lb (5–6yo)
Allowances
7 lb for fillies and mares
Purse£75,000 (2019)
1st: £42,203
Champion Bumper
2020
Ferny Hollow Appreciate It Queens Brook

The event was established in 1992, and it was initially called the Festival Bumper. In its early years it had various sponsors, including the Tote and Guinness. A more sustained period of sponsorship began when Weatherbys began supporting the race in 1997, and since then it has been known by its present title.

The Champion Bumper is the most prestigious flat race, or "bumper", in the National Hunt calendar. It often features horses which go on to become leading performers over obstacles, such as Florida Pearl and Dunguib. Occasionally leading jockeys from Flat racing ride in the race and the 2002 winner, Pizarro, was ridden by Jamie Spencer, a Flat racing jockey.

Records

Leading jockey (3 wins):

  • Ruby Walsh – Alexander Banquet (1998), Missed That (2005), Briar Hill (2013)

Leading trainer (9 wins):

  • Willie Mullins – Wither or Which (1996), Florida Pearl (1997), Alexander Banquet (1998), Joe Cullen (2000), Missed That (2005), Cousin Vinny (2008), Champagne Fever (2012), Briar Hill (2013), Relegate (2018)

Winners
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer
1992 Montelado 5 Richard Dunwoody Pat Flynn
1993 Rhythm Section 4 Paul Carberry Homer Scott
1994 Mucklemeg 6 Charlie Swan Edward O'Grady
1995 Dato Star 4 Mark Dwyer Malcolm Jefferson
1996 Wither or Which 5 Willie Mullins[lower-alpha 1] Willie Mullins
1997 Florida Pearl 5 Richard Dunwoody Willie Mullins
1998 Alexander Banquet 5 Ruby Walsh[lower-alpha 1] Willie Mullins
1999 Monsignor 5 Brendan Powell Mark Pitman
2000 Joe Cullen 5 Charlie Swan Willie Mullins
no race 2001 [lower-alpha 2]
2002 Pizarro 5 Jamie Spencer Edward O'Grady
2003 Liberman 5 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
2004 Total Enjoyment 5 Jim Culloty Tom Cooper
2005 Missed That 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2006 Hairy Molly 6 Paul Carberry Joseph Crowley
2007 Cork All Star 5 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington
2008 Cousin Vinny 5 Patrick Mullins[lower-alpha 1] Willie Mullins
2009 Dunguib 6 Brian O'Connell[lower-alpha 1] Philip Fenton
2010 Cue Card 4 Joe Tizzard Colin Tizzard
2011 Cheltenian 5 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2012 Champagne Fever 5 Patrick Mullins[lower-alpha 1] Willie Mullins
2013 Briar Hill 5 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2014 Silver Concorde 6 Robbie McNamara[lower-alpha 1] Dermot Weld
2015 Moon Racer 6 Tom Scudamore David Pipe
2016 Ballyandy 5 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies
2017 Fayonagh 6 Jamie Codd[lower-alpha 1] Gordon Elliott
2018 Relegate 5 Katie Walsh[lower-alpha 1] Willie Mullins
2019 Envoi Allen 5 Jamie Codd[lower-alpha 1] Gordon Elliott
2020 Ferny Hollow 5 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
  1. amateur jockey
  2. The 2001 running was cancelled because of a foot-and-mouth crisis

See also

References
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