Friday 16th March – 14:05 Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle

The County Handicap Hurdle is a race open to horses aged 5 years or over and is contested over a distance of 2 miles and 1 furlong on the Cheltenham New Course. Oddly this race has been abandoned on 5 occasions, the last being due to the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001. There are 8 fences to jump. The race is named after the famed Irish trainer Vincent O’Brien who recorded 23 victories at Cheltenham.

2012 County Handicap Hurdle Trends

-          5 year old horses have won 8 of the last 13 races

-           8 of the last 10 winners carried less than 11 stone 2 pounds

-          Ruby Walsh has ridden 4 of the last 8 winners

-          Willie Mullins trained both the 2010 and 2011 winners

-          32 of the last 36 winners had odds of 16/1 or less.

2012 County Handicap Hurdle Race Card

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2012 County Handicap Hurdle Tips

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Previous Winners

2007 – Pedrobob (A Mullins) 12/1

2008 – Silver Jaro (Tom Hogan) 50/1

2009 – America Trilogy (P Nicholls) 20/1

2010 – Thousand Stars (Willie Mullins) 20/1

2011 – Final Approach (Willie Mullins) 10/1