| Champion Hurdle | |
| Location | Cheltenham Racecourse |
|---|---|
| Date | 16 March 2004 |
| Winning horse | Hardy Eustace (IRE) |
| Jockey | Conor O'Dwyer |
| Trainer | Dessie Hughes (IRE) |
| Owner | Laurence Byrne |
| ← 20032005 → | |
The 2004 Champion Hurdle was a horse race held at Cheltenham Racecourse on Tuesday 16 March 2004. It was the 74th running of the Champion Hurdle.
The race was won by Laurence Byrne's Hardy Eustace, a seven-year-old gelding trained in Ireland by Dessie Hughes and ridden by Conor O'Dwyer. His victory was the first in the race for his owner, trainer and jockey.
Hardy Eustace started a 33/1 outsider and led throughout to win by five lengths from Rooster Booster who had won the race in the previous year, with Intersky Falcon in third. Thirteen of the fourteen runners completed the course.
Race details
- Sponsor: Smurfit
- Purse: £300,000; First prize: £174,000
- Going: Good
- Distance: 2 miles 110 yards
- Number of runners: 14
- Winner's time: 3m 54.50
Full result
| Pos. | Marg. | Horse (bred) | Age | Jockey | Trainer (Country) | Odds |
| 1 | Hardy Eustace (IRE) | 7 | Conor O'Dwyer | Dessie Hughes (IRE) | 33/1 | |
| 2 | 5 | Rooster Booster (GB) | 10 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs (GB) | 11/8 fav |
| 3 | 4 | Intersky Falcon (GB) | 7 | Liam Cooper | Jonjo O'Neill (GB) | 8/1 |
| 4 | 1¼ | Foreman (GER) | 6 | Thierry Doumen | Thierry Doumen (FR) | 10/1 |
| 5 | nk | Westender (FR) | 8 | A. P. McCoy | Martin Pipe (GB) | 16/1 |
| 6 | 3 | Fota Island (IRE) | 8 | David Casey | Mouse Morris (IRE) | 50/1 |
| 7 | 6 | Golden Cross (IRE) | 5 | Paul Carberry | Michael Halford (IRE) | 40/1 |
| 8 | 2½ | Rigmarole (GB) | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls (GB) | 4/1 |
| 9 | 4 | Specular (AUS) | 8 | Barry Geraghty | Jonjo O'Neill (GB) | 14/1 |
| 10 | shd | Self Defense (GB) | 7 | Barry Keniry | Emma Lavelle (GB) | 66/1 |
| 11 | ¾ | Hasty Prince (GB) | 6 | Tony Dobbin | Jonjo O'Neill (GB) | 50/1 |
| 12 | 1 | Limerick Boy (GER) | 6 | Sam Thomas | Venetia Williams (GB) | 16/1 |
| 13 | 1½ | Davenport Milenium (IRE) | 8 | Timmy Murphy | Willie Mullins (IRE) | 25/1 |
| PU | Geos (FR) | 9 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson (GB) | 20/1 |
- Abbreviations: nse = nose; nk = neck; hd = head; dist = distance; UR = unseated rider; PU = pulled up
Winner's details
Further details of the winner, Hardy Eustace
- Sex: Gelding
- Foaled: 5 April 1997
- Country: Ireland
- Sire: Archway; Dam: Sterna Star (Corvaro)
- Owner: Laurence Byrne
- Breeder: Patrick Joyce
References
- "Champion Hurdle result". Racing Post. 16 March 2004. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
| Champion Hurdle | |
|---|---|