1998 Champion Hurdle

The mighty Istabraq winning the first of his three Champion Hurdles. A true great.

[@John-ke6mt]

Pity John Francome isn't on our screens these days. Great man.

[@waynenew9823]

Good man John, remember walking in his chip shop in Swindon, and seeing his smiling face

[@bowlingsam6620]

Great wiltshire accent ❤

[@rodneymckee8431]

1 of the few horses who deserves to be called 1 of the greatest of all time

[@denisgerard]

the course commentator said when they jumped the hurdle at the top of the hill "Istabraq has started his move" the crowd started to roar and did'nt stop 'til he left the winners enclosure. I've never seen or heard anything like it, still get goosebumps watching it.

[@KillarneyMark]

I don’t often get to say this, but “I was there”! It was electric in the grandstand. What a day. What a race. What a horse.

[@geraintlewis2902]

R.I.P Shadow Leader. What a tough little horse

[@redrum4100]

Here, here.

[@bengash224]

The best there was and the best there will ever BE, quite simply the GOAT

[@gazowen7310]

I loved this horse but he wasn't a patch on night nurse

[@emmamortiboy1520]

See you then 😁

[@gazowen7310]

See you then was good

[@simonhindley65]

We just don't know how great he could have been.

[@dawnhuffman1700]

Just like his grandfather!

[@WolfeTone66]

My favourite National Hunt horse & one of the all time greats Istabraq 🇮🇪☘️

[@harpalchauhan428]

The only horse that could give the great faugheen a very good beating.

[@petermcmanus6338]

The greatest hurdler of all time and the greatest winner Cheltenham has ever seen.

[@emmamortiboy1520]

See you then would have run him close 👊

[@gazowen7310]

Night nurse

[@johngarland502]

Sea pigeon night nurse monksfeild see you then hardyeustace hurricane fly.

[@roberto4001000]

ARKLE

[@mrganddrlove]

Arkle!

[@markshields5883]

The greatest hurdler off all time

[@simonhindley65]

That would be Night Nurse.

[@barrymackenna]

Devastating- utterly masterful

[@davidbates9103]

Gloria Victus was another we never saw the best of. Died at Cheltenham but had never looked comfortable on left handed tracks. Was always a King George horse in my eyes.

[@marlonlambert1582]

This horse was so fast he used to light the cigars of the bookies. Fantastic memories.

[@davidriley8590]

Istabraq one of the best horses ever, the smallest horse on the track but this horse had an extra gear.

[@Q...A]

Such a pity John Durkan (RIP) wasn't there to see it. You can see how much his passing meant to Charlie Swan and all the connections. Fitting that the horse won but he was also a deserving champion.

[@damredub]

The best in my opinion.

[@zumzim55]

no one could touch the braq......the champion of champions

[@anthonyryan5122]

My two favourites Persian War and Istabraq.

[@brianagland8753]

A brilliant hurdler,but i think Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon,were the best ever.Sea Pigeon was a successful flat horse too,two greats from a great era for NH racing.Does anyone remember Dramatist,Birds Nest,and Flash Imp from those days.Champion hurdles were more exciting back then.

[@petermcmanus6338]

I remember them all

[@alipitogen]

Poor Jim McGrath; he gets told off by the director for pointing out Pridwell at the start ("Hang on, we follow the pictures, make your mind up", and he was right, the camera did go to Pridwell ), but then he memorably declares this as being one of the most open renewals of the race in years. He was right there too ! because we now know that this was the most open Champion Hurdle ever, as long as you are talking about the gap between first and second !

[@gerard230878]

best hurdler iv seen

[@east.c.l]

Idiot comment

[@waynegrow4141]

Who is Jim McGrath having a hissy fit with in the background at 1:14?

[@davidriley8590]

I LOVED THAT HORSE SO DID DAD.

[@erikwhitebeard79]

The greatest

[@istabraqz2535]

OMG !!! this horse has the same name as mine" ISTABRAQ"!!!

[@therobbieunited]

and he won this race 3 times in a row

[@aidenoleary7406]

This is what this race should be. Large fields of runners. I hate how little runners there are in these races nowadays

[@sonofwallacecoyb4744]

3/1 kaaaaching 🏇🏇🏇 Great memories of a great hurdler

[@pauldonohoe3646]

Devastating performance. Up at the front in a strongly run race and absolutely pulverised them. Probably his greatest performance 🤔🤷

[@anthonymahon4751]

He has to be the best C-H winner!!!!!

[@andrewnelis9791]

The mighty istabraq

[@martinhill9261]

That change of gear would have beaten virtually any previous champion.The best Iv'e ever seen.

[@latchmere100]

True great 👍

[@Ryan94Mc]

"i think its a very very open race".jim mcgrath.....ha ha ha little did he know the greatest of them all was about to shine

[@seanscanlon9067]

When you look back at the horses that filled the places in Istabraq's wins, they probably were not that great looking back.

[@roberto4001000]

@@seanscanlon9067 He won by 12 lengths and broke the track record you numpty .

[@julie-annquayle3877]

Aidan said he would Destroy them,and Aidan was spot on

[@markperryman1797]

Shocking camera work at the finish, winner wasn't in shot, focus was on placed horses ....

[@protarget1]

Istabraq was in his day the best, but the 1977 Champion Hurdle is recognised by all leading experts, for strength in depth, as the highest quality race ever run over timber, Night Nurse, Monksfield, Dramatist, Sea Pigeon and Birds Nest filled the first five places in that order. Even the next two, Beacon Light and Master Monday, were far superior to some recent winners of the race. Istabraq never faced a single opponent anywhere near that quality. He face only 1 opponent rated above 159. That horse was only rated 165. Night Nurse is the highest rated hurdler 182 with Monksfield & Istabraq 180

[@redrum4100]

Spot on, sir. 1977 also gave us that fantastic Templegate dead-heat between Night Nurse and Monksfield.

[@jimmymurphy3874]

ratings can be be misleading, just like sprinter sacre's over the top rating

[@IMAC241]

Istabraq would have ate them

[@IMAC241]

Held track record for years, won by a fence

[@emmamortiboy1520]

Don't forget See you then!

[@xBIGbuckZz]

3/1 wow these days would of been 1/4

[@mervyncharter]

Bula was also a very good hurdler/dual champion hurdler who became a top class three mile chaser. Monsignor surely also would have been a champion.

[@gazowen7310]

Golden cygnet too

[@gezzaf6912]

very easy 3/1 what a great price the first of three champion hurdles for Istabraq

[@looksliketouble]

Pridwell done well after missing the start

[@Ben-e2v9h]

What. A. Horse.

[@giantscauseway45]

and we were putting hay in the barn at the time and he said theatre world will follow him home..

[@redrum4100]

70s were best for hurdling, for sure. As well as the rest, there was the great Comedy of Errors.

[@gazowen7310]

Often overlooked comedy of errors

[@joeviner7100]

Top class hurdler, yes. The best no. Persian War, Night Nurse, Golden Cygnet and Sir Ken were better hurdlers, but that takes nothing away from Istabraq's magnificent efforts in winning 3 Champion Hurdles.

[@gazowenowen250]

Comedy of errors deserves a mention as well

[@emmamortiboy1520]

See you then????

[@LaytDaMage33]

bless him my pride and joy is my picture above my fireplace of him jumping last fence at chelt,but he looks like a baby in this vid

[@redrum4100]

Did the horse that fell at the last survive?

[@redrum4100]

@@andrewvause7120 Ouch. Thanks.

[@TOTOFUN69]

you forgot Monksfield somehow mate, he won 2 champions in between the 2 horses you mentioned

[@redrum4100]

And dead-heated with Night Night in the 1977 Templegate Hurdle, probably the greatest finish of any one-on-one duels.

[@gazowen7310]

Sadly that race is often overlooked cos of what happened an hour later the immortal winning his third national

[@TOTOFUN69]

@@gazowen7310 interesting thanks, I’ll check it out

[@shane-irish]

Dawn run moscow flyer and off course this hourse great days great commentator as well

[@groundsman76]

How the hell was this horse 3/1??? Won like a 1/3 shot

[@PatrickFay-r6j]

3/1 what a price. Rip.i had ten on it some day

[@4743stephenf]

dato star?

[@alipitogen]

@azertyuiop32 I thought that F&M was terribly unlucky at the time too, but I heard some time afterwards that if they had raced the going would have been heavy at Prestbury Park that week. If you then remember how Istabraq struggled when Leopardstown was muddy, winning with a slog and twice(or was it just once?) falling, there is quite a question mark over whether he would have won that 4th Champion. I would have so loved it , though, and he so deserved it.

[@johngilly28]

Unbeaten previous festival winner goes off at 3s. Wouldnt get even money these days

[@jonathanhart8570]

Pridwell ran well considering the distance given away @the start

[@simonhindley65]

Very unreliable animal.

[@drofheim]

Istabraq vs Hurricane Fly would be over in the early rounds, no way could Hurricane Fly live with Istabraq, well maybe if the ground was heavy to bog.

[@robbybox4545]

Golden age of racing

[@RobinCarmody]

Such a shame he lost the chance to win a fourth Champion Hurdle due to foot and mouth (which also prevented a second French win in the Gold Cup, you sort of suspect).

[@FORESTDONS]

Golden cygnet would have been the greatest ever but sad things always happens on track.

[@jamesmenzies7986]

We will never know how good he was.

[@tonymcgrath700]

Looked like he could have made the frame in the Arc, he had everything, speed, stamina and temperament

[@gerardmcentee3040]

Tony . I believe he would have made a great group 1 flat horse, maybe win the Arc

[@davebesag]

Just missing ability! He wasn't a particularly good horse on the flat.

[@jamesvaughan7697]

@@gerardmcentee3040 look up Istabraq on the flat, was rated about 90 about 40lbs worse than an Arc winner. Willie Carson was asked about riding him and said "He was slow"

[@glenharrison4311]

Not a prayer nobody would send a horse good enough to be placed in the arc over hurdles

[@gazowen7310]

You can only beat what's put in front of you personally I think he may well of won a 70s 80s champion also people say he never beat much let's be fair who did best mate beat

[@foriamonlyahorse11]

@tennisball2121 Swan was great over hurdles at Cheltenham though plenty better over the bigger obstacles.

[@gazowenowen250]

Protarget correct but you can only beat what's in front of you night nurse was class as well but istabraq was awesome

[@kevinadamson5768]

Istabraq put Aiden O'brien on the map without him I don't think he would have got the recognition and caught the eye of the Coolmore boys.

[@gazowen7310]

Only found out he was related to secreto

[@gazowenowen250]

The best modern champion where does. He rank overall though

[@andrewswift8139]

Apparently Aiden O'Brien has a few jumpers again

[@seannolan3465]

his son Joseph is training them

[@bobbyhanly3466]

3/1 !!!!

[@shaunsinnott9979]

He is a jumping version Of frankel

[@tennisball2121]

A fantastic horse-Charlie swan rides cheltenham much better than AP i'm sorry to say

[@L11_EFC]

Dramatist was a very good hurdler, as were the others you mention.

[@gazowenowen250]

My granddad always said that

[@edmondscott7444]

Channel 4 team good. Awful decision to sack John Mccririck.

[@barbaradyson6951]

Relkeel is a roan not a grey, but you can't have roans in racing.

[@annnn766]

OKI

[@mrpendleton5414]

Bastard c4 never even showed him crossing the line

[@keybuckley]

Sweet feet.

[@waynegrow4141]

Camera angles dreadful.

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Backed gloria victus would have won in a canter had a hundred on him thats raceing backing them long enough was cantering

[@davidmcmahon5234]

Got that wrong sorry people had the wrong champion hurdle race that.l was watching 😊

[@tmc1881]

tennis???? are you mad?? tony mcoy is only bettered by a certain mr walsh round cheltenham

[@protarget1]

+Aisling Burcheal What a load of Tosh. Rating are based on exact tried and tested formulas. Without ratings Horse racing today around the world wouldn't exist. It's what all betting and handicapping is based on. Times & Track records in the UK are useless. Fast times in UK are based on how fast the 1st part of a race is run. Also ground condition are the most important factor on RACE TIMES. Racing in UK is the same. Start slow, Switch off and get position. The finish fast as possible. This how daft your Time theory is. Jezki & Annie Power were both better horse than istabraq because they ran faster times HELLO!!

[@mrk24107]

Never beat a good horse.. champion is a very weak period.

[@roberto4001000]

He just annihilated anything that crossed his path, a brilliant hurdler and a true champion ...