It may be the final race of the Cheltenham Festival, but the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle is one of the toughest betting heats on the entire card as some improving horses line up for what is a race that always attracts bumper fields. First run in 2009 and named after the legendary National Hunt trainer, the Martin Pipe has some key trends that you must take a look at before picking your selection.
Age
Open to four-year-olds and up, the Martin Pipe is often a place that sees young, improving handicap hurdlers line up and in the 15 runnings of the race to date, it’s been those young guns that have dominated the race. No four-year-old has landed the race, as they are often seen competing in either the Triumph Hurdle or Fred Winter, but there have been five five-year-old winners and six eight-year-old winners. No horse has ever won the Martin Pipe being eight years or older, so it’s wise to stick with those runners with youth on their side.
Age Of Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Winners Since 2009
- 4 – 0 winners
- 5 – 5 winners
- 6 – 8 winners
- 7 – 2 winners
- 8+ – 0 winners
Starting Price
With a huge field lining up in the final race of the Festival, the Martin Pipe is always a hugely competitive betting event for punters to try and end the week on and since its inception there hass only been one winning favourite: 9/2 chance Sir Des Champs in the 2011 race. The most popular starting price of the winner in recent times is between 11/1 and 18/1 with seven winners finding themselves in that bracket. There have been three winners between 20/1 and 33/1, but there is yet to be a winner at a bigger SP than 40/1, so the complete outsiders often struggle.
Starting Price Of Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Winners Since 2009
- <5/1 – 1 winner
- 5/1 to 10/1 – 4 winners
- 11/1 to 18/1- 7 winners
- 20/1 to 33/1 – 3 winners
- 40/1+ – 0 winners
Weight Carried
It can be a little misleading when looking at the weight carried by Martin Pipe winners down the years, as it’s a race that can often see very few line up with less than 11st emphasising how competitive the race is in terms of quality. Nine of the 15 winners have carried between 11st 1lb and 11st 6lbs, while the other six winners have carried more than 11st 6lbs, so it does show that those towards the top of the handicap can go close and the most famous winner of the race, Galopin Des Champs carried 11st 10lbs to victory in the 2021 renewal.
Weight Carried By Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Winners In Last 20 Years
- 10st to 10st 6lbs – 0 winners
- 10st 7lbs to 11st – 0 winners
- 11st 1lb to 11st 6lbs – 9 winners
- >11st 6lbs – 6 winners
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