The 1990 Champion Hurdle was a horse race held at Cheltenham Racecourse on Tuesday 13 March 1990. It was the 61st running of the Champion Hurdle.
The winner was Sheikh Mohammed's Kribensis, a six-year-old grey gelding trained in Suffolk by Michael Stoute and ridden by Richard Dunwoody. Kribensis's victory was a first in the race for jockey, trainer and owner.
Kribensis had established himself as a top class hurdler by winning the Christmas Hurdle in 1988, but had finished only seventh when 11/8 favourite for the 1989 Champion Hurdle. In 1990 he was made 95/40 second favourite for the Champion Hurdle and won by three lengths from the American-bred stallion Nomadic Way, with the 150/1 outsider Past Glories three quarters of a length away in third place. The 1989 winner Beech Road, the 2/1 favourite, finished in fourth place whilst See You Then the winner in 1985, 1986 and 1987 finished last. Sixteen of the nineteen runners completed the course.
Race details Sponsor: Waterford Crystal Purse: £83,343; First prize: £50,047 Going: Good to Firm Distance: 2 miles Number of runners: 19 Winner's time: 3m 50.70
Full result Pos. Marg. Horse (bred) Age Jockey Trainer (Country) Odds 1 Kribensis (IRE) 6 Richard Dunwoody Michael Stoute (GB) 95/40 2 3 Nomadic Way (USA) 5 Peter Scudamore Barry Hills (GB) 8/1 3 ¾ Past Glories (GB) 7 J. J. Quinn J Hetherton (GB) 150/1 4 ½ Beech Road (GB) 8 Richard Guest Toby Balding (GB) 2/1 fav 5 8 Morley Street (GB) 6 Jimmy Frost Toby Balding (GB) 10/1 6 nk Jinxy Jack (IRE) 6 Neale Doughty Gordon W. Richards (GB) 50/1 7 7 Island Set (USA) 8 Chris Grant Kevin Morgan (GB) 40/1 8 1½ Vagador (CAN) 7 Amanda Harwood Guy Harwood (GB) 16/1 9 hd Deep Sensation (GB) 5 Richard Rowe Josh Gifford (GB) 33/1 10 3 Elementary (IRE) 7 Tommy Carmody Jim Bolger (IRE) 22/1 11 ½ Don Valentino (GB) 5 Hywel Davies Jenny Pitman (GB) 50/1 12 Space Fair 7 Tom Taaffe Richard Lee (GB) 150/1 13 Sudden Victory 6 Kevin Mooney Barry Hills (GB) 150/1 14 Redundant Pal (GB) 7 Conor O'Dwyer Paddy Mullins (IRE) 33/1 15 Dis Train 6 Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman (GB) 100/1 16 See You Then (GB) 10 Steve Smith Eccles Nicky Henderson (GB) 25/1 BD Cruising Altitude 7 Jamie Osborne Oliver Sherwood (GB) 9/1 Fell Persian Style 6 Peter Hobbs Josh Gifford (GB) 150/1 Fell Bank View (GB) 5 Graham McCourt Nigel Tinkler (GB) 50/1 Abbreviations: nse = nose; nk = neck; hd = head; dist = distance; UR = unseated rider; PU = pulled up; LFT = left at start; SU = slipped up; BD = brought down
Winner's details Further details of the winner, Kribensis Sex: Gelding Foaled: 9 February 1984 Country: Ireland Sire: Henbit; Dam: Aquaria (Double-U-Jay) Owner: Sheikh Mohammed Breeder: Martin Ryan
References