Few things are more coveted by trainers than a victory at The Festival at Cheltenham and no current handler has enjoyed more success than Nicky Henderson, who despite failing to score in 2007, can boast 31 winners at jump racing’s premier event.
Indeed Henderson, whose first Festival victory came in 1985, is the third most successful trainer of all time at The Festival, behind Fulke Walwyn, who sent out 40 winners over a five-decade period and Martin Pipe (34 wins). Ireland’s most successful current trainer is Edward O’Grady with 18 victories while Britain’s champion trainer Paul Nicholls continues to rapidly build on his record.
Nicholls has enjoyed 14 victories at the last five Festivals, including four in 2007.
Local trainer Jonjo O’Neill is on 14 winners, the only other current handler with more
than a dozen Festival successes, although both Alan King and Ferdy Murphy – with
three and two wins respectively at the 2007 Festival – also boast improving records,
with each now on seven Festival wins.
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TRAINERS OF ALL-TIME AT THE FESTIVAL
40 Fulke Walwyn (Winners from 1946-86)
34 Martin Pipe (1981-2006)
31 Nicky Henderson (1985- )
28 Fred Winter (1970-88)
26 Tom Dreaper IRE (1946-71)
25 Fred Rimell (1948-81)
23 Vincent O’Brien IRE (1948-59)
23 Bob Turnell (1956-80)
22 Ivor Anthony (1930-52)
19 George Beeby (1930-59)
18 Edward O’Grady IRE (1974- )
17 David Nicholson (1986-99)
17 Paul Nicholls (1999- )
15 Harry Brown (1920-38)
15 Tom Coulthwaite (1911-36)
15 Tom Rimell (1927-49)
14 Dan Moore IRE (1953-79)
14 Jonjo O’Neill (1991- )
13 Jack Anthony (1929-50)
13 Tim Forster (1963-98)
12 Peter Easterby (1967-86)
12 John Edwards (1969-94)
12 Tom Jones (1965-78)
(Current trainers in bold)
(NB Trainers of some of the earliest winners were not recorded)
THE MOST SUCCESSFULCURRENT TRAINERS AT THE FESTIVAL
31 Nicky Henderson
18 Edward O'Grady IRE
17 Paul Nicholls
14 Jonjo O’Neill
11 Philip Hobbs
10 Willie Mullins IRE
9 David Elsworth
7 Henrietta Knight
7 Ferdy Murphy
7 Nigel Twiston-Davies
7 Alan King
6 Francois Doumen FR
6 Jessica Harrington IRE
6 Arthur Moore IRE
6 Mouse Morris IRE
6 Oliver Sherwood
5 Dessie Hughes IRE
5 Howard Johnson
5 Aidan O’Brien IRE