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Pulse Racing
Champion Bumper
Detailed race analysis for The Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival
* note all data is from 2016 unless otherwise stated.
RACE SUMMARY
First run in 1992 as the Festival Bumper, the Weatherbys Champion Bumper is the only Grade 1 National Hunt Flat race at the Cheltenham Festival and the only Festival race in which no obstacles are jumped.
Sponsored by Weatherbys since 1997, it is open to horses aged four to six.
Run on the Old Course over 2 miles 87 yards, it is contested at level weights, with weight-for-age allowances for four-year-olds and a 7lb allowance for fillies and mares.
WINNING PROFILE
AVERAGE AGE
5.2
129
AVERAGE OFFICIAL RATING
AVERAGE NH FLAT RUNS PRIOR
2.4
PATH TO CHELTENHAM
The following races have produced the most Champion Bumper winners since 2016:
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(2) Goffs Future Stars / Shabra Charity Oliver Brady Memorial Future Stars I.N.H. Flat Race (Leopardstown, Feb)
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(2) Coolmore N.H. Sires Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. Flat Race (Leopardstown, February)
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(2) Royalhousedraw.com (ProAm) INH Flat Race (Fairyhouse, December)
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(2) Future Champions Flat Race (Navan, December)
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(2) Leopardstown Flat Race / Race And Stay INH Flat Race (Leopardstown, December)
Number of horses that ran in these races and went on to win at Cheltenham that season in brackets.
TRAINER WINS
TRAINER S/R
WINS BY AGE
PULSE STOPPER
British-trained runners are 1/133 | 0.8%
Four-year-olds are 0/26 | 0%
Runners beaten last-time-out are 0/65 | 0%
Unfancied runners, those at 33/1+ are 0/106 | 0%
PULSE INSIGHT
Irish-trained 10/84 | 11.9%, British 1/133 | 0.8%
Runners at the top of the market generally fare well in the Bumper though favourites are only 2/10 | 20%, Clear 2nd-favourites are 5/9 | 55.6% and would have returned a £15 profit to £1 level stakes
There are no Grade 1 Bumper prep races but the Grade 2 winning form is key. Horses than won a G2 bumper are 5/11 | 14/217 | 35.7%
Winning last time out is key with the last eleven Champions doing so: 11/11 | 11/139 | 7.9%
Champion Trainer W P Mullins has won 54.5% since 2016 though has done so with an average of over 5 runners per race hence a strike rate of just over 10%, 6/58 | 10.3%
Jockey Patrick Mullins 2/9 | 22.2%
Mares (5–6yo) 3/17 | 17.6%
PULSE EDGE
PULSE SUMMARY
Irish-trained Strong-hold
With British-trained runners at 1/133 you know this is dominated by the Irish. There are some strong trends on LTO winners at 11/11 | 100% and Grade 2 Bumper winners at over 35%.
Although Mullins has won 54.5% of the last 11 renewals he has done so with 58 runners and therefore has the worst strike rate of all winning traniners since 2016.
PULSE VERDICT
Pulse Rate
G2 Bumper prep races are worth following though there is no single stand-out race
Pulse Stopper
Almost half (48.8%) of all runners are 33/1+ and are 0/106 | 0%
Pulse Insight
2nd-favourites are 5/9 | 55.6% and a £15 profit to £1 level stakes
Pulse Edge
Grade 2 winning form is a strong trend with 5 winners from only 14 runners | 35.7%
ALL DATA FROM 2016 UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
LAST UPDATED SEPT 2026