Five Famous Supreme Novices Hurdle Winners

The Supreme Novices Hurdle is one of the greatest horse racing betting races on the calendar, with the famous Cheltenham roar taking place at flag fall – a moment that signals the start of each Cheltenham Festival.

Here, we look back at five famous winners of the Supreme – starting with the legendary L’Escargot back in 1968…

L’Escargot (1968)

L’Escargot is probably best remembered for his exploits in the Grand National which he won in 1975, but he was actually a three-time Cheltenham Festival winner, winning the Gloucestershire Hurdle, now the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, in 1968 and recording back-to-back victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1970 and 1971.

Trained by Dan Moore and owned by Raymond Guest, L’Escargot was even inducted into the U.S National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, being named the American Champion Steeplechase Horse, in 1969.

Bula (1970)

Bula was undefeated in his first thirteen races during two National Hunt seasons – a record which stood for over forty years. He scored in the Supreme in 1970, before Champion Hurdle victories in 1971 and 1972.

His other victories included the Osborne Hurdle, the Benson & Hedges Handicap Hurdle, the Mill House Hurdle, the Kingwell Hurdle, the Welsh Champion Hurdle, the Cheltenham Trial Hurdle, the Black and White Whiskey Gold Cup, the Fairlawne Chase and the Gainsborough Chase. Several of these races he won more than once.

Hors La Loi III (1999)

French-bred Hors La Loi, whose name in English means ‘outlaw’, captured two big prizes at The Festival during his career. In 1999 he was a breathtaking winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and in 2002 he unleashed his well renowned change of gear up the hill to storm away and win the Champion Hurdle in impressive fashion.

Hors La Loi III, who won a total of six other hurdle races, began his career under the care of Francois Doumen in France, before moving to Martin Pipe, then James Fanshawe, and ultimately ended up with Paul Nicholls.

Without a doubt he is one of the most well-known French-bred AQPS racehorses to have made his mark on the British racing scene.

Labaik (2017)

The high-class grey Labaik makes this “famous” list for all the wrong reasons. Trained by Gordon Elliott, Labaik refused to start in three successive races before winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival at odds of 25-1, under a 17-year-old Jack Kennedy.

The horse’s passport was seized by Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) officers the following month, which meant the horse couldn’t travel. It was handed back to Elliot ahead of the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown in April, 2017, where Labaik unfortunately suffered a career-threatening injury.

In October 2019, the High Court ruled the horse was purchased with the proceeds of crime and he never raced again.

Shishkin (2020)

A firm fan’s favourite, Shishkin won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2020 and the Arkle Chase the following year – he went on to win multiple Grade 1 races. Sadly Shishkin died in April 2024 after breaking a leg in an accident in his stable.

A statement put out by his trainer Nicky Henderson said: “He was an absolute superstar and his CV is testament to that. The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Arkle were his Cheltenham highlights, but the battle with Energumene in the Clarence House at Ascot was probably his greatest.”