December Festival Hurdle

The December Festival Hurdle, currently known by its sponsored title of the Matheson Hurdle, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older.

The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Christmas Festival meeting in late December.

The race was first run in 1986, and it has held Grade 1 status since 2002.

It is often used as a trial for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Four horses have won both races in the same season – Istabraq three times, Hurricane Fly twice and Brave Inca and State Man once each.