The Royal Bond Novice Hurdle is one of three Grade 1 races run at the big Fairyhouse winter meeting in late November or early December. The 2012 Royal Bond Hurdle was run on Sunday 3 December and was won by the Jessica Harrington trained Jezki.
The race is seen as a pointer to the Novice Hurdle events run at the Cheltenham Festival during the same season. It may also be worth taking a longer term view on horses who win this. The 2002 winner Hardy Eustace and 2008 winner Hurricane Fly went on to win the Champion Hurdle. The recent roll of honour also includes two horses in Moscow Flyer (1999) and Newmill (2003) who went on to Champion Chase success at Cheltenham.
Royal Bond Hurdle 2012 Result
| Pos | Dist | Horse | Trainer | Age | Weight | Jockey | SP |
| 1st | Jezki (IRE) | Mrs J Harrington | 4 | 11-7 | B J Geraghty | 9-4 | |
| 2nd | 1½ | Champagne Fever (IRE) | W P Mullins | 5 | 11-10 | R Walsh | 11/8f |
| 3rd | 1 | Zuzka (IRE) | W P Mullins | 5 | 11-3 | P Townend | 12-1 |
| 4th | 4¼ | Minsk (IRE) | D T Hughes | 4 | 11-7 | B J Cooper | 11-4 |
| 5th | 24 | Clonbanan Lad (IRE) | H De Bromhead | 6 | 11-10 | A E Lynch | 14-1 |
| 6th | 46 | Midnight Oil | W P Mullins | 4 | 11-7 | D N Russell | 50-1 |
Royal Bond Hurdle 2012 Video
Royal Bond Hurdle 2012 Winners
| Year | Winner | Odds | Trainer | Age | Weight | Jockey |
| 2011 | Sous Les Cieux (FR) | 6-4 | Mullins, W P | 5 | 11-10 | Walsh, R |
| 2010 | Zaidpour (FR) | 4-7 | Mullins, W P | 4 | 11-7 | Townend, P |
| 2009 | Dunguib (IRE) | 30-100 | Fenton, Philip | 6 | 11-10 | O’Connell, Mr B T |
| 2008 | Hurricane Fly (IRE) | 2-1 | Mullins, W P | 4 | 11-7 | Townend, P |
| 2007 | Muirhead (IRE) | 4-1 | Meade, Noel | 4 | 11-7 | Carberry, P |
| 2006 | Hide The Evidence (IRE) | 10-1 | Harrington, Mrs J | 5 | 11-12 | Leigh, A D |
| 2005 | Iktitaf (IRE) | 7-1 | Meade, Noel | 4 | 11-7 | Carberry, P |
| 2004 | Wild Passion (GER) | 6-1 | Meade, Noel | 4 | 11-7 | Carberry, P |
| 2003 | Newmill (IRE) | 13-2 | O’Leary, T G | 5 | 11-12 | Cotter, G |
| 2002 | Hardy Eustace (IRE) | 5-1 | Hughes, D T | 5 | 11-12 | Kelly, K A |
| 2001 | Like-A-Butterfly (IRE) | 4-7 | Roche, C | 7 | 11-7 | Swan, C F |
| 2000 | Liss A Paoraigh (IRE) | 7-4 | Kiely, John E | 5 | 11-7 | Swan, C F |
| 1999 | Moscow Flyer (IRE) | 7-4 | Harrington, Mrs J | 5 | 12-0 | Geraghty, B J |
| 1998 | Alexander Banquet (IRE) | 4-1 | Mullins, W P | 5 | 12-0 | Walsh, R |
| 1997 | Feathered Leader (IRE) | 11-2 | Moore, A L T | 5 | 12-0 | O’Dwyer, C |
