Past Cheltenham Heroes: See You Then 1987 Champion Hurdle

See You Then was brilliant but fragile and became the fourth horse to win three consecutive Champion Hurdles when landing the 1987 running of the 2m showpiece at the Cheltenham Festival.

He was bred to be a Group horse on the flat, but excelled over hurdles under the care of trainer Nicky Henderson.

The gelding provided the Seven Barrows handler with his first ever winner at the Festival and had a high cruising speed and potent turn of foot.

However, See You Then also had legs of glass and was superbly handled by Henderson to be spot on for each of his Champion Hurdle successes.

The horse would only have one or two races a season, and Henderson once joked that he was known as See You When rather than See You Then.

It was his Champion Hurdle win in 1987, after one of his feet became inflamed close to the race, which was rated his best.

Under jockey Steve Smith-Eccles, who had been on-board for his two previous successes, See You Then travelled ominously well throughout and was pulling double on the heels of the leader Barnbook Again as the field rounded the home turn.

See You Then cruised to the front at the final flight and showed his customary turn of foot to quicken two lengths clear up the run-in before fending off the late challenge of American raider Flatterer to score by 1 1/2 lengths.

He finished his career with 10 wins from just 15 starts, and was undoubtedly one of the most talented hurdlers to have graced the Prestbury Park turf.