| 74th Champion Hurdle | |
| Horse Race: | Champion Hurdle |
| Location: | Cheltenham Racecourse |
| Date: | 16 March 2004 |
| Winning Horse: | Hardy Eustace (IRE) |
| Winning Jockey: | Conor O'Dwyer |
| Winning Trainer: | Dessie Hughes (IRE) |
| Winning Owner: | Laurence Byrne |
| Previous: | 2003 |
| Next: | 2005 |
The 2004 Champion Hurdle was a horse race held at Cheltenham Racecourse on Tuesday 16 March 2004.[1] It was the 74th running of the Champion Hurdle.
The race was won by Laurence Byrne's Hardy Eustace, a seven-year-old gelding trained in Ireland by Dessie Hughes and ridden by Conor O'Dwyer. His victory was the first in the race for his owner, trainer and jockey.
Hardy Eustace started a 33/1 outsider and led throughout to win by five lengths from Rooster Booster who had won the race in the previous year, with Intersky Falcon in third. Thirteen of the fourteen runners completed the course.
| Pos. | Marg. | Horse (bred) | Age | Jockey | Trainer (Country) | Odds | |
| 1 | Hardy Eustace (IRE) | 7 | Conor O'Dwyer | Dessie Hughes (IRE) | 33/1 | ||
| 2 | 5 | Rooster Booster (GB) | 10 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs (GB) | 11/8 fav | |
| 3 | 4 | Intersky Falcon (GB) | 7 | Liam Cooper | Jonjo O'Neill (GB) | 8/1 | |
| 4 | 1¼ | Foreman (GER) | 6 | Thierry Doumen | Thierry Doumen (FR) | 10/1 | |
| 5 | nk | Westender (FR) | 8 | A. P. McCoy | Martin Pipe (GB) | 16/1 | |
| 6 | 3 | Fota Island (IRE) | 8 | David Casey | Mouse Morris (IRE) | 50/1 | |
| 7 | 6 | Golden Cross (IRE) | 5 | Paul Carberry | Michael Halford (IRE) | 40/1 | |
| 8 | 2½ | Rigmarole (GB) | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls (GB) | 4/1 | |
| 9 | 4 | Specular (AUS) | 8 | Barry Geraghty | Jonjo O'Neill (GB) | 14/1 | |
| 10 | shd | Self Defense (GB) | 7 | Barry Keniry | Emma Lavelle (GB) | 66/1 | |
| 11 | ¾ | Hasty Prince (GB) | 6 | Tony Dobbin | Jonjo O'Neill (GB) | 50/1 | |
| 12 | 1 | Limerick Boy (GER) | 6 | Sam Thomas | Venetia Williams (GB) | 16/1 | |
| 13 | 1½ | Davenport Milenium (IRE) | 8 | Timmy Murphy | Willie Mullins (IRE) | 25/1 | |
| PU | Geos (FR) | 9 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson (GB) | 20/1 |
Further details of the winner, Hardy Eustace