The Champion Hurdle is the showcase champion race on the opening day of the Festival, and there is one word that seems synonymous with the runners of the race - winners. The race this year has added spice to it, with winners from 3 of last year’s festival races all meeting in this year’s renewal of the Champion Hurdle. We have the Supreme Novices winner Menorah, the Neptune Novices winner; the unbeaten Peddlers Cross, and the reigning and defending Champion Hurdle winner Binocular. Not to mention the winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle Hurricane Fly, the Welsh Champion Oscar Whiskey, and the Kingwell Hurdle winner; Mille Chief.
The reigning champion is the Nicky Henderson trained BINOCULAR, who stormed up the hill, after being a worry to actually run. His trainer said he would not run after a disappointing trial, but sparkled on the gallops, and after being ante post favourite for around 6 months, went off 8/1 sixth favourite. He finished second in the Supreme Novices three years ago, then third in the Champion Hurdle two years ago, both of which going off a short favourite. The horse clearly has quality, but is temperamental, and needs things to go his well on the day. As reigning champion there is more pressure on Binocular, and in particularly AP McCoy, who has said he expects to win the race, and is his best chance of the meeting. He appears to be a temperamental sort, who can have an off day, as seen in his Champion Hurdle trial at Sandown last year, and again this year, with a very mundane and workman like performance. However he has shown that there is definitely something about him, and if the Binocular who won last year turns up fit and raring to go, the field are in deep trouble.
The Irish have made this race their own in recent years, mainly due to the wonder horse Istabraq, who sensationally won three consecutive champion hurdles from 1998-2000, in the same Binocular colours of owner J P McManus. The roar from the crowd of his victories was enormous, and they could have another potential superstar again in the Willie Mullins trained HURRICANE FLY. He won the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in impressive fashion, cruising up on the bridle before taking the lead in the straight. The race has usually been an indicative to Cheltenham with horses such as Sizing Europe, Hardy Eustace and the previously mentioned Istabraq all winning en route to Prestbury Park, The Irish Champion has won 8 of his last 9 starts, including perhaps the most impressively the Punchestown Champion Hurdle in April last year, beating Solwhit by a neck, travelling smoothly before just edging in front. Since that victory, he has beaten Solwhit three more times since then this season, and the question mark surrounds the strength of the form. There is also a large negative surrounding the horse’s history. He is from the sire Montjeu, whose offspring have a woeful record, with no wins from 26 horses over 48 runs. He has also never run around Cheltenham, let alone win, which is a major negative, and gives his competitors an immediate advantage.
Another challenger is the winner of the Supreme Novices Hurdle, and is unbeaten this year, Phillip Hobbs stable star MENORAH. He has built from his impressive Supreme Novice victory, by winning the Greatwood Hurdle carrying top weight. He then followed that up by blitzing this years Supreme Novice favourite Cue Card, and highly touted Paul Nicholls juvenile Silviano Conti by 4 lengths in the International Hurdle, again, at Cheltenham, giving the horses a 3/3 record at Prestbury Park. As impressive as both victories were in all 3 Cheltenham runs, the form for races to back his assertions have been rather poor. From the International Hurdle, the 17 horses have had 23 runs, with 0 wins, and only 4 places, so although carrying top weight, the question has to be asked, what did he beat? There is also the fact that recent Supreme Novices winners, have a history of disappointing the year after in their return to the festival, for example Go Native in last years Champion Hurdle, and Captain Cee Bee in the same years Arkle, and for me, he would be one to avoid.
An interesting runner will be coming down from the north, and is the unbeaten PEDDLERS CROSS. The Donald McCain trained 6 year old, has gone from strength to strength, building on his Neptune Novice win, by going on to win at the Aintree festival, and was very impressive when beating Champion Hurdler Binocular in the rescheduled Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newbury. His credentials have been further boosted from his Neptune win, with third that day Finians Rainbow being touted for this years Arkle, and third Right of Passage going on to win the Ascot Gold Cup. Connections have been very bullish about the gelding’s chances; however there is a chance he may be outclassed in such company.
It usually pays to follow previous winners from the Cheltenham festival year to year, which narrows the field down to the three main rivals; it should be narrowed down even further to the reigning champion BINOCULAR. He was devastating in this race last year, and showed why when destroying the field in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, turning the tables on Starluck by six lengths. He has impressed connections on the gallops in the last week, and the word from Seven Barrows is that the horse is just as good as ever, and I see no reason why he cannot retains his crown. There are doubts surrounding each of his rivals. Hurricane Fly is unproven on the course, there are doubts surrounding the depth of Menorah’s form, and Peddlers Cross is still relatively inexperienced. The defending champion is a spring horse, and thrives at Cheltenham, finishing second in the Supreme Novices, before a good third when favourite in the Champion Hurdle before his victory last year. Champion jockey AP McCoy has said it his best chance of the week, and I think the horse will have too much speed for these rivals, bolting clear in the straight to successfully defend his Champion Hurdle crown. Menorah should be able to plug on for a place, as is the toughness of the horse. Khyber Kim can build on his reappearance behind Binocular in the Christmas hurdle to fill out the placings.
Predictions
- Binocular
- Menorah
- Khyber Kim
Jack Milner
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