Champion Hurdle Betting Guide
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Champion Hurdle Profile
(Tuesday 13th March - 3.20pm) - Champion Hurdle Race Entries
The most prestigious hurdle race in the world first took place in 1927. Run over a distance of two miles and 110 yards, over eight flights, it is the ultimate test of jumping hurdles at speed, and the race has been witness to some of Cheltenham's most famous finishes. Five horses have managed a hat-trick of victories: Hatton's Grace, Sir Ken, Persian War, See You Then and Istabraq; the last-named in course record time in 2000.
RACE TRENDS:
- 24 of the last 28 winners won last time out
- 20 of the last 22 winners won a race previously that season
- 17 of the last 21 winners started in the first five of the betting
- 16 of the last 23 winners had winning form at Cheltenham
- 16 of the last 20 winners had previously been placed at the festival
- All 73 five year olds since 1985 were beaten, until 2008. Since then 5 of 12 placed were five year olds
- Only 3 winners older than eight since 1951
- The Irish have won 8 of the last 13 renewals
- No Northern winner for 30 years
- Nine novices have won the race, yet only three since 1956. Those three were all in the 1990's (Royal Gait, Make A Stand and Alderbrook) and all had raced on the flat
- No horse has won the Supreme Novices' the year before and gone on to win the Champion since 1971
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Connections Comments
Binocular
"Full credit to Rock On Ruby as he's an improving horse and put it up to him. It was brilliant he won, but I just feel he's a long way off the horse that won the Champion. He's got plenty of issues and problems and whether it's stopping him from fulfilling his real potential I don't know. He's inclined not to race as keenly as he did before, but I was just disappointed he wasn't giving me the same feel he has in the past."
Tony McCoy
26th December 2011
"He did it well in the end. I was always wanting to make it a race to give him a good blow as he's a bit of a stuffy horse. I wanted to make sure this race put him spot-on for Cheltenham. He responded well, but he still has plenty of ground to find with the likes of Hurricane Fly."
Tony McCoy
18th February 2012
"He was going to have a racecourse gallop and when he ran, we thought he might need it, but he didn't. He looks slick and happy and enjoyed the other day. I know AP (McCoy) didn't come back with a grin on his face at Kempton but he was brave enough and AP commented on his wind. When horses are missing a beat, nine times out of 10 it's respiratory. Did (the operation) make a difference? I don't know. He just looks really well - he looks like a good racehorse. Hurricane Fly came out on top of the pile last year by quite a long way. I'd like a phalanx to run against him but we're down to one. At least he seems to come in here probably as well as when he won the Champion Hurdle."
Nicky Henderson
28th February 2012
Brampour
"Brampour is four lengths behind Grandouet, who is second favourite for the Champion Hurdle, and that isn't the most enormous gap to make up. We've done that before with horses on a different day, different track. It's the old track and not the new track at Cheltenham, so things happen. I'd had a little setback with him last week. I'm not using that as an excuse. I just missed three days' work with him because he had pus in his foot. It doesn't help. I might confirm him for the Ladbroke and have a look at the race. Depending what mark the handicapper puts him on after yesterday he could be an interesting one with Harry Derham's claim. It's a £150,000 race and I was looking at the options before Cheltenham and a lot of those races aren't worth too much money. He isn't going to get in off that handicap mark again and Harry's claim is very relevant. He could always go straight to Cheltenham after that."
Paul Nicholls
12th December 2011
Celestial Halo
"That was magic for old Halo. He's tough and he just keeps going. We'll leave him in the Champion Hurdle until the death and his next race will probably be the National Spirit at Fontwell. I think if he runs at the Festival it will be the World Hurdle."
Paul Nicholls
21st January 2012
Hurricane Fly
"He's grand and Paul Townend rode him out this morning. I just wasn't happy that he was straight enough to do himself justice. He's fit and well but he just hasn't worked well enough to run tomorrow. He worked against Thousand Stars on the Curragh last week over a mile and two furlongs and he needed it badly. After that I wasn't happy I had him in order. I told the owners that I wasn't happy with him and there was a chance he wouldn't run tomorrow. I left him in and decided to make a decision late on. As I've said before, he'll run when he's ready and not before. I want to get a run into him before Cheltenham."
Willie Mullins
28th December 2011
"I was nervous before the race with him having been off so long and then there was all the rain. My other runners today had been disappointing so I was just worried. Sometimes we go through a day when they all run bad for no reason. In the parade ring before the race he was walking around like an old handicapper, when normally there would be two people to steady him, and I was very apprehensive before the race. As it progressed, it didn't help much either, as we set a good pace with Thousand Stars and he just slotted in. Ruby said he wondered if anything was going to come when he gave him a squeeze but, when he did, he said he just came alive and he put in as good a performance as I've ever seen from him. Maybe he's just learned to take racing in his stride now and therefore he's able to contain all his speed, because he certainly has plenty of that. The whole thing with this guy is that we know he's got the engine, we just have to keep him sound and mind him all the time. The last seasons have been good in that way, so we just have to keep him going for another six weeks."
Willie Mullins
29th January 2012
"He was very impressive, he settled beautifully and jumped really well in a true-run race. It was a good jump at the second-last. He jumped past Oscars Well, joined Thousand Stars, and he came came alive and the race was over. It's good to see him back. It was a great performance. I probably was surprised. I don't think Thousand Stars ran as good as he can run. They went a really good gallop and Paul (Townend) gave him a breather down the back but he just didn't quicken again, which is unlike him. Obviously Unaccompanied didn't fire, she ran considerably worse than she did at Christmas, and Oscars Well has run a really good race. It's hard to know (how strong this year's Champion Hurdle field is). There's no Peddlers Cross, it's up in the air what they will do with Oscar Whisky, Thousand Stars was third, while Sprinter Sacre and Menorah have gone chasing. Zarkandar runs in less than a fortnight and the horses behind him are pitching at it. There's quite a bit to go yet."
Ruby Walsh
30th January 2012
"Hurricane Fly is fantastically well at the moment. Paul (Townend) rides him out every day at home and he said he's jumping out of his skin. He had a nice easy week last week and he'll have another easy one this week before we start building him up for Cheltenham. I've been very happy with him.”
Willie Mullins
12th February 2012
Oscars Well
"Everything is fine with him and I was happy enough with his run at Christmas. He had to do a lot of the donkey work and was still only beaten just over three lengths, so it was another good run on his part. He’ll go for the Irish Champion Hurdle next and then to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle there. The Aintree Hurdle could be a race we look at. We know he stays further, so we can always step up in trip after Cheltenham if we wanted to, but we’ll see."
Jessica Harrington
10th January 2012
Overturn
"I would expect him to be in the first four. He wasn't quite as sharp as he could have been in the International (at Cheltenham) and he definitely wasn't at Kempton. That puts him right in the mix. You wouldn't go expecting to beat Hurricane Fly, but a bouncing Overturn would be able to compete with most of them. He could run a big race."
Donald McCain
7th February 2012
Rock On Ruby
"I just wish I could get him hurdling a bit more sharply, but it was still a great race. I think Cheltenham will suit him a bit better. I don't know what I'll do, whether I'll find another race somewhere, but I've got to find options for Zarkandar and Brampour too. Maybe we'll run all three (in the Champion Hurdle)."
Paul Nicholls
26th December 2011
Thousand Stars
"At the moment I would be going Champion Hurdle. It's going to be hard to beat Big Buck's (in the World Hurdle), but hopefully, it's going to be hard to beat Hurricane Fly. He's got some nice options after that. I actually think the race in Aintree should be his big target this season. There was plenty of pace on in the (Istabraq Hurdle) and Ruby did what he thought was right. He was giving a very good mare 10lb, who has more speed tactically. It's easy to ride from the stands after the race. Ruby did what he thought was right, he might ride it differently, but you don't get that option do you? Ruby gets it right nine times out of 10, or maybe more."
Willie Mullins
11th January 2012
Zarkandar
"We're looking forward to when Zarkandar comes out. The form is in the book. He's got to improve like they have but he might well do. I thought he was struggling with his breathing last year and if the wind operation has improved him as much as it improved Brampour then we'll be in business. He didn't run until the Adonis this year, which was his only run before Cheltenham, and that's what we're thinking of doing this season, having one run somewhere in February and then going for the Champion. It would be nice to win it. Grandouet has done well, Brampour has improved. They seem to be a good crop. Overturn is a great benchmark but on last year's Champion Hurdle we've all got to improve again to beat Hurricane Fly, but they all look a decent bunch. I'm living in hope that Zarkandar is the best of the lot."
Paul Nicholls
12th December 2011
"I kind of knew there was going to be no pace on but, in fairness to a horse with only three runs, I didn't see any of the first four hurdles so there was no way he did either. He jumped impeccably and stayed on really well in the straight. He's the first horse in 40 years to win this race without a prep run, and that says enough in itself. He showed what you need to win a Champion Hurdle - stamina. He outstayed them and pulled up when he got to the front. He's going to improve a ton for the experience of the race, but time will tell."
Ruby Walsh
17th February 2012
"There is huge improvement in him between now and Cheltenham. I had him right today, but I was training him with Cheltenham in mind. I was worried about his lack of experience, but he's progressive and keeps winning. He needs to improve, but he'll definitely go forward from here. He worked great two days ago and he always gallops to the line. Daryl (Jacob) will ride if Ruby rides Hurricane Fly and Daryl will be waving goodbye to him on the run-in!"
Paul Nicholls
17th February 2012
