Following the exit of Constitution Hill, The New Lion leads the Champion Hurdle market, with Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth among the strongest challengers.
Constitution Hill's shock withdrawal from the Champion Hurdle has blown the 2026 Cheltenham Festival wide open. Nicky Henderson confirmed on Wednesday that the superstar hurdler won't defend his title on March 10, opting instead for a Flat career after recent jumping woes and a winning debut on the level at Southwell. The nine-year-old, unbeaten in 10 hurdles before three falls last year, leaves a gaping hole at the top of the market.
Constitution Hill was the glaring favourite in the Champion Hurdle, garnering more than 34% votes in the last 12 hours to regain his crown. However, with him out of the race, Lossiemouth is leading the line to win amongst punters with 23% of bets in the last 12 hours. The New Lion, also the new favourite, trails Lossiemouth with 12% people backing him to win. Golden Ace with 7% and Poniros with 6% are close behind.
The New Lion was priced at 43/14 last night, but has now emerged as the favourite at 2/1 to win the Champion Hurdle. Lossiemouth, similarly, was priced 5/1 yesterday, but her odds dropped to 7/2 after Constitution Hill pulled out of the race.
Who is the Betting Favourite in the Cheltenham Champions Hurdle?
The current Cheltenham Festival Champion Hurdle favourite in the Oddschecker markets is The New Lion, with nearly 28% chance of winning. He is narrowly ahead of Brighterdaysahead whose implied win probability is around 25%.
| Race Winner | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| The New Lion | 5/2 | Unibet |
| Brighterdaysahead | 3/1 | Sky Bet |
| Lossiemouth | 7/2 | Sky Bet |
| Golden Ace | 13/2 | William Hill |
| Poniros | 12/1 | Unibet |
| Anzadam | 18/1 | William Hill |
| Tutti Quanti | 20/1 | Unibet |
| Alexei | 20/1 | Unibet |
| Ballyburn | 25/1 | Unibet |
| Casheldale Lad | 50/1 | Sky Bet |
| Wilful | 100/1 | BetTom |
| Workahead | 100/1 | Betway |
| Lucky Place | 150/1 | bet365 |
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The Champion Hurdle market is currently led by The New Lion, who sits at around 5/2 and is the clear favourite after the absence of former champion Constitution Hill. The gelding has already tasted Cheltenham success, and punters clearly trust his Grade 1 class. The price gives him an implied win probability of 28%, which reflects fairly given his reputation and experience.
Hot on his heels is Brighterdaysahead, trading at best price of 3/1. The mare brings solid novice form and nearly landed the Galway Hurdle, showing she can travel strongly in competitive fields. Bookmakers clearly respect her consistency without pushing her into short-priced territory.
Lossiemouth at 7/2 is another horse who continues to attract strong backing. Her dominant Triumph Hurdle performance underlines her two-mile speed and class, and market support has tightened after she moved from 5/1 earlier in the week.
Golden Ace, the defending Champion Hurdle winner, has drifted to around 13/2 in the current market. Back-to-back wins at Cheltenham are always difficult, but her proven Festival pedigree keeps her in the conversation. Last year she went off at 25/1 to land the title, so punters know she’s capable of springing another surprise.
Finally, Poniros rounds out the top five at 12/1. The horse has shown promise in trial races, but this is a big step up in class. Each-way backers might like the price, but it’s still a speculative play in a strong field.
Constitution Hill's Flat Targets After Champion Hurdle Exit
Nicky Henderson confirmed Constitution Hill retires from hurdles to chase Flat glory following his Southwell win on debut over 1m4f. The superstar's stamina and class point to these prime next moves:
Ebor Handicap (York, August)
Buckley eyes this £500k marathon as starter. Constitution Hill's cruising style suits 1m6f, and off a mark around 110 he'd dominate York's straight. Henderson loves big staying handicaps here.
Irish St Leger (Curragh, September)
Group 1 at 1m6f screams Classic target. Constitution Hill's Arc-level ability (French Derby vibes) fits perfectly. Henderson's won it before with powerhouse stayers.
Melbourne Cup (Flemington, November)
The ultimate dream. Buckley's "even Melbourne Cup" nod aligns with his staying power and traveling class. Southwell form suggests he'd handle 2 miles on fast ground. £4m prize money tempts.
