Architect Tips has previewed the Matheson Hurdle 2021 and has one ante-post tip for consideration.
Matheson Hurdle 2021 - Winner
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Matheson Hurdle 2021 Tips: Ante-Post Preview
The Matheson Hurdle is the main dish on the final day of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival and has been won by many of the best two-mile hurdlers Ireland has produced, such as Istabraq, Hurricane Fly, Macs Joy, Brave Inca and many more. Willie Mullins is the most successful trainer in the race's history, who’s won it eight times, including with Sharjah - who became the first since the mighty Hurricane Fly to win it three times in a row in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Willie Mullins’ high-class eight-year-old, who has also been second in the previous two Champion Hurdles to Epatante and Honeysuckle, is the current 11/10 favourite in a bid to equal Istabraq and Hurricane Fly's record of four wins in the Matheson Hurdle. He has always reserved his best for this venue and got his season off to the perfect start when winning the Morgiana Hurdle in November. His potent turn of foot has always come to the fore in this event and conditions are likely to be ideal, too. Patrick Mullins, his regular rider, will likely be in the saddle and having already beaten the majority of these previously, he’s the one to beat. A repeat of any of his previous quality victories in this affair or even his Champion Hurdle efforts, gives him every chance of another success in this Grade One that he’s no doubt made his own in recent years for connections.
Gordon Elliott’s Zanahiyr was among the top rank of juvenile hurdlers last term and is already a winner this season having returned with an effortless victory at Down Royal. He’s clearly a very good horse, who is open to improvement, but was comprehensively put in his place by Sharjah in the Morgiana Hurdle last month and I get the impression he’s the sort of horse who will most prove effective when going up in trip. At 4/1, he doesn’t appeal to me and is opposable, especially with three-time winner Sharjah in the field, who was conceding him race-fitness last time and will be fully tuned here. Willie Mullins' other hopeful and stablemate to Sharjah - Echoes In Rain, made giant strides last season, where she completed a hat-trick of victories, including a Grade One on her final start of the campaign.
However, she looked rusty on her seasonal debut behind her stablemate, who’s favourite for this race, as she found little for pressure and trailed home last of three, beaten fifteen-lengths. That outing should have sorted her out, fitness-wise, but she’ll need a good chunk of improvement to reverse the form and I’m not convinced she will gain revenge here, though she might finish a lot closer. Others are preferred, on that basis. I was a little disappointed with Saldier’s tame finishing effort when fifth in the Hatton’s Grace behind Honeysuckle last time and he would need a career-best to feature in the outcome here. His impressive weight-carrying performance to win the Galway Hurdle demonstrated the sort of form he can produce when at his best, but he’s often found this grade too demanding in the past, especially when up against Sharjah, who’s beaten him on multiple occasions.
Last season’s Aintree Hurdle winner, Abadcadabras, ran quite well to finish third in the Hatton’s Grace last-time-out and wasn’t disgraced behind that same rival in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle in April. The seven-year-old is undeniably a good horse, who’s proven himself at the highest-level but his best form came over further than two-miles. Furthermore, he was over ten-lengths behind Sharjah earlier in the year, so has work to do on that score, while his distant fifth in this twelve months ago when arriving in better form leaves him with plenty to prove at present, therefore, he’s passed over. Front-running tactics have certainly contributed to the improved efforts from Stormy Ireland, but she did too much too soon when weakening out of contention in the Hatton’s Grace last-time-out. The positive view about her, though, is the drop in trip as she might get a soft lead here with multiple hold-up individuals in the field. This mare is very capable of high-class form, as proven when winning a Grade One back in May and, despite having a little bit to find with the leading market principles, she could reach the frame.
It’s the Gordon Elliott-trained TEAHUPOO (best price 8-1) however, a good-quality hurdler, who shades the verdict and is fancied to serve it up to the three-time winner and defending champion in this event. The four-year-old has won four of his starts with his only defeat coming at the hands of Jeff Kidder when sent off odds-on favourite. He made a triumphant return to action at Naas when beating Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios by twelve-lengths, looking a much improved model since last season. He travelled and jumped beautifully throughout and, although Autumn Evening fell at the second last when upsides the eventual winner, I feel as though Gordon Elliott’s youngster still had the upper-hand as he was the only horse on the bridle under a motionless Jack Kennedy. He’ll need to improve going into Grade One territory, but he’s the least exposed of these and is open to significant improvement, especially with that reappearance victory under his belt. He makes the most appeal for each-way purposes in a competitive contest.
