Champion Hurdle: The key race trials

The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 Hurdle race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. The race is open to horses aged four years and older and is run over two miles. 

In this section I highlight two important race trials that have been key pieces of form analysis for the Champion Hurdle in the past ten years. This year’s race is proving to be a tough nut to crack for many punters but there are two trials that need to be taken seriously above the others. The two trials below are responsible for eight of the past ten winners of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

With each of the two trials, I have found it important to add small race analysis to ensure that the bare form and the result of the race can be relied upon. Keep your eyes peeled for the stats and trends I have produced on the race too, which will be out later this week.  

Which races?

•    Christmas Hurdle Kempton in December
•    Irish Champion Hurdle Leopardstown in February 

Christmas Hurdle Grade 1 – Kempton

Oh she's very good!

Epatante scampers clear to land the G1 Christmas Hurdle for @sevenbarrows & @BarryJGeraghty in impression fashion

Four wins from five starts in Britain, she looks a serious Champion Hurdle contender at the @CheltenhamRaces Festival in March pic.twitter.com/muKPApueRI

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 26, 2019

Analysis:  

Nicky Henderson saddled the red hot favourite in Fussil Raffles as well as runners in Verdana Blue and Epatante to try and carve out his leading Champion Hurdle contender for 2020 and there was no doubt after the race, as Epatante ran out a very comfortable winner of the Christmas Hurdle by five lengths. 

The mare travelled well throughout the race, before taking an enthusiastic pull of her jockey’s arms turning into the home straight, which suggested that the pace was not a ferocious one. She came five-wide around the bend turning for home losing her track position before travelling down to the second last on the bridle having all of her rivals hard at work. She jumped her hurdles with accuracy, speed and fluency almost emulating her injured stable mate and two time Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D’Air. Approaching the last hurdle she bounded clear and her potent turn of foot was visible for all to see running out an impressive five length winner with ultimate ease over 2019 Champion Hurdle third, Silver Streak, who gives a solid and reliable look to the form.

While there seem to be no obvious excuses for the majority of the runners in the field, Fussil Raffles did stop quickly before the second last and that must be noted. Last year’s winner Verdana Blue travelled well into contention before fading on her first start of the season on unfavourable ground and a case can be made that she did not run up to her current rating.

How does the winner rate for Cheltenham glory?

At this current stage, with the Champion Hurdle looking the weakest renewal for some time, Epatante must rate a leading contender for the race in March. Bookmakers across the country slashed her odds from 25/1 giving quotes as short as 3/1 in places immediately after the race. She is now a best price at 10/3 and is the current favourite for the race. 

Her turn of foot is a potent weapon that has rarely been seen in this division so far this season and Epatante will benefit from the 7lb mares allowance at the festival giving her a worthy favourites status. She has one blip on her impressive CV to date and that came in last year’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham where she was a well fancied 15/8 favourite. Her flu jab prior to the race and first time headgear has been given as a valid excuse for that performance and she rates an exciting prospect, even though plenty aren’t convinced.

Recent winners: 

The Christmas Hurdle has proven to be an excellent trial for the Champion Hurdle in years gone by and is without a doubt the best trial for the race in Britain. A race that has had a typically competitive renewal each season and the Christmas Hurdle is another race in the December period that has been used as a springboard into the Cheltenham Festival for trainer Nicky Henderson who has won the race seven times in the last ten years. 

Binocular, Faugheen and Buveur D’Air all went on to win the Champion Hurdle after landing the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. 

My Tent Or Yours went on to finish runner-up after winning the race for Nicky Henderson in 2013. In 2011 Rock On Ruby could only manage a runner-up effort to Binocular in a thrilling finish but managed to win the Champion Hurdle in 2012 confirming the form with third placed horse, Overturn. Buveur D’Air was narrowly beaten in 2018 by stable mate Verdana Blue and the two-time Champion Hurdler fell in the 2019 edition when bidding for a three-timer.

Winners Produced: 4 

Irish Champion Hurdle Grade 1 – Leopardstown

Worth another watch

The new First Lady of Irish Racing - Honeysuckle winning today's Grade One PCI Irish Champion Hurdle @LeopardstownRC @rachaelblackmor @HenrydeBromhead #DublinRacingFestival pic.twitter.com/c6qn16hAGI

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 1, 2020

Analysis:  

Honeysuckle ran out a good winner of the Irish Champion hurdle after showing guts and determination to out-battle her rivals on the run in. Outsider Darver Star ran an excellent race to finish second on his first start outside of Novice Company and Petit Mouchoir showed the fire still burns inside with a battling performance to finish third, but no less than one length behind winner Honeysuckle.

The contest was billed as a two horse race, with the market favouring Honeysuckle on her first attempt at two miles in open company. She would also go on to prove her doubters wrong by going left handed for the first time under rules. 

Petit Mouchoir took the field along with an uncontested lead as the well supported 8/11f Honeysuckle travelled in behind her until out-jumped by market rival and proven Grade One performer Sharjah. Honeysuckle regained her position on the flat and jumped fluently at the half-way stage having warmed to the task. Most of the field were travelling comfortably on the turn out of the back straight and it was only Supasundae who was struggling to go the pace at this stage. Jumping the second last hurdle, all but Honeysuckle were rowing away on their mounts with the mare travelling much the best of the field and when jockey Rachael Blackmore got more animated and asked Honeysuckle to quicken up, she got to the leader within a few strides. 

Honeysuckle took up the running approaching the final flight by two lengths but put in a slow and awkward leap to allow the rallying Petit Mouchoir to get back on terms but inside the final one hundred yards Honeysuckle pulled out extra in gutsy fashion to hold the valiant and closing runner-up Darver Star who came with a late sustained run as Petit Mouchoir faded.

The well-supported Sharjah failed to deliver under optimum conditions and there seemed to be no obvious excuses and Darver Star took a significant step forward on his first start out of Novice Company, while Petit Mouchoir has now run to a similar level in his last three starts and looks a solid yard stick to rate the form around.

How does the winner rate for Cheltenham glory?

Honeysuckle has other options at the Cheltenham Festival but some bookmakers cut her into 7/2 after this run. Many thought that she would be a strong favourite for the Champion Hurdle after this victory but that doesn’t seem to be the case at the moment. She is now a best price of 10/1, with the Mares route looking more likely but some firms are still taking no risks, pricing her up as short as 9/2. 

She always looked to be travelling a yard quicker than she would have liked to and there is probably little doubt that her class got her through this race which enhances the weakness in this division at current times. Her jumping doesn’t scream Champion Hurdle winner and at times and can be a bit bold and untidy. She showed class, grit and determination here though and put an end to many other Champion Hurdle aspirations in the field. It’s likely her best trip is over 2m4f on the basis of this evidence but the undulating Cheltenham track with a stiff finish may play to her strengths and she has every right to be towards the top of the market.

Recent winners: 

The best of the Irish trials has proven to be the Irish Champion Hurdle, and sensational five time back-to-back winner Hurricane Fly went on to land the Champion Hurdle in 2011 and 2013 at the Cheltenham Festival.

 Jetzki could only manage fourth in the 2014 renewal of the Irish Champion Hurdle but reversed form with Hurricane Fly at the Cheltenham Festival just one month later to gain revenge and become the 2014 Champion Hurdler at Cheltenham. 

In 2015 Hurricane Fly touched off Arctic Fire in a race to savour but they both fell victim to Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle winner Faugheen finishing second and third in March.

The 2017 Irish Champion Hurdle winner Petit Mouchoir went on to finish third at the Cheltenham Festival later that year and the 2018 and 2019 renewals of the race produced horses that would go on to place at the showcase meeting in Britain giving the race as a whole an overall solid look of a key trial.

Winners Produced: 4 

Who to take from the trials?

Considering both of the runners Epatante and Honeysuckle now sit at the head of affairs in the Champion Hurdle market it’s a tough choice. However, the turn of foot showed by Epatante at Kempton is not easily forgotten and her hurdling ability far out ways that of Honeysuckle at this stage, but both horses come into the Champion Hurdle with slight negatives. Honeysuckle may well go down the Mares' route, but should still have a part to play if connections side with the Champion Hurdle. 

At a push I would have to side with Epatante who is progressing very nicely this season with each start and it is unlikely we have seen the best of her yet. She possesses that deadly turn of foot which could prove the difference on the day. Both mares are entitled to plenty of respect in what is far from a vintage renewal of the Champion Hurdle.

Just 28 days until #CheltenhamFestival.

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— Oddschecker (@Oddschecker) February 11, 2020

 

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