Willie Mullins’ eight-year is now as short as 5/1 for the Championship race on the first day
Willie Mullins’ eight-year is now as short as 5/1 for the Championship race on the first day
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Cilaos Emery has shot to the front of the Champion Hurdle betting after Willie Mullins confirmed he would supplement the eight-year-old for the race.
He wasn’t even in the betting for the race until last week. However, with the news breaking he was returning to hurdles, some bookmakers made installed him as a 20/1 shot. Those prices were quickly snaffled before he ran over the weekend though.
Sent off the 1/4 favourite at Gowran Park on Saturday, he won easily, showing a nice turn of foot and coasting up on the run in.
Bookmakers and punters were both impressed. He is now as short as 5/1 for the Champion Hurdle after his winning return to hurdles. However, if you shop around he is still available at a best price of 8/1 with two firms.
Any double figure prices were gone shortly after the race and over the weekend, 33% of the bets in the market on Oddschecker have been for Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old.
This was his first effort hurdling since December 2017 but he returned to the smaller obstacles in smart fashion.
The fact he is so high up in the market after just one hurdling appearance in over two years speaks volumes of the lack of quality in this year’s Champion Hurdle.
Master trainer, Willie Mullins, clearly senses a brilliant opportunity to land a Championship race and with Benie Des Dieux looking likely to go down the Mares’ route, Cilaos Emery could be his best shot at winning the feature race on Day One of Cheltenham.
He will need to be supplemented for the race, but Willie said after Saturday that he would pay the £22,500 fee so he could run.
Epatante is still the favourite for the race at 10/3 despite plenty of punters not being convinced by Nicky Henderson’s mare.
Henderson also has Pentland Hills (5/1) who hasn’t been at his best so far this season but has had reasonable excuses for both his efforts this season. He should be seen to best effect next month.
Sharjah (14/1) and Supasundae (16/1) both have reasonable claims for the race, whilst connections seem to be siding with the Mares’ for Honeysuckle (10/1).
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