“Champion Hurdle” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Carine06
The Champion Hurdle at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival is looking more open than ever, and horse racing punters who play in the ante-post market aren’t finding it easy this season, as some shock results in autumn and early winter races that have influenced the betting.
Last year’s Champion Hurdle hero Espoir D’Allen sadly won’t be back to defend his crown after an accident at home in Ireland led to him being put down.
Fellow JP McManus-owned horse and dual race winner Buveur D’Air, meanwhile, picked up a nasty freak injury to one of his hooves when going for a hat-trick in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
He is out of action indefinitely and there’s a possibility that we won’t see the Nicky Henderson-trained star on a racecourse again.
Couple these events with disappointing displays from leading Irish contenders, and it’s hard to know where to look.
The Christmas period is sure to prove informative to the Champion Hurdle market and it’s always worth checking today’s horse racing tips to see when and where hopefuls are running.
Seven Barrows handler Henderson is the most successful trainer in this race’s illustrious history. Circumstances force his hand into shuffling his pack of Champion Hurdle possibles.
Fusil Raffles was lightly-raced and ultra-progressive in juvenile company last season, landing the Grade 1 Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.
A rather workmanlike performance from him on his return to action, when just about justifying favouritism in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton, mean his credentials don’t leap off the page.
Depending on the bookmaker, Fusil Raffles is as short as 7/1 and as big as 12/1 for Champion Hurdle glory come the Cheltenham Festival.
Fellow Henderson youngster Pentland Hills, who landed both the Triumph and Anniversary Hurdle races for juveniles last spring, goes in the Grade 2 International Hurdle around Prestbury Park before Christmas. He’s 8/1 to return to the Cheltenham Festival and land the Champion Hurdle.
Good ground mare Verdana Blue has recently gone through the ring at the sales, but remains at Seven Barrows, with powerful new owner Michael Tabor hoping she will defend her Christmas Hurdle crown at Kempton Park.
Epatante, an impressive winner of the Listed intermediate handicap (formerly known as the Gerry Feilden Hurdle) at Newbury, completes a strong two-mile hurdling hand for Henderson.
Irish opposition isn’t looking strong for the Champion Hurdle at this stage. Apple’s Jade has been out of sorts in two outings so far this season, while Supreme winner Klassical Dream disappointed on his reappearance in the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle when turned over by stable companion Saldier.
Klassical Dream heads the market on sufferance because Punchestown conqueror Saldier has had a minor setback, and won’t be out again until after the Christmas period.
Honeysuckle is a very exciting prospect for Henry De Bromhead at 10/1, but all the mare’s form is at Fairyhouse, so she has to prove she can deliver at other racecourses and may stick to racing against her own sex come Cheltenham.