The main race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival is the Stan James Champion Hurdle. The Grade 1 race is run over 2 miles to find out who the best hurdler of the year is. The Irish have dominated this race with victories in the last four renewals but the Brits are out in force to regain the crown this year.
2017 Champion Hurdle – Recent Winners
2016 – Annie Power 5/2F
2015 – Faugheen 4/5F
2014 – Jezki 9/1
2013 – Hurricane Fly 13/8F
2012 – Rock on Ruby 11/1
2011 – Hurricane Fly 11/4F
2010 – Binocular 9/1
2009 – Punjabi 22/1
2008 – Katchit 10/1
2007 – Sublimity 16/1
Guide
With a number of high profile absentees not least the last two winners of the race there is a much more open feel to the 2017 renewal and a week before the event bookmakers are still going 7/2 the field.
Will it be Yanworth’s time to power up the famous hill for glory for Alan King or will Nicky Henderson nail this race for an amazing sixth time with Buveur Dair or Brain Power? Perhaps the Irish will have a say in the race in the form of Henry de Bromhead’s Petit Mouchoir or Vroum Vroum Mag from the Willie Mullins stable that has saddled the last two winners?
Betting
Whilst this looks to be the weakest renewal for many a year, it also means it’s likely to be the most open. There are 12 horses lining up in this and I’m sure connections of every one will fancy their chances to some degree.
The Favourites
The market is headed by Alan King’s Yanworth, a winner of 7 of his 8 starts over hurdles. His only blip came in last year’s Neptune when going down by just under 2 lengths to Yorkhill. He’s not the most fluent of hurdlers and ideally needs a stiffer test of stamina so his position at the head of the market is surely more related to the quality of the opposition rather than his own credentials. I also can’t away from the fact he would almost certainly be going for the Stayers Hurdle if JP McManus didn’t have the red hot favourite in that race. Admittedly, he has solid form in top hurdle races and will likely be thereabouts at the business end but I cannot be wading in at the generally available 3/1.
Nicky Henderson has 3 of the 12 entries and I think he holds the key to the race. Buveur D’Air is currently 2nd favourite for the race and he’s a horse I backed last year when he finished 3rd in the Supreme behind Altior and Min. He’s a very slick hurdler and that’s a bonus here but I do feel he’s more of an Aintree type. It is interesting that he’s been switched back to the smaller obstacles after a couple of wins over fences in novice chases and it might pay off. However, the one thing that really puts me off is the likely going. It’s no secret he much prefers soft ground and whilst good to soft should be fine, any edge he had disappears.
Contenders
Instead, I like the chances of the progressive Brain Power who is aiming to shatter the trends by stepping up from handicap company and coming here off the back of a 87 day absence. He’s a strong traveller with a high cruising speed and the faster they go, the better. I’m hoping the presence of Petit Mouchoir will help on that front. Brain Power has won his last 2 races, both handicaps, but couldn’t have been more impressive last time out. The key is good ground which is looking increasingly likely and I expect to shorten up in the betting now the rain is expected to stay away. There is a question mark over the track but assuming he handles it well enough, the 15/2 available appears generous in this weak looking renewal.
The last of Henderson’s trio is last year’s runner up My Tent Or Yours. Now a 10 year old, his best days are surely behind him and whilst his liking for this race (2nd also in 2014), it may be better to look elsewhere. That comment can also be applied to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ entry, The New One. He’s finished in the top 5 in the last 3 runnings of this, but never better than 3rd. He is 4 times the price today than he has been in his last 3 attempts and that probably sums up his chances.
At the other end of the scale is David Pipe’s Moon Racer. A former Festival winner when landing the Bumper in 2015, Moon Racer is the most inexperienced hurder in the field having had just 2 runs over jumps. He’s been off the track for 4 months and his trainer has already come out and said he’d have liked to have got another run in before this. I’m in the camp of “should have gone for the Supreme” and whilst the opposition isn’t the strongest, he’s not the one for me.
The Irish challenge is weak looking with only Petit Mouchoir appearing in the top half of the market. He’s won his last 2 including the Irish Champion and is the likely pace pusher here. I’m not sure this track suits and whilst he has some good form in the book, I’d put him more in the Aintree category. Willie Mullins relies on Footpad and Wicklow Brave but 20/1 and 28/1 sum up their chances and they don’t have the required form or scope for improvement needed to win this.
Ch’Tibello, Sceaux Royal and Cyrus Darius make up the field and, to me, they’ll be merely making up the numbers.
Brain Power is the selection, with Yanworth and Buveur D’Air the most likely challengers.
Tips
Back Brain Power to win for a 1/10 stake at 8.50 Paddy Power BOG
Back it here:
Back Brain Power to finish in the top 3 for a 2/10 stake at 2.75 Betfair Sportsbook
Back it here:
2017 Champion Hurdle – Bookies Offers
BETFAIR
NEW CUSTOMERS – DAY ONE
YANWORTH TO WIN THE CHAMPION HURDLE – A HUGE 20/1
OFFER ENDS – TUESDAY 14th MARCH AT 15.30.
Click on the image to open an account with Betfair and back Yanworth. See Betfair for full details.
PADDY POWER
NEW CUSTOMERS – DAY ONE
YANWORTH TO WIN THE CHAMPION HURDLE – A HUGE 20/1
OFFER ENDS – TUESDAY 14th MARCH AT 15.30.
Click on the image to open an account with Paddy Power and back Yanworth. See Paddy Power for full details.
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