Champion Hurdle tips 2023

The remarkable mare Honeysuckle has form figures of 1/1111/1111/111-11 the last “1” being courtesy of a comeback win in the Hatton's Grace, where she looked better than ever. She is expected to retain the Irish Champion at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, after her easy ten length victory last year. It is not difficult to envisage Honeysuckle going off the shortest-priced favourite in the history of the race and taking her on seems futile.

However, the purpose of this preview is to find an ante-post angle, so here goes. It is a sign of her superiority that Hills already have a “without Honeysuckle” market, a market not usually available until the declarations. Honeysuckle is 8/11 across the boards and I would not suggest backing anything ante-post at odds-on as there is always plenty that can go wrong. I understand that 8/11 is excellent value if she goes off 2/7. Sharjah was runner-up to Honeysuckle in last year’s Champion Hurdle, the middle leg of three defeats by the super mare. It is easy to forget how consistent Sharjah, he’s won six Grade 1s, been runner-up in two Champion Hurdles and would have been champion at Cheltenham and Punchestown last season if it wasn’t for that pesky mare. Sharjah is showing no signs of waning as he’s claimed both the Morgiana and Matheson hurdles this season in the absence of his nemesis, so he has obvious claims of making the frame again. Both of those wins at the expense of Zanahiyr, who at least narrowed the gap when beaten only a neck at Leopardstown last time out.    

Zanahiyr was a top class juvenile last season, although possibly not as good as former stablemate Quilixios, who beat him by 4 ¾ lengths in the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival last year. Quilixios has been runner-up to Teahuppo on both starts this season but is east to see that form reversed on level terms at Cheltenham. Adagio was third in that Triumph Hurdle, runner-up to Quilixios and ahead of Zanahiyr, Haut En Coeleurs, and Tritonic. Adagio had claims as top British juvenile last year, but was beaten by Monmiral at Aintree, who had skipped Cheltenham. Adagio ran a cracking seasonal debut when runner-up in Greatwood Handicap Hurdle in November under top weight. While Monmiral had a shocker in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, neither have been seen out since their seasonal bows. So, all of these five-year-olds have claims, but their supporters will be hoping to buck a trend that has seen only two champions from 108 attempts.

The mare Epatante was defending her crown in last year’s renewal but was put in her place by Honeysuckle at Cheltenham as well as at Punchestown. She has returned in good form this season winning the Grade 1 two-mile Hurdles in Britain. It is good to see her back in form, but the form of those two wins is unlikely to cause even a ripple of concern from across the Irish Sea.

There is little doubt that if there is to be a fairy tale ending this year, it would have to be a win for Tommy’s Oscar, trained on a farm in Northumberland by Ann Hamilton, one of only four horses in the yard. The son of Oscar began the season getting beat in a conditionals’ handicap hurdle at Wetherby. That was followed by another defeat over 2½ miles at Carlisle off [139] but on the back of landing a hat-trick the admirable gelding has improved to a BHA rating of [156] which compares favourably with Epatante before allowing for her mares’ allowance is taken into account. I can’t help the feeling that if Tommy’s Oscar had progressed at a similar level with a bigger yard, he wouldn’t be 50/1. He could be best of the British and if he were to win you can insert your own headline cliché [rags to riches/Cinderalla story/David slays Goliath/Oscar winning performance]. Given the geography it would make sense for him to take in Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle as a trial. 

Which leaves me with Appreciate It, who looked a monster when destroying his rivals over the course and distance in the Supreme Hurdle last year. The Willie Mullins team can at least claim that like Honeysuckle their star is unbeaten over hurdles. The Supreme did fall apart a bit on the day, slower than Honeysuckle and on fresher ground, but his win in the Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Festival could hardly have worked out better on form. Appreciate It was favourite for the Arkle, but he has had a delayed start to the season and Willie Mullins doesn’t want to go to Cheltenham with little experience of fences

Here's what Keith wrote ahead of the Champion Hurdle

EPATANTE – Won this last year and enjoyed an easy win in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November before being beaten at very skinny odds in the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day.

SHARJAR – Runner up to EPATANTE in last year's renewal and proved he was still at the top of his game when winning at Leopardstown in December.

SILVER STREAK – Lowered the colours of EPATANTE in the Christmas Hurdle but well beaten in this race last year.

ASPIRE TOWER – Second the Triumph Hurdle at last year’s festival and has returned this season in great form winning at Down Royal and finishing second to SHARJAR at Leopardstown

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This race is extremely wide open with question marks about most of the principals.

Last year’s winner EPATANTE has plenty of positives despite losing last time, she ticks the box on age and is trained by Nicky Henderson who has an exemplary record in the race but that defeat laast time shows a chink in the armour. SHARJAR trained by Willie Mullins is another in the right hands but at 8 is getting a bit old for this race and his record at Cheltenham leaves a lot to be desired. SILVER STREAK is another 8 year old who has already had a couple attempts at winning this and has fallen short on both occasions. ASPIRE TOWER is a shade on the young side at 5 but his form stacks up well and he represents a bit of value in a tricky renewal and is my ante-post selection for the race.

On the day Keith told our members:

ABRACADABRAS 15:05 Cheltenham 8/1 each way – Not very far behind Shiskin in the Supreme and landed the Morgana in November. Beaten by both HONEYSUCKLE and SHARJAH since but he no back number on return to this course and won't be far away at the finish. Of the big 2 I feel that EPATANTE will have the measure of HONEYSUCKLE.  SILVER STREAK is likely to set a blistering pace and tire up the hill.

How did he do?

ABRACADABRAS – our first faller of the festival, Abracadabras was held up towards rear of mid-division, fell 3rd

On paper this is the most open Champion Hurdle for many a year and it is easy to make a case for and dismiss most of the principal contenders which leaves us nowhere really.

Let’s start eliminating, a line goes through EPATANTE because of the poor record of mares in this race and she has never run at Cheltenham.  PENTLAND HILLS hasn’t won this term although he went very close last time out.

HONEYSUCKLE entered the picture for the Champion Hurdle after two of the main contenders Klassical Keith’s (provisional!) tip is ENVOI ALLEN

Dream and Sadier were ruled out of the race at the beginning of February but she is being eliminated for the same reasons as EPATANTE above and it makes more sense for connections to send her to her original target the Mares Hurdle where she is a live contender.

Which leaves us with the leading novice ENVOI ALLEN who ticks almost every box and as Gordon Elliott doesn’t really have any other live contenders in a race he would dearly love on his CV he is likely to bypass the Ballymore and come straight for the big one.

ENVOI ALLEN is my selection, if he does however go for the Ballymore Hurdle instead, then my alternative is PENTLAND HILLS.

 

Result: In the Champion Hurdle PENTLAND HILLS quite simply was never traveling and finished well down the field.

Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (GBB Race)
Distance: 2m½f (3607 yards) Prize (winner): £189911 Dir: Left Handed
Runners: 10    Going: Soft    Class: Class 1 Grade 1    Age Restrictions: 4yo+
Winners Time: 3 mins 54.63s   Avg OR: 160     Median OR: 160.5

Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
Distance: 2m½f (3607 yards) Prize (winner): £264610 Direction: Left Handed
Runners: 17    Going: Soft    Class: Class 1 Grade 1    Age Restrictions: 4yo+
Winners Time: 4 mins 7.03s   Avg OR: 156     Median OR: 157  

Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
Distance: 2m½f (3607 yards) Prize (winner): £253215 Direction: Left Handed
Runners: 10    Going: Soft    Class: Class 1 Grade 1    Age Restrictions: 4yo+
Winners Time: 3 mins 59.07s   Avg OR: 162     Median OR: 160.5