CHAMPION HURDLE
Tuesday 12th March, 3:30pm
State Man @ 1/3
Irish Point @ 6/1
Iberico Lord @ 9/1
Zarak The Brave @ 16/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
RACE
A Constitution Hill-less Champion Hurdle is as big a disappointment as there’s been for some time at the Festival where a box-office re-match with 2023 runner-up State Man was so hotly-anticipated. Although not viewed with quite the same level of invincibility as the flawless absentee, State Man’s opponents are most likely chasing a place in this year’s race (3-30).
MARKET
Irish Point has looked best over further than two-miles and without stablemate Teahupoo might have contested the Stayers.
Iberico Lord is especially intriguing having been an £18,000 late entry after major handicap successes at Cheltenham and Newbury. Ratings-wise he is up against it, however the form of those two races is some of the best of the season – underlined by the first two in the Imperial Cup – and it’s been done before, plus he’s under the care of Nicky Henderson, the most successful trainer in the race’s history.
Evergreen veteran Not So Sleepy will revel in conditions. The likeable Nemean Lion was fifth in Cheltenham’s Greatwood Hurdle, and is another to have franked the Iberico Lord form and he’ll stay every yard well.
Colonel Mustard has twice got within hailing distance of State Man – hailing distance – notably when they were first and third in the 2022 County Hurdle.
CORNELIUS’ QUARTET
Of the large Team Mullins contingent in the Supreme (1-30) – does its size mean no superstar? – I’m with Annie Power’s lad Mystical Power after a success at Punchestown which came rather despite himself. Elsewhere, the Favour And Fortune odds could possibly be on the big side.
If the Supreme is open, the Arkle (2-10) is even more so, and one-time Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios has slightly gone under the radar in the build-up, but he was brilliant last time and could outjump the rest.
Kim Bailey has been quiet of late but his best horses have been going fine, including both Chianti Classico and Trelawne, the stable’s runners in the Ultima (2-50). They each have decent shouts, but the former jumps and stays like a real pro.
For the Fred Winter (4-50), I’ve used some of the recommendations in TheRacingApp-sponsored Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide (ex-French, three runs, competed at Graded level) to go with first-time tongue-tied Nara at an each-way price in a characteristically labyrinthine race.
THE WINNER
I’m hoping Iberico Lord can repeat the favour he did his column at Newbury – each-way.
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