Cheltenham Festival: Champion Hurdle Betting Tips
The Cheltenham Festival roars into life on Tuesday afternoon and the feature race will be the Champion Hurdle.
The Grade 1 contest over two miles could see Dan Skelton securing one of the major Championship races for the first time, with The New Lion a top contender, but he must dent the perfect record of Lossiemouth at this course to do so.
A field of nine will go to post for Tuesday's 16:00 race – here are three to keep in mind, including one at big odds.
NAP: The New Lion @ 11/4
With Lossiemouth declared for this race rather than the defence of her Mares' Hurdle title, The New Lion was usurped as favourite on Sunday by the Willie Mullins-trained mare.
Dan Skelton's charge, a convincing winner at this festival last March in the Turners Novices' Hurdle, has never been defeated when standing up, his only blip coming via a late fall in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November.
He responded by winning here on Trials Day in a race that was marred by the season-ending injury sustained by Sir Gino.
The New Lion picked off Nemean Lion at the end of a slowly-run race and some are ready to write off that form as such. However, rider Harry Skelton appeared determined to get The New Lion to settle and it was an educational contest in which he did well to pick up and win.
With Tutti Quanti supplemented into this race, a generous pace looks assured and that should help The New Lion bring his very best to the table.
This is only his seventh start over hurdles and he could still have plenty of scope for better. He looks the one to be with and the market drift offers a bigger price than anticipated.
Next Best: Brighterdaysahead @ 4/1
Lossiemouth is 4-4 at Cheltenham, three of those wins coming at March festivals, but this is her biggest test as she finally tackles the Champion Hurdle.
She was denied by Brighterdaysahead last month in the Irish Champion Hurdle and connections now reach for a pair of cheekpieces. She may do well for the headgear but Brighterdaysahead is preferred after that DRF win.
Gordon Elliott remains fairly adamant his mare wasn't herself when she floundered in this contest last year and failed to collect despite the falls of Constitution Hill and State Man, as instead it was Golden Ace that made it 2-2 at Cheltenham in March.
That effort from Brighterdaysahead was too poor to be true and after being denied by Lossiemouth at Christmas on seasonal return, ceding fitness and closing up late on behind the winner, she travelled and moved like the best horse in the Irish Champion Hurdle and ultimately won well.
Elliott's confidence in her ability remains steadfast and the Gigginstown-owned mare could reward him with a big run. At worst, she can maintain superiority over Lossiemouth.
Long Shot: Anzadam @ 20/1
Willie Mullins gave a key indication over the weekend that his team are in rude health, the all-time most successful trainer at the Cheltenham Festival pointedly suggesting that punters should give due consideration to some of his perceived second strings, given how well the team have been coming along.
Poniros and Anzadam are his other Champion Hurdle contenders and it is the latter that could be overpriced.
The Authorized gelding was 4-4 prior to this season but has gone 0-3 since, including when second in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and subsequently in a pair of Leopardstown Grade 1s won by Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead.
He wasn't ideally placed in his DRF run, where nothing came from off the pace, but his prior running style does hint that he can finish well from off the speed and, as noted, there seems to be plenty of that in this race.
Patrick Mullins should be playing him to pick up some pieces and a career-best effort could be incoming with Closutton horses generally in much better form now than they were in the first half of the season.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation