The Champion Hurdle is the big feature race of the first day of Cheltenham 2017 and last year we saw Annie Power go into the history books as the first mare since the mid-nineties to land the race win. This year’s renewal has been dealt a bit of blow, particularly for Willie Mullins who has seen both Annie Power and Faugheen have to withdraw from the race because of injury. So while punters will be looking at this year’s race as being a little under the quality that it could have been, there is still a fascinating race in prospect for the prestigious prize.
Running at the head of the market with SkyBet is Yanworth at 7/2 who was up in the Neptune in last season’s festival, but couldn’t deliver the goods as he missed out to Yorkhill. However, he has been trucking along well this season, winning the Ascot Hurdle and then a very, very tough staying challenge in hanging in there for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. He is a little more favourable over another half a mile distance than what the Champion Hurdle offers, but still, he beat two of his Champion Hurdle in that Christmas Hurdle slog.
So he is up as favourite for this one and the two challengers that Yanworth beat at Kempton was The New One and My Tent Or Yours. These are back for another shot at the champion Hurdle after a showing last year, but the latter looks really out of contention in this one. Nicky Henderson has him back fit again after a year long injury but he isn’t the horse that he was before all of that and that is why you can see the big price on him. As for The New One, he won his other two outings this season and after collecting his third win on the trot in the Champion Hurdle trial, and the quality is there and so is the value in his market price at 14/1 for an each way punt.
Petit Mouchoir has been backed heavily into a price of 6/1 but a recent jumping error at Newcastle cost him a Grade 1 title, but he did snap back to win the Betfair Hurdle in the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown. He will be fearless about going out and setting the pace in this one and after that surprise victory over Nichols Canyon at the Betfair Hurdle, punters have taken more and more notice of his chances at Cheltenham. Brain Power has overcome high weights recently for a couple of good wins and the good ground at Cheltenham could pull him into the picture. There’s a rapidly improving horse right there.
So the interesting inclusion here is Buveur D’Air for Nicky Henderson. When Annie Power and Faugheen were pulled from the challenge this season, Henderson routed Buveur D’Air from his novice chasing route into the Champion Hurdle. That speaks volumes that he should be in the mix in this one and he has put together an unbeaten season as well. He was in the Supreme Novices last year and finished third behind top runners Altior and Min and don’t forget that he did hold off Petit Mouchoir to win the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle last season.
So even though the stars in Faugheen and Annie Power are missing, you have a pretty interesting set up here. Yanworth hasn’t been looking unbeatable and it all just leads to a massively competitive race this season and that’s without even touching on the likes of Vroum Vroum Mag and Limini who could pose some dangers through the field. This could be a cracking feature race on Tuesday, March 14th.
Champion Hurdle 2017 Odds
Yanworth 7/2, Buveur D’Air 7/2, Limini 9/2, Petit Mouchoir 6/1, Brain Power 7/1, Moon Racer 10/1, Vroum Vroum Mag 10/1, Tombstone 12/1, The New One 14/1, Jezki 14/1, Footpad 16/1, Nichols Canyon 16/1, bar 20/1.
Champion Hurdle 2017 Odds Prediction
There’s a few routes we are looking at going down in this one. The New One at a price of 14/1 just screams for an each way bet in this one and that has more than enough potential to return something from him. Yanworth doesn’t look a particularly worthy favourite here so Petit Mouchoir looks better value after his surprise Betfair Hurdle win and he has destroyed Nichols Canyon a couple of times now this seaon. But Brain Power is a our tip for this one, he has defied some big weights for some impressive wins this season and if the turf is right underfoot he can take the title.
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