The Champion Hurdle is the highlight of day 1 of the Festival but with the late defection of Binocular the race has lost much of its glamour. Indeed with doubts surrounding the current form of the Philip Hobbs’ yard (no winner in the last fortnight) perhaps the race is not the vintage renewal we all thought it would be?
Current favourite Menorah hasn’t been seen on the track since the International Hurdle back in December and the last horse to win the Champion Hurdle without a run in the year of the race was Granville Again back in 1993. As mentioned previously trainer Philip Hobbs hasn’t had a winner since the Racing Post Chase over a fortnight ago and the form of the stable must be a concern.
That said both trainer and jockey Richard Johnson consider him superior to their previous Champion Hurdle winner Rooster Booster and last year’s Supreme Novice Hurdle winner is a worthy market leader.
Marginal preference is for Irish raider Hurricane Fly who has missed the last couple of Festivals but has been shown himself to be a very high-class performer this year. I don’t think better ground is a concern and I can’t help but think we will see a big run from Dunguib beaten favourite behind Menorah in last year’s Supreme.
Menorah 3/1
Hurricane Fly 7/2
Peddlers Cross 7/2
Oscar Whisky 8
Dunguib 8
Khyber Kim 12
Mille Chief 14
25s bar
The 2010 Champion Bumper winner Cue Card runs in the opening Supreme Novice rather than the Champion and he looks likely to meet a pair of progressive Henderson runners in Sprinter Sacre and Spirit Son. Cue Card may need further in time but he remains a precocious talent although we said much the same about Dunguib last year and the smell of burnt Irish fingers permeated over the Cotswolds for much of the week!
Having hosted a Cheltenham preview evening with David Pipe in London last week the trainer suggested that Cue Card wasn’t at his best when beaten by Menorah in the International Hurdle and of all the horses running at the Festival this is the one that excites him most!
Recession Proof was a game winner of the rearranged Tote Gold Trophy last time and will be attempting to give the north their first win in the race since Arcalis back in 2005. The Irish have won the race seven times in the last decade but Zaidpour was bitterly disappointing last time and the Irish may have to wait till later in the day to break their 2011 Cheltenham duck.
Connections of Medermit have targeted the Arkle as the grey’s Festival target despite winning over half a mile further at Sandown last time. Whether he can cope with Ghizao is another thing, however, as the Paul Nicholls trained runner has looked a future Champion Chaser in his last couple of starts.
Beaten on his chase debut connections insisted he would come on bundles for the experience and Ghizao has looked top drawer in his two subsequent starts. Fog prevented closer examination of his Newbury victory last time but a 4L beating of Captain Chris, who was in receipt of 10lbs, is top class form given the latter’s subsequent efforts and gives him the clear beating of Medermit.
Bensalem has been very well backed for the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap and he was certainly going well when coming down two out in the corresponding race last year. He looked as good as ever when travelling like much the best horse over hurdles at Haydock on desperate ground last time and if jumping with any fluency must go close.
For many people Quevega will be the nap of the meeting as Willie Mullins’ mare chases her third successive win in the Mares’ only event. She has not been seen since beating the aforementioned Bensalem in a 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown last April but her legendary trainer suggests she is bang on course for the Festival with the mares’ race confirmed as her target rather than locking horns with Big Buck’s and stablemates Mourad and Fiveforthree in the World Hurdle.
Sparky May has been a revelation this season for the small yard of Pat Rodford having won her last four starts but this represents another step forward for the mare and she will have to improve again to test Quevega at level weights.
Paul Nicholls has suggested that Definity looks well handicapped for the Centenary Novices’ Chase which closes the opening day. He may not have been suited by the heavy ground at Exeter last time and although he stays further than this extended two-and-a-half miles he ought to have an end to end gallop to bring his stamina into play.
Tullamore Dew has attracted plenty of support in the last week with Nick Gifford’s horses in excellent form and Tharawaat will cross the Irish Sea with plenty of confidence for Grand National winning trainer Gordon Elliot.
Charlie McCann is a senior sports commentator who runs the Media team at BetVictor
