The 2017 Champion Hurdle

The 14th of March is the date for you diaries for the 2017 running of the Champion Hurdle. The Grade 1 event is open to 4-year-olds and older and is run over 2 miles and 110 yards of the old course with 8 flights of hurdles to be jumped.

As its title suggests, the Champion Hurdle is the most prestigious hurdling event in the National Hunt calendar. Its list of winners features many of the most highly acclaimed hurdlers in the sport's history, and several of these, such as National Spirit, Istabraq, Hatton's Grace, Persian War and Lanzarote, have had races named in their honour.

Recent renewals have been dominated by the Irish, with only Rock On Ruby having won for Britain in the current decade:




The betting for the 2017 renewal is currently dominated by horses in the care of just 2 trainers - Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson, with Alan King's Yanworth also prominent. Here are the Bet365 odds as of August 31st:

Faugheen 2/1
Annie Power 3/1
Altior, Yorkhill 7/1
Apples Jade, Vroum Vroum Mag 8/1
Yanworth, Buveur D'air, Min, Arctic Fire 16/1
20/1 Bar

On paper this looks like being a classic renewal, with the last 2 Champions, Faugheen and Annie Power taking on the very impressive novice winners from the 2016 festival, Altior (Supreme) and Yorkhill (Neptune). With doubts certain to be surrounding Faugheen after his injury, he will be an uneasy favourite until he confirms his wellbeing. At this stage 2/1 makes no appeal, particularly given the fact that owner Rich Ricci has mentioned the World Hurdle as a possibility, given he has such a strong hand in the race. His mares Annie Power and Vroum Vroum Mag would both receive 7lbs from the geldings and clearly Annie Power, the reigning champion, has the better credentials of the 2. Vroum Vroum Mag looks likely to defend her title in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle later the same afternoon. The filly Apple's Jade blew us all away at Aintree and easily followed up at Punchestown - could she end the terrible record of 5YOs in the race?

As ever with the Mullins runners, it is impossible to know which ones might run where and, with that in mind, none of them make ante post appeal.

Far more attractive propositions at this stage are the Nicky Henderson pair. Altior won a strong looking renewal of the Supreme, beating Min hands down with superior acceleration up the hill, with Buveur D'air back in 3rd. At this moment in time I feel he is the biggest threat to Mullins battalions and 7/1 (with 8s available in places) feels a tad generous for a Supreme winner who is unbeaten over hurdles. He looks a very straightforward sort who takes his races well and I can see him going into the big one unbeaten and a lot shorter than 7/1. Buveur D'air franked the form at Aintree where he looked a class act and is worth an early e/w snifter at 16s.

Yanworth will have his supporters but at the moment it is hard to make a case for him reversing the Neptune form with Yorkhill, especially given that one's subsequent exploits. Might Alan King be looking at novice chasing for the strapping son of Norse Dancer?

Beyond that it is difficult to pick anything from left field. Nicky Henderson's 2015 Triumph 1-2-3 will all have another year on their backs but were utterly terrible last season and the master of Seven Barrows will need to work some special magic on Hargam, Peace and Co and Top Notch to get them anywhere near this race. Similar comments apply to Henry De Bromhead's Identity Thief.

At this early stage I would therefore be interested only in backing the Henderson pair - Altior win at 7/1 and Buveur D'air e/w at 16s.

 

I don't believe a decision has been made yet hawkeye. I'd be tempted to start him off in the Fighting Fifth, if he doesn't win they can always turn to novice chasing after that.

 

You're probably right Tam - if the novices go chasing and Mullins' other runners go elsewhere we could end up with a 6 runner race with Faugheen 1/3. That would be disappointing with a capital "D".

 

If the Henderson pair do go novice chasing, and if Faugheen and Annie Power avoid each other, this could be a shocker of a Champion Hurdle.

 

You want to get Harristown entered mate, he might get into the prize money if they all run scared

 

With news that Altior is going novice chasing, this race has now officially descended to the ranks of "which of Willie's will fill the 1-2-3?"

Answers on a postcard please

(I'll go for 1. Annie Power 2. Apple's Jade 3. Petit Mouchoir)