2012 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Betting Preview & Tips

The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 open to horses aged four years and older. It is the biggest hurdle race of the National Hunt season and is the show piece on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. First run in 1927, the Champion Hurdle takes place over a trip of 2m and half a furlong and is currently sponsored by bookmaker Stan James. Five horses have won the race three times, the most recent of these being the Aidan O’Brien trained Istabraq who was successful in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Last year’s Champion Hurdle was won by the Willie Mullins trained Hurricane Fly. The 11/4 favourite ridden by Ruby Walsh took the race by just over a length from Peddlers Cross, with Oscar Whisky back in third. Hurricane Fly is the strong 9/4 favourite for the 2012 renewal.

Champion Hurdle Trends

23 of the last 27 Champion Hurdle winner had won their most recent start.
Since 1985, only one five year old has won the race.
Since 1951, only three winners have been aged older than eight.
7 of the last 12 winners have been trained in Ireland.
16 of the last 22 winners had previously won at Cheltenham.

Champion Hurdle Betting (Prices from William Hill)

Hurricane Fly 9/4
Grandouet 11/2
Spirit Son 8/1
Zarkandar 8/1
Binocular 8/1
Rock On Ruby 10/1
Unaccompanied 12/1
Oscars Well 16/1
Oscar Whisky 16/1
Thousand Stars 20/1

Champion Hurdle Tips

Last year’s winner Hurricane Fly heads the market for this year’s event. Willie Mullins inmate has won his last six starts and must be seriously respected as he goes for back to back wins. The price of 9/4 is a little short at this stage of proceedings however.

Other than Binocular, there are a number of horses competing in the race for the first time and it’s difficult to evaluate just how good they are in comparison to last year’s winner Hurricane Fly. Grandouet warrants his position as second favourite following his wins in the Betfair Hurdle, as well as the International Hurdle. Trainer Nicky Henderson really is a master when it comes to hurdlers and you can be sure that he will have Grandouet spot on come March.

The horse I personally like for this year’s Champion Hurdle is another horse trained by Nicky Henderson, winner of the Champion Hurdle two years ago, Binocular. This eight year old came right back to form last time when beating Celestial Halo in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton. That is the first time I have seen this horse in that kind of form since his Champion Hurdle win and if he turns up to the Festival in that sort of fettle, he can pose a serious threat to Hurricane Fly.

Tipsters Pick: Back Binocular @ 11/2 with bet365