Date: Tuesday 16th March 2021
The Champion Hurdle has developed a very clear shape in recent years. You want a horse arriving in form, preferably unbeaten for the season, with a high rating, strong hurdle experience and ideally some previous Cheltenham form.
The mares have also become a major factor in this race and once again they are very much to the fore. Add in the powerhouses of Henderson, Mullins and De Bromhead and the shortlist becomes a little easier to build.
Using the Turf Talk approach, these are the runners that come out strongest.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| Honeysuckle | 224 |
| Epatante | 214 |
| Goshen | 201 |
| Sharjah | 193 |
| Abacadabras | 186 |
| Silver Streak | 174 |
| Aspire Tower | 167 |
The ratings lean heavily on unbeaten current-season form, official class, prior Cheltenham experience and whether the horse has already shown top-level form over hurdles. Those trends have been particularly strong in the modern Champion Hurdle.
MAIN SELECTION
Honeysuckle (6/4 available)
She comes out clear top on the ratings and fits the race trends almost perfectly.
She arrives unbeaten, has the right age profile, the right level of class and looks a mare still progressing. The recent run trend is in her favour and she brings exactly the sort of current-season form that has proved so important in this race.
In a strong renewal she still looks the one to beat.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Epatante (4/1 available)
The defending champion rates as the main danger and is impossible to leave out.
She has the Cheltenham win, the class and the trainer profile, and she fits the age range that has been strongest in recent years. If the main selection fails to fire, she is the one most likely to pick up the pieces.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
Goshen (6/1 available)
The more interesting alternative and one with plenty of raw ability.
He has the engine to be a Champion Hurdle horse and is still improving, but this race usually goes to a horse with a very solid overall profile and proven top-level form. He makes the shortlist on talent alone.
SUMMARY
Honeysuckle tops the ratings and is taken as the main selection, with Epatante and Goshen looking the strongest alternatives in a race that increasingly rewards class, current form and proven hurdling quality. No savers this year. This is one of my bankers of the meeting.
