Date: Tuesday 12th March 2024
This year’s Champion Hurdle has taken on a very different look after the late reshuffle at the top of the market, but the core race trends still point towards the same type of horse.
You want class, a big rating, strong recent form and ideally a horse from one of the dominant modern yards. The mare trend is also impossible to ignore, while the champion-in-waiting angle now sits with the market leader.
These are the three that come out strongest on the Turf Talk ratings.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| State Man | 226 |
| Lossiemouth | 218 |
| Irish Point | 206 |
| Iberico Lord | 191 |
| Not So Sleepy | 176 |
| Luccia | 171 |
| Zarak The Brave | 164 |
The ratings once again place strong emphasis on current-season winning form, official class, Cheltenham suitability and stable dominance. Those angles have remained highly reliable in the modern Champion Hurdle.
MAIN SELECTION
State Man (4/5 available)
He comes out top on the ratings and looks the right horse for the race now it has opened up.
He is unbeaten for the season, has the rating, has the trainer and comes here with exactly the sort of profile recent winners have shown. He may not have the aura of some past champions, but on the numbers he is the clear one to beat.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Lossiemouth (4/1 available)
The mare trend points firmly in her direction and she has to be respected.
She has the age, the class and the stable profile, and mares have had a huge say in this race over the last decade. The question is whether this comes a bit soon in this company, but on pure ability she is a major player.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
Irish Point (6/1 available)
The progressive one in the field and a horse who still has a bit of upside.
He has the right level of class, current form and arrives from a strong yard. He is slightly less straightforward than the top pair for this specific test, but he still makes the shortlist comfortably.
SUMMARY
State Man tops the figures and is taken as the main selection, with Lossiemouth and Irish Point looking the strongest alternatives in a Champion Hurdle where the market again appears to have a very firm grip.
