Date: Tuesday 11th March 2025
This year’s Champion Hurdle looks deeper than most recent renewals and it asks a slightly different question. The established trends still matter, but a bigger field and a stronger supporting cast make it less of a procession than some of the recent short-priced editions.
Even so, the strongest historical indicators remain high ratings, a recent run, proven Grade 1 hurdle form and usually an unbeaten current-season profile. Those are the factors driving the Turf Talk ratings once again.
These are the three that come out best.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| Constitution Hill | 228 |
| Brighterdaysahead | 217 |
| State Man | 209 |
| Golden Ace | 194 |
| Lossiemouth | 188 |
| Winter Fog | 171 |
| King Of Kingsfield | 163 |
The ratings still lean strongly towards class, recent Grade 1 form and proven Champion Hurdle-standard ability. This remains a race where the elite tend to dominate, even when the market is a little less clear-cut than usual.
MAIN SELECTION
Constitution Hill (8/13 available)
He comes out top on the ratings and, assuming he is fully back to his best, looks the class horse in the race.
He has the Cheltenham form, the rating, the trainer and the overall profile that has dominated this contest for years. The Champion Hurdle usually rewards elite quality and he still looks the runner with most of that on offer.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Brighterdaysahead (4/1 available)
The mare trend makes her impossible to dismiss and she looks the biggest danger.
She has the age, the class and the progressive profile you want for this race, and mares have continued to punch above their weight in the Champion Hurdle era of recent seasons. If the favourite underperforms, she is the one most likely to take advantage.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
State Man (8/1 available)
The defending champion still deserves huge respect despite a slightly less tidy profile than in previous years.
He has the class and the trainer, and his previous win keeps him firmly in the conversation. He does not fit the strongest seasonal trend quite as neatly this time, but he remains too good to leave off the shortlist.
SUMMARY
Constitution Hill tops the ratings and gets the vote, with Brighterdaysahead the biggest danger and State Man still respected as the defending champion.
