Date: Tuesday 10th March 2026
This year’s Champion Hurdle has a different shape to the usual championship race, but the core themes still stand up. High class, a strong recent run, plenty of hurdle experience and a horse in that prime age bracket remain the key ingredients.
Mares have continued to have a huge influence on this race and that trend is impossible to ignore once again. Cheltenham form also remains a major positive, especially in a year where a few of the established stars came here with questions to answer.
Using the Turf Talk approach, these are the three that come out best.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| Lossiemouth | 225 |
| Brighterdaysahead | 217 |
| Golden Ace | 209 |
| The New Lion | 198 |
| Poniros | 186 |
| Tutti Quanti | 174 |
| Anzadam | 166 |
The ratings again place strong emphasis on official class, previous Cheltenham form, recent run timing and whether the horse already looks a genuine Champion Hurdle performer rather than simply a smart hurdler.
MAIN SELECTION
Lossiemouth (5/2 available)
She comes out top on the ratings and looks to have the strongest overall profile in the race.
The mare trend remains a huge positive, she has the class, the right age and arrives from the yard that continues to dominate these championship events. She also brings previous Festival form and that is always a major plus in a race like this.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Brighterdaysahead (9/2 available)
The obvious danger and another mare who fits plenty of the strongest current trends.
She has top-class form, the right age and arrives here off a major run in the Irish Champion Hurdle. If she transfers that level of form back to Cheltenham, she is a serious threat to the selection.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
Golden Ace (13/2 available)
The defending winner has to be respected and once again makes the shortlist on the ratings.
She has Cheltenham form in abundance and course specialists are always worth extra credit in championship races. She may need a little more luck than the top two, but she still looks capable of going close.
SUMMARY
Lossiemouth tops the ratings and gets the vote, with Brighterdaysahead the biggest danger and Golden Ace another mare who still makes huge appeal in a race where the female angle has remained very strong.
