CHAMPION HURDLE 2 MILES 110YDS, GRADE 1, 5YO + RACE HISTORY The highlight on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival and the race that decides the bragging rights for the hurdling division. There have been many famous battles fought out in the race over the last few decades especially so during the 70's when the likes of Monskfield, Night Nurse and Comedy of Errors regularly slugged it out with each other. Some of the great names in hurdling have won mutliple Champion Hurdle titles (Hattons Grace, Sir Ken, Persian War, See You Then, Istabraaq, ) which all goes to make the Champion Hurdle a race to savour. RECENT TRENDS Killer stat: All of the last 21 winners had run since Christmas (19/21 within the last 51 days) Age • 2008 winner Katchit is the only 5-y-o winner since See You Then in 1985 • Since 1951 there have only been 4 winners aged 9 or over • 17 of the last 20 winners were aged 6-8 Betting • 16 of the last 19 winners returned 11/1 or under • 9 of the last 19 favourites have won Class • 17 of the last 19 winners had won a Grade 1 hurdle or a Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle • 14 of the last 19 winners had won a Grade 1 or 2 hurdle that season Distance • All of the last 19 winners had won at 2m-2m1f Previous runs • 13 of the last 14 winners finished in the top 3 on their previous start (2014 was 4th) • All of the last 14 winners had finished in the top 4 on both their previous starts (when completing) • 11 of the last 12 winners had run 12 or fewer times over hurdles • 18 of the last 20 winners had been placed at the previous Cheltenham Festival Interesting Fact : Only 2 winners (Binocular & Jezki) had finished outside the top 3 in any completed start for that season. Interesting Fact 2: No reigning Supreme Novice Hurdle winner has won the Champion Hurdle since 1971. 2006 – 2018 PAST WINNERS Year Form Horse Hurdle Runs Age Weight Odds Trainer 2018 11-111 BUVEUR D'AIR 10 7 11-10 4/6F N. HENDERSON 2017 31-111 BUVEUR D'AIR 5 6 11-10 5/1 N. HENDERSON 2016 /1F-11 ANNIE POWER 12 8 11-03 5/2F W. MULLINS 2015 111-111 FAUGHEEN 7 7 11-10 4/5F W. MULLINS 2014 31-1124 JEZKI 10 6 11-10 9/1 MrsJ.HARRINGTON 2013 31-1111 HURRICANE FLY 19 9 11-10 13/8F W. MULLINS 2012 1223-12 ROCK ON RUBY 6 7 11-10 11/1 P. NICHOLLS 2011 131-111 HURRICANE FLY 11 7 11-10 11/4F W. MULLINS 2010 113-531 BINOCULAR 10 6 11-10 9/1 N. HENDERSON 2009 31/IF3 PUNJABI 12 6 11-10 22/1 N. HENDERSON 2008 -1321 KATCHIT 12 5 11-10 10/1 A. KING 2007 444-1 SUBLIMITY 5 7 11-10 16/1 J. CARR 2006 11311 BRAVE INCA 20 8 11-10 7/4F C. MURPHY HOW THE LAST 12 WINNERS FITTED THE TOP TRENDS Run since Won at 2m- Top 3 last 7+ hurdle Won graded Christmas 2m1f time out runs race 2018 P P P P P 2017 P P P X P 2016 P P P P P 2015 P P P P P 2014 P P X P P 2013 P P P P P 2012 P P P X P 2011 P P P P P 2010 P P P P P 2009 P P P P P 2008 P P P P P 2007 P P P X X 55/60 (92%) trends score. 8 out of the last 12 years (67%) all 5 trends passed TOP TREND COMBO'S • 11 of the last 12 winners had run since Christmas finishing top 3 last time out. AVERAGE JOE – THE AVERAGE PROFILE OF THE WINNER AGE WEIGHT POSITION RUNS THAT DAYS SINCE NUMBER OF HURDLE ODDS LAST TIME SEASON LAST RUN RUNS 7 11 – 10 1 3 41 12 13 – 2 THE RANGE – SMALLEST & LARGEST FIGURE FOR LAST 12 RUNNINGS AGE RANGE 5 – 9YO HURDLE RUNS 5 – 20 LAST RUN 1 – 4 DAYS SINCE RUN 24 – 78 WEIGHT 11-10 ODDS 4/6 – 22/1 TRAINER RECORDS ( RUNNERS – WINS – PLACED) (Last years runners – 11 ran) Mrs J.HARRINGTON 5 1 1 A. KING 9 1 0 5TH C. MURPHY 4 1 2 N. TWISTON-DAVIES 6 0 2 P.NICHOLLS 8 1 1 N. HENDERSON 26 4 8 1ST-PU N. MEADE 7 0 1 W. MULLINS 20 4 5 2ND-6TH-7TH-PU IRISH TRAINED RUNNERS 69 RUNNERS 8 WINS 11 PLACED (-£23.07) AGE OF THE WINNER (WINS / PLACES / NUMBER OF RUNNERS) 5yo (1/6/37) 6yo (4/9/47) 7yo (5/4/33) 8yo (3/4/26) 9yo (1/3/11) 10yo+(0/2/19) COUNTRY OF ORIGIN (RUNNERS WINNERS PLACED % WIN & PLACE) to No. of Runners / No. of Places (42) GB Bred 27 1 5 22.2% 14.3% Irish Bred 87 9 15 27.6% 57.1% French Bred 50 4 7 22% 26.2% German Bred 3 0 1 33.3% 2.4% Other 6 0 0 0% 0% HOW THE FAVOURITES FARED Favourites finishing position: 1-1-6-0-3-0-1-3-1-4-1-1-D-1 To £1 Level Stake: +£4.35 Position of winner in market: 1-1-6-5-9-7-1-4-1-5-1-1-2-1 RACE TRIAL TOP TRIAL: BHP Champion Hurdle. Leopardstown Grade 1 (11104514006131433) 2019 RESULT: February 2ND 1ST: APPLES JADE 8/11F 2ND: SUPASUNDAE 4/1 3RD: PETIT MOUCHOIR 12/1 RACE ANALYSIS AND SELECTIONS We have a very intriguing and open renewal this year but the main trends are of little help as the whole field pretty much pass them all. 5yo's have tended to struggle in the Champion Hurdle though (Espoir D'Allen) as have those racing at the Festival for the first time (Silver Streak & Global Citizen) and those without a win already this Season (Melon). The vast maJority of winners had run in the last 50 days (Sharjah & Brain Power haven't) and those having last raced on the all weather/flat have a dreadful record at the Festival (Verdana Blue). Which is a rather long winded way of saying the race looks to revolve around the top 3 in the betting. Last years winner Buveur D'Air and the two mares who receive 7lb's, Apples Jade and Laurina. Very little splits them but his win in the Fighting Fifth was so impressive that I have to make Nicky Henderson's reigning Champion the... LIKELIEST TRENDS WINNER: BUVEUR D'AIR NAG RATING APPLES JADE 94 BUVEUR D'AIR 93 LAURINA 92 MELON 91 SHARJAH 91.