The Cheltenham Festival is right around the corner, which means we are days away from some Championship Races. The Champion Hurdle is the first of five huge events during the festival, and the race takes place on Tuesday, March 11. Set your alarms now to avoid missing the start of the race at 4:00 pm.
This event is the final leg of the Triple Crown, making it the most prestigious hurdling event in the National Hunt calendar. The race features a competitive field by its previous standards, including returning champion State Man, unbeaten mare Brighterdaysahead, and the promising Lossiemouth. Constitution Hill is the most exciting entrant after missing out last year. He looks to win on his second appearance after victory in 2023. It looks like the changes at Cheltenham in 2025 are already delivering.
Champion Hurdle Preview
The Champion Hurdle is run over 2m with eight hurdles. It is one of the most lucrative races in the National Hunt calendar, with the 2024 renewal boasting a £465,750 purse. That included an eye-watering £262,078 for the winner, State Man, and we expect a similar kitty this year. This race has lost some of its lustre because of a lack of competition in recent years, with the three previous winners entering the event as the odds-on favourite. Constitution Hill enters as the bookies’ favourite this year, but there will be far more competition behind him in 2025.
Nicky Henderson’s charge has faced some setbacks this season. Once considered one of the greatest two-mile hurdlers in the world, he went through a colic scare, a breathing operation, and disappointing performances that raised doubts about his future. However, he bolted up to defeat Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle and looked back to his best. He recovered from a mistake in the International Hurdle to win on this course in January and looks in great form heading into the Champions Hurdle.
Brighterdaysahead has emerged as a contender in the division. Gordon Elliott’s entry could be the primary competition for Constitution Hill in this race. Elliott has confirmed her for the Champion Hurdle and a 7lb mares allowance gives her some swing in the horse racing betting. She has victories ahead of last year’s winner, State Man, and is undoubtedly the main threat to Constitution Hill.
Willie Mullins has a pair of strong runners in this race, starting with Lossiemouth. She was well beaten when finishing second behind Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton before falling in the Irish Champion Hurdle. She won the Mares’ Hurdle easily at this meeting last year and it would not be a surprise to see Mullins make a U-Turn and have her defend her title.
State Man arrives for his defence after winning the Irish Champion Hurdle a month ago. He was gifted that victory following Lossiemouth’s fall and his win in this race last year has somewhat of an asterisk next to it following Constitution Hill’s omission. This is a chance to prove that was not a fluke.
There are a couple more interesting entries in this race, the first is Burdett Road. He picked up an impressive win at the Greatwood Hurdle before his appearance at the Kingwell, where he met Golden Ace. She won the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton and is usually a smooth traveller. However, she won the Mares’ Novice Hurdle last year and Jeremy Scott may enter her once again with a great opportunity at defending. Both come in with place shouts should they run the Champion Hurdle.
As this is the first feature race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, expect a lot of changes between now and a couple of hours before the start. Each trainer will have multiple entries in every major event and some will not make it to the start line. That is why we will update our Champions Hurdle predictions with the latest information until the start of the race. Plus, you can check the Cheltenham 2025 race schedule to stay on top of the other events.
Champion Hurdle Predictions
Winner: Constitution Hill
Realistically, the biggest battle here is between Brighterdaysahead and Constitution Hill. The latter is arguably the greatest hurdler we have ever seen. He went through various trials and tribulations in 2024 but has recovered recently. Our Champion Hurdle prediction is for Constitution Hill to take the win. However, if anyone is waiting in the wings looking to take advantage of that form, it is Brighterdaysahead.
The only blemish on her record is a second-place finish in the Mares’ last year. She has been kept to trips around 2m ever since. Gordon Elliott’s mare has excelled and picked up nine victories from ten races, including an incredible 30L win in the Neville Hotels Hurdle at Leopardstown in December. She’s won all three of her Grade One races and has finished ahead of four Grade One winners. Add on a 7lb allowance and everything could line up well for her here.
Lossiemouth is in with a shout here and is another one not to be ruled out. Many expected Mullins to enter her in the Mares’, but her training over the last two years has been for this race. However, she already has a loss behind Constitution Hill and her fall in the Irish Champion Hurdle has done nothing to help her hopes. Place claims are as much as we can look for if you are betting on this horse race.
State Man bids to defend his title after winning here last season. That was a much weaker field than this renewal and he is another to have a loss behind Constitution Hill on his record already. Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead both have a 7lb allowance over the 10/1 shot and he may fall out of the places this time around.
This should not be as tough as it seems given Constitution Hill’s ability as the greatest hurdler in the world. His omission last season meant a race of much lower quality and you could confidently predict him winning that one at a gallop. Although his worst days look behind him after his operations, there is enough doubt in there to see Brighterdaysahead go off below 2/1.
However, Constitution Hill’s record precedes him. He is undefeated over hurdles with victories over 10 Grade One winners. There are some huge names on that resume, having beaten: Jonbon, Kilcruit, Epatante, Not So Sleepy, Voix De Reve, Sceau Royal, State Man, Vauban, Sharjah, and Lossiemouth. We predict a second Champion Hurdle triumph for Nicky Henderson’s charge.
Champion Hurdle Betting Tips
Constitution Hill is the odds-on favourite for his second Champion Hurdle. Matt Chapman recently referred to him as ‘the Frankel of jumps’ and it is hard to disagree. He is the best hurdler in the world right now and, if you get in early at our online bookmaker, 4/6 may look like a huge price by the time this race goes off.
Nobody should discount Brighterdaysahead. The fact she is a 2/1 second favourite against the best hurdler in the world tells you of her ability on its own. Of the three betting favourites immediately below Constitution Hill, Brighterdaysahead is the only runner he is yet to run against (and defeat). If anyone is going to take this race by the scruff of the neck and grind out a win against the number one, it is Brighterdaysahead.
Lossiemouth is the third favourite at 11/2. Her 7lb allowance gives her a hand over State Man behind her, but it is hard to get past her fall in the Irish Champion Hurdle. Those odds aren’t wide enough to justify a place bet, especially considering the front two in this race. We think there are more interesting betting opportunities in this race.
Burdett Road and Golden Ace had some impressive performances at the tail end of 2024. Golden Ace’s Kingwell Hurdle triumph came against Burdett Road and followed from her win in the Mares’ Hurdle here last year. However, it seems trainer Jeremy Scott is edging towards a reappearance in that renewal this year. If she doesn’t appear, we like an each-way bet on Burdett Road at a big 40/1.
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