2026 Champion Hurdle

[Eggs]

Current odds;

The New Lion 4-1
Lossiemouth 5-1
State Man 7-1
Constitution Hill 10-1
Majborough 12-1
20-1 bar

Initial


Initial Entries (13.06.26);
Alexei (Joe Tizzard, Britain)
Anzadam (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Ballyburn (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Brighterdaysahead (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Casheldale Lad (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Constitution Hill (Nicky Henderson, Britain)
El Fabiolo (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Golden Ace (Jeremy Scott, Britain)
Lossiemouth (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Lucky Place (Nicky Henderson, Britain)
Nemean Lion (Kerry Lee, Britain)
Poniros (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Sir Gino (Nicky Henderson, Britain)
The New Lion (Dan Skelton, Britain)
Wilful (Jonjo and AJ O'Neill, Britain)
Workahead (Henry de Bromhead, Ireland)

 

[BuckingThe Trend]

"Edit" needed Eggs. Unless you can tell me where I can get 14/1 on for The New Lion.

 

[Lobos]

Current odds;

The New Lion 4-1
Lossiemouth 5-1
State Man 7-1
Constitution Hill 10-1
Majborough 12-1
20-1 bar

State Man was 14/1 the day after this year's Champion. That was definitely too big.

 

[Guinness Village]

I’ve relented and backed William munny for churdle with betFred 25/1. I originally wasn’t very keen, but logic and reasoning suggest that he could be an improver to pop up in March

 

[Lobos]

I’ve relented and backed William munny for churdle with betFred 25/1. I originally wasn’t very keen, but logic and reasoning suggest that he could be an improver to pop up in March

He must come into calculations

 

[Lobos]

Noticed this morning that Constitution Hill has had a bit of a hair cut with several bookies. As low as 6/1 with the likes of PP. 10/1 only available now with B365, Hills and BV.

 

[Cheltmas]

Cheers for the heads up. I know it’s probably heart ruling the head but I’ve managed to cash out my original bet for full stake now he’s shortened and reinvest at nearly double the odds (with boost)

 

[Yosser]

Just been and pulled the trigger on Con Hill at Hills myself. Last chance saloon but 10/1 i think is reasonable. He has the ability and this is the target. I have done a scummy each way bet on him. Also had a lump on Teahupoo whilst i was there. 6/1 for a horse who's target is guaranteed and will have 1 run before the festival is also fair for his ability. I have been wanting to back Jasmin De Vaux but have held back after his price crashed. He isn't as certain. Wouldn't be the first time Willie sends a small one chasing but i don't think he will, fingers crossed for a defeat first time out the way he warmed into the season last year, it's a possibility.

Edit - Teahupoo and JDV for the Stayers in case anyone thinks i have gone bananas.

 

[Lobos]

I'm very tempted by the 10/1 Constitution Hill as well. Never thought I'd be saying that.
On a collision course with The New Lion in the Fighting 5th. Whoever wins that will be a clear fav for March.

 

[Yosser]

I'm very tempted by the 10/1 Constitution Hill as well. Never thought I'd be saying that.
On a collision course with The New Lion in the Fighting 5th. Whoever wins that will be a clear fav for March.

If both get round with a clear round of jumping, who wins?

That's what I keep going back to. I already know your answer.

 

[Lobos]

If both get round with a clear round of jumping, who wins?

That's what I keep going back to. I already know your answer.

The New One could be a 'Worldy' according to Dan so I wouldn't like to say. CH clearly has it all to prove now. Health, jumping, form, age..........all a concern but if he came back close to his very best then he'd clearly be too good for all of them. He's the best Hurdler I've ever seen and I'm 62 so that's quite a few !!

 

[somer1]

If ya both had followed me in you could be sat on 12s,Even i could see it made sense

 

[Lobos]

If ya both had followed me in you could be sat on 12s,Even i could see it made sense

Odds definitely make sense. Whether he can come back is another thing. Really hope he does. Was odds on to win win this year's CH which says it all.

Have followed you in now cousin Somer

 

[Big Zeb]

Very hard to get these horses back lads, i think C Hill has had his day

 

[riccirich]

The one thing you can cling to if your a con hill fan/backer, is he only actually disappointed once last season if you take out the falls. So it's not as if he was consistently getting stuffed, that only happened once at punchestown, at the end of the season off the back of two falls.

Even if he would have been beaten at Aintree, it wouldn't have been far, and you could point the finger at the jockey on that occasion too. And cheltenham was to early to know how he'd have done. So it's only really one performance that you have to make an excuse for or hope was a once off. Besides that it's just sorting out his jumping. My own feeling is that he is over the hill as I wasn't even really impressed with his best run at Kempton, but I couldn't say it's conclusive yet.

 

[Lobos]

Totally agree RR and that's how I see it. Too early in both the Churdle and Aintree Hurdle to say that he wouldn't have won and the Punchestown run can easily be ignored as his confidence was shot away and he was probably OTT like so many other horses that have not shown their true form there over the years. If anyone can get him back to something like his best it'll be Nicky.

 

[Deleted member 4957]

The one thing you can cling to if your a con hill fan/backer, is he only actually disappointed once last season if you take out the falls.

Is that not the issue though ?
He clearly has something in his head that demands he takes off at the wrong time and in NH racing that’s fatal, he got away with it in The International because of way inferior opposition, in a G1 he won’t let alone a championship race.
Love the horse, been a star and put up some of the best performances of recent years, but I could have a penny on him going forward….

 

[Yosser]

Is that not the issue though ?
He clearly has something in his head that demands he takes off at the wrong time and in NH racing that’s fatal, he got away with it in The International because of way inferior opposition, in a G1 he won’t let alone a championship race.
Love the horse, been a star and put up some of the best performances of recent years, but I could have a penny on him going forward….

Come on Ista. Come over to the dark side

 

[riccirich]

Is that not the issue though ?
He clearly has something in his head that demands he takes off at the wrong time and in NH racing that’s fatal, he got away with it in The International because of way inferior opposition, in a G1 he won’t let alone a championship race.
Love the horse, been a star and put up some of the best performances of recent years, but I could have a penny on him going forward….

It's definitely an issue, as his jumping issues aren't coincidental, even when he won his champion hurdle he was lucky not to come down at the last.

But the reason he's currently 10/1 is because of his complete blow out at punchestown, as even after his falls he was still strong fave to beat state man at punchestown. The way I'd look at it is I'd give them a much better chance of being able to fix his issue of making a jumping error every race, than I would them being able to fix the issue of his legs are just gone and he can't hack it anymore (if the punchestown run turns out to be not a one off).

I'm not really interested in backing him either though. I think there is a fair chance his punchestown run was a one off, but even if they can get him back to the form he was in at kempton last Xmas, I still wouldn't be all over him as I thought that was still a fair bit below his best.

 

[Craigy14]

Just FYI re Punchestown, post race he was said to have had a gash/cuts and was sore, Bowen said he stopped quickly.

I remember as I wrote something somewhere about C Hill and wasn’t sure the reason why he seemed to stop so quick at Punch. Definitely the jumping that’s the issue but he can’t be deemed reliable now after last season and now the age factor to add in.