2026 Champion Hurdle

[AnFiieLD.]

Could well be the way they go. Wasn't sure if they might look at the Hattons Grace for Ballyburn but not sure what the plans are there

 

[Eggs]

….Lads have a special;

Castle Carrock to win CH @ 100-1

 

[Odddog]

I hope (and think) The New Lion wins the 2026 Champion Hurdle. His performances as a novice had a real wow factor and I think he was value for more in the Baring Bingham. His profile reminds me a little bit of Peddlars Cross and I don't think there will be a Hurricane Fly to spoil the party come March. I have to sadly agree with those on here who think Constitution Hill is no longer the horse he was. His demolition of Jonbon was one of the greatest Supreme Novice performances I've seen (along woth Altior's) but he does appear to have developed a "mental" issue. I don't believe he can scale those heights again, particularly as Grade 1 hurdle pace is so unforgiving (unless its one of those egg and spoon grade 1s). I don't really see much else being competitive - Anzadam has yet to face a grade 1 animal and has been more style than substance.

 

[opatcho]

The more this season develops, the more I'm leading towards TNL
but 4/1...
Think I'd rather see how he runs in the Fighting Fifth and cheer the winner for the Champ Hurdle, whethers that him or Con Hill

Lets not forgot how hard it is for these novices to transfer their form into Open company, and TNL will going up against Con Hill - I do hope Con Hill gets around, and runs half decent. Would be a shame if he fell or pulls up

 

[Odddog]

Yeah I'd want 4/1 just for him to turn up. I wish them all well at Newcastle of course - we need all the competition we can get in the 2 mile grade 1 hurdle division.

 

[Eggs]

Irancy
7g Saddex - Nassora
John P McManus
1/3/171-1
RPR 157h OR 157h

The Morgiana could be on his radar now with State Man sidelined. We'll have to have a think about what way to shuffle our hurdling pack, but he's one who could be in the mix for Punchestown. He came good at the end of last season, following up a good win in a Grade 2 race at Fairyhouse by winning the Grade 1 at Punchestown. Let's see if he's up to Champion Hurdle class. He won't go novice chasing this season.

 

[Eggs]

Constitution Hill signalled to the world that his comeback is very definitely on track with a smart racecourse gallop at Newbury on Tuesday morning.

Nicky Henderson’s gelding has had a career of exceptional highs and some rather dispiriting lows so far, with last season unravelling after shock falls at Cheltenham and Aintree and then a below-par effort at Punchestown.

In February last year his career was put on hold following a laboured gallop at Kempton, but any memories of that were banished by a far more heartening scene, as he lengthened his stride under Nico de Boinville to leave his two galloping companions well behind him.

Henderson said: “He’s been in good form all the way through, it’s nice to be able to get out there.

“I know I’ve been saying it for the last two months, but it’s nice to be able to come out and show the world.

“If that was a race I’d have been as confident as you can ever be in a horse, I really was pretty certain that this would go according to plan.

“Everything’s been very good so far. I think he’s lengthened a bit, he’s got slinkier if you like.

“I always thought he was a bit of a block of a horse, he was very square, very solid, he looks like he’s stretched out a bit and I don’t know why, it just occurred to me a few months back.

“I was putting him in his box and I thought ‘you’re a good looking boy’, I’d never looked at him that way. He was always a nice horse, but not a particularly pretty one.”

Reflecting on the trials of last season, Henderson added: “That was a brutal day at Punchestown, it was a whole chapter of disaster and it was my fault, he should never have gone there but they tell you something at home – if only they could talk.

“At Punchestown it was over before the tapes went up, when he turned and faced the other way it was as if he was turning to the stands and looking at me and saying ‘dad, I can’t do this again’.

“He has never done that before, he wouldn’t know how to, but that day that is what he said.

“Whether we go right or left (handed), whether they want soft or fast ground, that’s the easy part, there are lots of other things we have to unravel.

“Hopefully we have, he did go to Worcester as well. I’ve no idea what he was going round with, nobody knew. Half an hour earlier The New Lion was going round so it’s lucky they didn’t get drawn in the same heat!

“We wouldn’t have known, they wouldn’t have known. He went to Worcester called ‘Harry’ that day!

“He was terrific, Nico had him at the back and then let him go and he passed 10 horses in 10 strides and galloped off.”

Of the horse’s upcoming start in the Fighting Fifth, where he will meet the aforementioned The New Lion, Henderson said: “I accept it’s going to be very interesting, but mind you everyone said that with Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle and we’re well up to where we were then. We might even be a bit better.

“This will have brought him on, he’s got to have a school and he probably will do another bit on Sunday or Monday.

“This fellow’s jumping has got to be polished in the next week or two, I’ve got some (padded) hurdles now. We’ll let him have a pop over those.

“The remodelling of the whole thing started after Punchestown, we realised we had to do something and we’ve done a lot of things, we’ve taken him down to every nut and every bolt and put the whole thing back together with a lot of advice and then a bit more.”

Buckley was also a delighted onlooker and told Sky Sports Racing: “He did look strong today, didn’t he?

“His back-end is rounded now, whereas it just fell away before. I think Nicky mentioned it the other day, but he’s a better looking horse now than he was.

“I’m not apprehensive (about the upcoming season), I’m looking forward to it. I think the horse is in pretty good shape, or very good shape as it seems to be.

“He’s happy and the trainer is happy about the horse being happy, Nico is happy about the way the horse feels, so I’m happy!”

He added: “Last season was absolutely gut-wrenching in the end, particularly that fall at Aintree which was horrible, but he seems fine now and hopefully he’s forgotten all about it.”

 

[Guinness Village]

Nicky brought half a dozen trees for CH to breeze past

 

[Wayward Lad]

Constitution Hill signalled to the world that his comeback is very definitely on track with a smart racecourse gallop at Newbury on Tuesday morning.

Nicky Henderson’s gelding has had a career of exceptional highs and some rather dispiriting lows so far, with last season unravelling after shock falls at Cheltenham and Aintree and then a below-par effort at Punchestown.

In February last year his career was put on hold following a laboured gallop at Kempton, but any memories of that were banished by a far more heartening scene, as he lengthened his stride under Nico de Boinville to leave his two galloping companions well behind him.

Henderson said: “He’s been in good form all the way through, it’s nice to be able to get out there.

“I know I’ve been saying it for the last two months, but it’s nice to be able to come out and show the world.

“If that was a race I’d have been as confident as you can ever be in a horse, I really was pretty certain that this would go according to plan.

“Everything’s been very good so far. I think he’s lengthened a bit, he’s got slinkier if you like.

“I always thought he was a bit of a block of a horse, he was very square, very solid, he looks like he’s stretched out a bit and I don’t know why, it just occurred to me a few months back.

“I was putting him in his box and I thought ‘you’re a good looking boy’, I’d never looked at him that way. He was always a nice horse, but not a particularly pretty one.”

Reflecting on the trials of last season, Henderson added: “That was a brutal day at Punchestown, it was a whole chapter of disaster and it was my fault, he should never have gone there but they tell you something at home – if only they could talk.

“At Punchestown it was over before the tapes went up, when he turned and faced the other way it was as if he was turning to the stands and looking at me and saying ‘dad, I can’t do this again’.

“He has never done that before, he wouldn’t know how to, but that day that is what he said.

“Whether we go right or left (handed), whether they want soft or fast ground, that’s the easy part, there are lots of other things we have to unravel.

“Hopefully we have, he did go to Worcester as well. I’ve no idea what he was going round with, nobody knew. Half an hour earlier The New Lion was going round so it’s lucky they didn’t get drawn in the same heat!

“We wouldn’t have known, they wouldn’t have known. He went to Worcester called ‘Harry’ that day!

“He was terrific, Nico had him at the back and then let him go and he passed 10 horses in 10 strides and galloped off.”

Of the horse’s upcoming start in the Fighting Fifth, where he will meet the aforementioned The New Lion, Henderson said: “I accept it’s going to be very interesting, but mind you everyone said that with Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle and we’re well up to where we were then. We might even be a bit better.

“This will have brought him on, he’s got to have a school and he probably will do another bit on Sunday or Monday.

“This fellow’s jumping has got to be polished in the next week or two, I’ve got some (padded) hurdles now. We’ll let him have a pop over those.

“The remodelling of the whole thing started after Punchestown, we realised we had to do something and we’ve done a lot of things, we’ve taken him down to every nut and every bolt and put the whole thing back together with a lot of advice and then a bit more.”

Buckley was also a delighted onlooker and told Sky Sports Racing: “He did look strong today, didn’t he?

“His back-end is rounded now, whereas it just fell away before. I think Nicky mentioned it the other day, but he’s a better looking horse now than he was.

“I’m not apprehensive (about the upcoming season), I’m looking forward to it. I think the horse is in pretty good shape, or very good shape as it seems to be.

“He’s happy and the trainer is happy about the horse being happy, Nico is happy about the way the horse feels, so I’m happy!”

He added: “Last season was absolutely gut-wrenching in the end, particularly that fall at Aintree which was horrible, but he seems fine now and hopefully he’s forgotten all about it.”

“A rounded back-end” eh………never heard that one before

Anyway as much as how we all like a “rounded back-end” I am not being pulled back into becoming a believer again!

They never (rarely) come back to the level they were before…….apart from maybe Sprintre Sacre!

 

[chunker86]

The chat from Closutton has always been wherever Jade De Grugy goes then Kargese will go the other way. With Jade entered up over Fences then they must fancy Kargese for a tilt at the Champion and there's a lot to like.

She's an out and out 2 miler - if she stays over hurdles this must be her aim rather than the mares hurdle, or they try and go County again.
She has Festival form of 2-1
Her 2 mile hurdle form behind Majborough / Sir Gino / State Man is very strong.
The County Hurdle form is strong
Her biggest blot is the 2 mile race at Ascot last January - i can forgive this as a Juveniles first run in open company, a Mullins horse having it's first run in England, and the Mullins string weren't in great form last January. She improved no end in her next 2 runs at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

She's only 5 rising 6 so open to another block of improvement which should taker her past Golden Ace who is 8 rising 9.

The record of Mares in the Champion Hurdle over the last 10 years is fantastic (5 of the last 10).

There are still question marks over Con Hill, Lossiemouths best form is all over 2m4f and the mares is there for the taking.
Beyond this the remaining 2 mile hurdlers are all very similar - TNL, Anzadam, Wodhooh, Irancy, Munny, Mundi all have peak RPRs between 155-159, Kargese with her 7lbs is 159 -

Last of the 33s still available - I'll be taking some of that.

 

[Wayward Lad]

The chat from Closutton has always been wherever Jade De Grugy goes then Kargese will go the other way. With Jade entered up over Fences then they must fancy Kargese for a tilt at the Champion and there's a lot to like.

She's an out and out 2 miler - if she stays over hurdles this must be her aim rather than the mares hurdle, or they try and go County again.
She has Festival form of 2-1
Her 2 mile hurdle form behind Majborough / Sir Gino / State Man is very strong.
The County Hurdle form is strong
Her biggest blot is the 2 mile race at Ascot last January - i can forgive this as a Juveniles first run in open company, a Mullins horse having it's first run in England, and the Mullins string weren't in great form last January. She improved no end in her next 2 runs at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

She's only 5 rising 6 so open to another block of improvement which should taker her past Golden Ace who is 8 rising 9.

The record of Mares in the Champion Hurdle over the last 10 years is fantastic (5 of the last 10).

There are still question marks over Con Hill, Lossiemouths best form is all over 2m4f and the mares is there for the taking.
Beyond this the remaining 2 mile hurdlers are all very similar - TNL, Anzadam, Wodhooh, Irancy, Munny, Mundi all have peak RPRs between 155-159, Kargese with her 7lbs is 159 -

Last of the 33s still available - I'll be taking some of that.

Lots of people thinking the same as you …..as blue across the board on oddschecker now……obviously taking Willie at his word about Jade and Kargese, with only one going chasing this season and the other staying hurdling (not sure where that was mentioned?)

Best price now 28/1

Kargese won the County last year with an OR of 141, as State Man did the year he won the county……both were 5 years old

However not for me though as I think Kargese has a better chance of winning the Arkle than the CH…..even after KDB win yesterday

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Lots of people thinking the same as you …..as blue across the board on oddschecker now……obviously taking Willie at his word about Jade and Kargese, with only one going chasing this season and the other staying hurdling (not sure where that was mentioned?)

Best price now 28/1

Kargese won the County last year with an OR of 141, as State Man did the year he won the county……both were 5 years old

However not for me though as I think Kargese has a better chance of winning the Arkle than the CH…..even after KDB win yesterday

She needs to calm down.

IF they can keep a lid on her she could well place in a Champion Hurdle, IMO, or better if things go her way leading up to and in the race itself.

 

[Craigy14]

It’ll be on the back of entries guys. Jade entered over fences at the weekend and Kargese left in the Morgiana. FYI Mundi left out so hopefully means he’s fences bound.

 

[ComplyOrDie]

FWIW (not much, I know ), IF this is decision made, I think it's the right call.

Lossiemouth aside, Kargese, with her 7lb allowance is probably the closest to State Man, on performances, that we've seen, for Willie.

Anzadam is in the 'could be anything' category still, the bunch of novices last season, have yet to race in open company, with the 'main two' looking like going over fences (one definitely).

Kargese is, at the very least, walking a trodden path from County to Champion Hurdle for Willie.

Jade De Grugy has shown her limitations over hurdles over 2m4f. I don't think she'd beat Wodhooh, and already has form behind Lossiemouth.

 

[darlojim]

One worry for me with Kargese other than the fact she is soo keen in her races is that she couldn't even match Golden Ace @ Punchestown

That wouldn't be champ hdle form for me.

IMO, so much is going to depend on the next 2 weeks

How Anzadam/Irancy go in the Morgiana

How TNL and Con hill look in the FF

IF con hill is back and swats TNL aside (i cant imagine it myself) and Willies 'champ hdle horses' disappoint, I don't think it would be a given Lossie would head the Champ hdle route. I think he'd rather a penalty kick in the Mares.

So many moving parts though next few weeks.

 

[somer1]

I hit Con Hill when 12/1 and 10/1 saying the price is just to big. Now with SM out could it just be written in the stars?

 

[chunker86]

One worry for me with Kargese other than the fact she is soo keen in her races is that she couldn't even match Golden Ace @ Punchestown

That wouldn't be champ hdle form for me.

IMO, so much is going to depend on the next 2 weeks

How Anzadam/Irancy go in the Morgiana

How TNL and Con hill look in the FF

IF con hill is back and swats TNL aside (i cant imagine it myself) and Willies 'champ hdle horses' disappoint, I don't think it would be a given Lossie would head the Champ hdle route. I think he'd rather a penalty kick in the Mares.

So many moving parts though next few weeks.

Without wanting to be facetious - how is being within a length or 2 of Golden Ace, the Champion Hurdler, not Champion Hurdle Form?

I watched that race back earlier and I think Danny Mullins went to have a go at beating State Man, she couldn't get there, blew up and went out on her shield, and Golden came past her after the last. If it was just those 2 i think she'd have won. In any state she was still only a baby last year and her hurdling numbers, with her allowance, are equally as good as anything coming out of the novice hurdle ranks.

Irancy will be 8 come March, Kargese just 6 - i think she has much more scope to improve than him and has the proven festival form over Anzadam.

But it's a game of onions, all of them have to improve a stone this season, she's as much a chance as the rest of them and as a bookbuilder 33/1 was too big not to get her onside.

 

[opatcho]

I hit Con Hill when 12/1 and 10/1 saying the price is just to big. Now with SM out could it just be written in the stars?

Heart over head?

I’ve backed Con Hill too

Yes, I know he’s fell twice.
Yes, I know he ran no race LTO
Yes, I know he’s getting on and had issues

But…. I will allow myself 1-2 horses a year where I follow them with my heart and not my head.

Con Hill is one and The Jukebox Man is the other (coming back from injury). I’d love to own a horse like Jukebox Man, just like his style, and theway he looks. Also like to see Ben P have more graded wins under his belt

99% of my time and efforts, for 4 months of the year, is finding winners without any personal attachment or bias (‘who I think will win over who I want to win’). So I will allowing myself these two, something to cheer on. And if I lose money in the process, so be it! People pay good money every week to watch their football teams get battered. I’m a horse racing fan of these two

 

[FinalFurlong91]

Itd need to be a sprinter sacre like comeback for con hill

Didnt look the wonder horse he was at any point last season

Beat lossiemouth well but still didnt tank along like he used to

Then fell at the fez and was beaten when falling at aintree.

Shame as hes the best hurdler i have seen. Sometimes the brightest stars dont shine for long.

 

[somer1]

Heart over head?

I’ve backed Con Hill too

Yes, I know he’s fell twice.
Yes, I know he ran no race LTO
Yes, I know he’s getting on and had issues

But…. I will allow myself 1-2 horses a year where I follow them with my heart and not my head.

Con Hill is one and The Jukebox Man is the other (coming back from injury). I’d love to own a horse like Jukebox Man, just like his style, and theway he looks. Also like to see Ben P have more graded wins under his belt

99% of my time and efforts, for 4 months of the year, is finding winners without any personal attachment or bias (‘who I think will win over who I want to win’). So I will allowing myself these two, something to cheer on. And if I lose money in the process, so be it! People pay good money every week to watch their football teams get battered. I’m a horse racing fan of these two

Yep,done both as well