Cheltenham Festival
Champion Hurdle
The highlight of the Cheltenham Festival’s first day, the Champion Hurdle is the pinnacle of the hurdling calendar where only the very best proven hurdlers of the season go head-to-head.
A real speed test, this is a strongly run race which tests the runners most towards the finish-line up the famous Cheltenham hill.
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When is the Champion Hurdle?
Date: 14th March 2023
Time: 3.30pm
Distance: 2m½f
Course: Old Course
Going Type: TBC
Surface: Turf
Race Type: Hurdles
Handicapped: No
Grade: 1
Class: 1
Runners: TBC
Champion Hurdle entries and odds
| Number | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Age | Weight | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Constitution Hill | TBC | Nicky Henderson | 6 | 11-10 | 1/4 |
| 2 | First Street | TBC | Nicky Henderson | 6 | 11-10 | 66/1 |
| 3 | I Like To Move It | TBC | Nigel Twiston-Davies | 6 | 11-10 | 12/1 |
| 4 | Jason The Militant | TBC | Philip Kirby | 9 | 11-10 | 50/1 |
| 5 | Not So Sleepy | TBC | Hughie Morrison | 11 | 11-10 | 50/1 |
| 6 | Pied Piper | TBC | Gordon Elliott | 5 | 11-10 | 25/1 |
| 7 | Sharjah | TBC | Willie Mullins | 10 | 11-10 | 50/1 |
| 8 | State Man | TBC | Willie Mullins | 6 | 11-10 | 5/2 |
| 9 | Vauban | TBC | Willie Mullins | 5 | 11-10 | 10/1 |
| 10 | Zanahiyr | TBC | Gordon Elliott | 6 | 11-10 | 33/1 |
| 11 | Echoes In Rain | TBC | Willie Mullins | 7 | 11-10 | 20/1 |
| 12 | Epatante | TBC | Nicky Henderson | 9 | 11-3 | 16/1 |
| 13 | Honeysuckle | TBC | Henry de Bromhead | 9 | 11-3 | 10/1 |
| 14 | Love Envoi | TBC | Harry Fry | 7 | 11-3 | 20/1 |
At present, hot-favourite Constitution Hill is deemed unlikely to be beaten, having trounced his rivals on every occasion so far in his career. State Man, however, is expected to challenge the stable star of Nicky Henderson’s more than any other rival he has encountered since his rules debut. The remainder of the field looks competitive for the placings, and will make for a compelling watch.
Bet on your favourite horse to win with William Hill.
Previous winners
Mares have dominated the Champion Hurdle in recent years, with Honeysuckle victorious two years in a row and Epatante the winner in 2020. With a particularly strong cohort of geldings entered to run this year, including the likes of Constitution Hill and State Man, it is currently expected that mares are more likely to fall by the wayside in this renewal.
Nicky Henderson and Henry de Bromhead have won four of the last five renewals between them and they’ll be looking to make it three in the last six years, with their candidates Constitution Hill and Honeysuckle holding very strong claims.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Honeysuckle | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2021 | Honeysuckle | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2020 | Epatante | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2019 | Espoir d'Allen | Mark Walsh | Gavin Cromwell |
| 2018 | Buveur d'Air | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
Cheltenham Festival races on Day 1
Day 1 is packed with 7 races starting at 13:30 with the feature race being the Champion Hurdle at 15:30. Learn more about Day 1 at Cheltenham Festival.
| Time | Race Name |
|---|---|
| 13:30 | Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
| 14:10 | Arkle Challenge Trophy |
| 14:50 | Ultima Handicap Chase |
| 15:30 | Champion Hurdle |
| 16:10 | David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle |
| 16:50 | Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle |
| 17:30 | National Hunt Chase |
Check here for all the latest Cheltenham Odds 2023
