Cheltenham Festival: Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy Tips

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As much as HONEYSUCKLE is a legend of the sport with her and Rachael Blackmore being an incredible partnership, it does make this race a little boring from a betting perspective. With the allowances that Mares’ get in graded races, she is going to be very tough to beat, until something very talented comes along, which we clearly haven’t seen for the last 14 times she has won.

When I watched her latest win, at the time I wasn’t impressed, and I said to myself that she can be beaten at Cheltenham in the Champion Hurdle. She scooted clear of the field that day, showed an immense turn of foot, but then she looked quite laboured, she didn’t jump the last fluently, and she looked quite tired when approaching the line. The problem is, this field doesn’t look great by any means, which could be harsh as we have Grade 1 winning horses and an ex-winner of the race in EPATANTE, but this doesn’t look great.

The real fly in the ointment is APPRECIATE IT, who falls into the ‘could be anything’ category, and rightly so. He was a high-class bumper horse, and was the leading Novice Hurdler of last year, winning the Supreme by 20+ lengths. The only doubt is that we’ve not seen him since. If there’s any man who could pull this off, it is Willie Mullins and that is why every man and his dog have latched onto Appreciate It being the Each Way angle in the race, seen as more of a bet to nothing. He is currently priced at around 9/2, so if he’s not good enough, and places then it’s a very tiny loss, but on the off chance he is ready, then it’s decent odds against the odds-on favourite. Personally, I’d rather sit and watch his odds.

I’ve seen a few punters and pro tipsters siding with TEAHUPOO, which I can’t blame them. He’s one of the horses who has improved throughout this year and has won in taking fashion on a few occasions. My slight concern for him is that he might want the ground testing, and it will be good-to-soft, closer to good, if they don’t water the track.

As for the rest, I think the interesting runner of the field, who will more than likely be outclassed but has the right to be in this field and test his luck is TOMMY’S OSCAR. What a result this would be for Ann Hamilton, who might I add is a quality trainer. What Ann has done with the number of horses she has is quite incredible, I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it before. I think she only trains four horses, but she gets them winning time and time again, and her record for the season states that: 12 wins from 28 runs, operating at a 43% SR. Now, obviously, this is a huge step up in grade for Tommy’s Oscar, but the way he has been winning suggests he deserves to take his chance at Cheltenham. If he could finish in the places, that would be a great story, and at the odds of 33/1+ I will be having a very small EW bet on him.

Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy Tips

• Tommy's Oscar 33/1 (Small Each Way bet) @ The Pools

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No

Silks

Runner

Jockey/Trainer

Odds

6

Teahupoo
112-111

J: R M Power
T: G Elliott

2/1

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10

Honeysuckle
1111-11

J: Rachael Blackmore
T: H De Bromhead

9/4

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7

Tommy's Oscar
231111

J: Danny McMenamin
T: Mrs A Hamilton

4/1

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2

Appreciate It
12/1111-

J: P Townend
T: W P Mullins

15/2

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9

Epatante
1233-11

J: Aidan Coleman
T: N J Henderson

17/2

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4

Not So Sleepy
R157-15

J: J J Burke
T: H Morrison

11/1

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5

Saint Roi
1244-34

J: M P Walsh
T: W P Mullins

11/1

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1

Adagio
1122-22

J: T Scudamore
T: D Pipe

20/1

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8

Zanahiyr
42-1222

J: J W Kennedy
T: G Elliott

25/1

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3

Glory And Fortune
116421

J: Stan Sheppard
T: T Lacey

100/1

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