Cheltenham 2007: Champion Hurdle Betting Tips

There is good reason to believe that Detroit City is a worthy favourite for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on March 13. But there is also good reason to believe that Dessie Hughes' rejuvenated stable star Hardy Eustace will beat him. There can be little doubt that Detroit City is top-notch and that he will take the world of beating in his bid to capture the crown which another Terry Warner-owned, Philip Hobbs-trained grey, Rooster Booster, landed so emphatically in 2003. But the question punters need to ask themselves is whether he deserves to be such cramped odds. I am of the opinion that he doesn't deserve to be priced up generally at 9/4. Admittedly, he's done everything asked of him - and more for that matter - and it's probably clutching at straws to allude to the poor record of five-year-olds in this contest, as he is clearly far tougher than most horses of his tender age. However, at more than double Detroit City's price, Hardy Eustace, a 5/1 chance with Betfred, makes plenty of appeal. On a literal interpretation of their running in the boylesports.com International on the new course at Cheltenham on December 9, the Irish raider is readily entitled to exact revenge on the jolly this time. Indeed, Hardy Eustace will be 4lb better off for a one-length defeat. Many will point to the fact that Detroit City had to cut out his own running that day and that the furious gallop at which the Champion Hurdle will be run will play to his strengths. But the same is also true of the selection, who is also at his best in a big field, and in a strongly-run race. Furthermore, Hardy Eustace achieved something which Detroit City is unable to boast on his CV when landing the Irish equivalent of this race at Leopardstown on January 28 when beat reigning champ Brave Inca. And beat him well to boot, pulling away after the last to beat that rival by three lengths with the same distance back to the third, Macs Joy. That effort incontrovertibly proved in my opinion that Hardy Eustace is at least as good as he was when winning back-to-back Champion Hurdles in 2004 and 2005. Many had written him off following a lacklustre campaign last term, but whatever was hindering him then is not prevalent now and he can prevail in what is without a shadow of a doubt the most competitive renewal of this prestigious event for quite some time. Last year's hero Brave Inca is as tough as they come. He was beaten fair and square by Hardy Eustace last time out but will finish closer this time as he has proved time and again that the stamina-sapping hill at Prestbury Park is something he relishes and while there won't be many on the bridle as early as the son of Good Thyne, few will be staying on more strongly in the closing stages. However, Hardy Eustace and Detroit City may have a bit too much pace for Brave Inca, who may be partnered should regular pilot Tony McCoy be claimed to ride the JP MacManus-owned Straw Bear. The latter couldn't capitalise on Detroit City's last-flight error in the Agfa Hurdle at Sandown but ran out a thoroughly convincing winner of the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton previously. As recently as a month ago, the thought of soft going at the Cheltenham Festival would have seemed ridiculous, but recent deluges have raised the possibility of an easy surface at this year's four-day spectacular. If there is appreciable cut in the ground, Nicky Gifford's charge would have to come right into the equation, and such conditions would probably leave McCoy favouring Straw Bear over Brave Inca anyway, as Brave Inca is a far more effective on better ground. Macs Joy, runner-up to Brave Inca in 2006, was easily outpointed by Newmill when long odds-on for the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park last time. Jessica Harrington's hurdler looks set to find a few too good, a remark which also applies to Harchibald. The latter's stablemate Iktitaf shouldn't be written off on account of his below par run in the Irish Champion but, by the same token, it's hard to enthuse about him following such a poor display. When the dust settle after two miles and a half a furlong of Gloucestershire terrain, I am confident that Hardy Eustace will be victorious, in the process joining an elite band of multiple winners of this race. Verdict - 2pts Hardy Eustace Click here for all free bets on the 2007 Cheltenham Festival