Horseracing betting: Champion Hurdle trial

Three of the last four Champion Hurdle trials have been won by the favourite and this year's renewal looks to be going the way of dour Christmas Hurdle winner Straw Bear. Click here for a free Bet365 £100 to bet on horseracing with Bet365 Nick Gifford's seven-year-old had been in the doldrums prior to his battling success on Boxing Day, and he comes into this contest in the rudest of health. Slashed for the Champion Hurdle after that victory, Straw Bear is as short as 10/1 with Bet365 for the Festival contest. Haydock rival Afsoun is over double that price for Cheltenham after disappointing over a variety of distances since winning this contest last year. He was in trouble from two-flights out at Cheltenham last time when trying two-and-a-half miles and may not be in the best heart fir this. He also suffered a seven-length defeat to Straw Bear in February last year, and although finishing second in the Champion Hurdle, Nicky Henderson's charge looks up against it here. As does the rest of the field. Howard Johnson relies on Astarador, after Percussionist defected yesterday. Third in the Tolworth Hurdle last season, the lightly-raced gelding flopped on his seasonal bow two weeks ago. There were mitigating circumstances for that awful performance as he hadn't seen a racecourse for 350 days. With that effort under his belt, he looks the most attractively priced of Straw Bear's opposition, but is unlikely to repeat his success in 2005, when Inglis Drever took the honours. Malcolm Jefferson won this race in 1998 and 2000 with the flamboyant grey Dato Star and due to the heavy and persistent rain, his Roman Ark should not be discounted. Fergus King's mount has been sent chasing recently - he finished tailed off behind Taraminbleu at Cheltenham last time out - but the vogue of sending out former hurdlers back over the smaller obstacles has caught on. Roman Ark loves heavy going - he has won on it five times from just eight starts - and if he has got over his chasing exertions, he looks a lively outsider for those who don't want to support the favourite. Verdict: 2pts Straw Bear Click here for a free Bet365 £100 to bet on horseracing with Bet365