Smurfit Champion Hurdle

The Smurfit Champion Hurdle, the feature race on the opening day of the Festival, has been won by the Irish on four of the last six occasions. Thanks to the brilliant Istabraq - winner of the race three times from 1998 to 2000 - and last year's hero Hardy Eustace, only Hors La Loi and Rooster Booster have kept the prize at home since Make A Stand's runaway triumph in 1997. This year, it's long odds on that the trophy will go back across the water but that belies just what an open race it is this year for the two-mile hurdling crown.Bet on Cheltenham - for free wtih LadbrokesVCBet (free fifty pound bet)Stan James (free twenty five pound bet)Blue Square (free twenty five pound bet)ACCORDION ETOILE6yo trained by Paul NolanForm: 1215Burst onto the Champion Hurdle scene with his impressive victory, at Cheltenham, in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) in November beating Westender three lengths with Perouse third and Rooster Booster fourth. Only carried 10st 6lbs on that occasion (in receipt of 11lbs from the runner-up) but he is definitely an exciting young horse. Appeared to be totally unsuited by the heavy ground at Leopardstown next time when fifth behind Macs Joy in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle. Better underfoot conditions back at Cheltenham (it was good ground in November) will suit but he still needs to improve about a stone to be good enough to win in this grade.BACK IN FRONT8yo trained by Edward O'GradyForm: 5-21Already a winner at the Festival having taken the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2003, beating Kicking King ten lengths. Has now scored three times in all at Cheltenham (a bumper and twice over hurdles) including last time out, back in mid December, when landing a strong looking renewal of the Totesport Bula Hurdle. On that occasion he beat Inglis Drever four lengths (giving the runner-up 4lbs) with Westender third and Rooster Booster fourth. Had previously tried to give 5lbs to Harchibald in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown but only came out second best beaten 1½ lengths. On the down side connections have been unable to get a run into him so far this year but, on the plus side, he appears to be a "spring horse", at his best on good ground, who obviously relishes a battle up the Cheltenham hill. A major player.BRAVE INCA7yo trained by Colm MurphyForm: 2222Last year's Supreme Novices' winner having beaten War Of Attrition a neck in the opening race of the 2004 Festival. Has finished runner-up in his last four starts, three times (all over two miles) behind Macs Joy and once to the mare Solerina in the 2m4f Hatton's Grace Hurdle. Made a bad mistake at the third flight (which "upset his confidence" according to jockey Barry Cash) last time out in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown but still battled on gamely close home to be beaten just a short head in the thrilling finish. The stiffer track at Cheltenham will undoubtedly suit him better, but here's a very worrying statistic - no winner of the Supreme Novices' has been crowned Champion 12 months later since Bula in 1971.ESSEX5yo trained by Michael O'BrienForm: -311Has enjoyed a tremendous last six months, first of all winning the Irish Cesarewitch on the flat at the Curragh, and then taking two ultra competitive Handicap Hurdles - the Pierse at Leopardstown and the Totesport Trophy at Newbury. He is the first horse to have achieved the Pierse/Totesport Trophy double. Carried 11st 6lbs to victory at Newbury, giving 18lbs and a three-length beating to Bongo Fury, and looks capable of further improvement. Has been nominated as Tony McCoy's mount in the Champion Hurdle but, as a five-year-old, the statistics are against him - no horse of his age has taken the title since See You Then won the first of his three Championships in 1985.HARCHIBALD6yo trained by Noel MeadeForm: 3111Fifth, beaten just two and a half lengths by Sporazene, in last season's County Hurdle. Moved to the top of the ante-post betting lists with three impressive "Graded" victories in the first half of the season - beating Back In Front a length and a half in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, Inglis Drever two lengths in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle (both without coming off the bit) and the former Champion Rooster Booster a length and a half in a fascinating tactical race for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. On that occasion jockey Paul Carberry judged his challenge to perfection, coming from fully 25 lengths off the pace set by clear leader Rooster Booster at the third from home, to win without recourse to the whip. Therein however is the question mark over Harchibald - what will he find if the Champion Hurdle becomes a battle up the hill? On this season's form he looks the best hurdler around but could he be vulnerable to a braver battler?HARDY EUSTACE8yo trained by Dessie HughesForm: 2331The reigning Champion Hurdler. Blinkered for the first time when making most of the running to beat the 2003 Champion Rooster Booster in this race twelve months ago. At 33-1 he was the longest-priced Champion Hurdle winner since 1989. Now bids for a third successive Cheltenham Festival victory having also taken the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle in 2003. Ran without blinkers when third, only beaten in a three-way photo, to Macs Joy and Brave Inca in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown and was also without the headgear when romping home in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran. Trainer Dessie Hughes, who says Hardy Eustace is "a better horse this year" will refit the blinkers for his return to Cheltenham. Definitely a "spring horse" but will he get such an easy lead this year?INGLIS DREVER6yo trained by Howard JohnsonForm: 2211Runner-up to Fundamentalist in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle last year when beaten just half a length. Could run here or go for the Ladbrokes World (Stayers') Hurdle for which he is a shorter price in most ante-post lists. Firmly put in his place by Harchibald when second in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and by Back In Front in the Bula, but has since put up two solid winning performances at Haydock and Wincanton. In the latter race - a weaker than average looking renewal of the Axminster Kingwell Hurdle - he beat Perouse five lengths despite jumping markedly left throughout. He had to make his own running that day, which didn't suit, but despite him now being one of the leading home-trained challengers for the title he still has plenty to find on the book.INTERSKY FALCON8yo trained by Jonjo O'NeillForm: 45-4Fifth in 2003 behind Rooster Booster and third last year, beaten nine lengths, by Hardy Eustace. Finished fourth on his only start so far this season, in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle behind Harchibald, and it will be an amazing training feat if Jonjo O'Neill can get this horse to be competitive again here given the recent virus in his yard.MACS JOY6yo trained by Jessica HarringtonForm: 1311Has already enjoyed a wonderful season. Followed up his win in Leopardstown's December Festival Hurdle with a rousing short head victory in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle, back at Leopardstown, last time out. On that occasion he was all out to hold the late surge of Brave Inca with the reigning Champion Hardy Eustace just a further head away in third. That is rock solid form in probably the two most dependable trials that Ireland has to offer for this race. However, it could also be argued that Macs Joy has been better suited than others to the flatter track and testing ground on which these races were run. Can he prove as effective at Cheltenham?ROOSTER BOOSTER11yo trained by Philip HobbsForm: 4422The former Champion having beaten Westender 11 lengths to lift the hurdling crown in 2003 - a year after he had won the County Hurdle also under Richard Johnson. The strong pace of the Champion Hurdle suits this grey veteran and he put up a splendid defence of his crown twelve months ago when five lengths runner-up to Hardy Eustace. On a current BHB rating of 165 he is still officially the best home-trained hurdler entered here (the next highest is Intersky Falcon on 161 and then Westender on 159) and it is a mark only 2lbs below which he was rated when he won in 2003. Trial races have always proved problematical for Rooster Booster, the often very slow early pace is totally against him, so Richard Johnson has twice this season attempted to nick races from the front. In the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton the tactic nearly paid off, however the worrying statistic is that he has now finished runner-up eight times since his Champion Hurdle victory. Placed again?SELF DEFENSE8yo trained by Patrick ChamingsForm: -421Fourth in 2003, beaten 14¾ lengths by Rooster Booster, but only tenth last year to Hardy Eustace. Possibly made a late booking for another Champion Hurdle tilt when taking the Agfa Hurdle at Sandown in early February beating Rooster Booster, from whom he was receiving 4lbs, three lengths. May be the best of the big priced outsiders in the field.CONCLUSIONAn Irish-trained horse will win the 2005 Champion Hurdle you don't need to be a rocket scientist to come to that conclusion! I am of the opinion that the best two hurdling performances of the season so far have been put up by Harchibald, in the Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdle, and that the best two hurdle races in Ireland have both been won by Macs Joy however neither will win the big one. Macs Joy, I fear, is a heavy ground Leopardstown specialist while I am still not convinced about the willingness (and/or capability) of Harchibald to battle when the chips are really down. For me the horse who should get the ground he needs, loves Cheltenham and relishes a battle is BACK IN FRONT. I think I'll be calling him home in front.Bet on Cheltenham - for free wtih LadbrokesVCBet (free fifty pound bet)Stan James (free twenty five pound bet)Blue Square (free twenty five pound bet)source: attheraces.co.uk