Racecards
15:20 Cheltenham
Stan James Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (Class 1)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- £418,000 added
- Winner: £238,051
- 2nd: £89,327
- 3rd: £44,726
- 4th: £22,279
- Form 4-13343
- Age 13
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 154
pressed leader, led approaching 3rd, headed 2 out, 4th and fading before last, weakened flat
- Form 31/4-353
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 149
- Trainer A King
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
held up towards rear, pushed along briefly after 2nd, not fluent 4th, some headway and just about in touch when hit 3 out, soon weakened
- Form 111-111
- Age 10
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 173
- Trainer W P Mullins
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
tracked leaders, hit 1st, left close 2nd 3rd, every chance 2 out, ridden in 3rd and unable to quicken before last, soon hung left, no extra when lost 3rd towards finish
- Form 31-1124
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 165
- Trainer Mrs J Harrington
- Jockey B J Geraghty
held up in touch, took keen hold, left close 3rd at the 3rd, not fluent 5th, led 2 out, went slightly left just before last, driven 1 length clear flat, held on
- Form 11-1511
- Age 8
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 163
- Trainer J Scott
- Jockey Nick Scholfield
in rear, soon pushed along, not fluent 2nd, never going pace to get on terms and well beaten from 3 out
- Form 121-111
- Age 7
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 167
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey A P McCoy
held up, took keen hold, closed 3rd, hit 5th, close 4th 2 out, went 2nd before last, 1 length down flat, ran on well towards finish, just held
- Form 1111-32
- Age 5
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 164
- Trainer D T Hughes
- Jockey D E Mullins
led, headed when fell 3rd
- Form 31-2122
- Age 5
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 159
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey D A Jacob
mid-division on outside, not fluent 1st, closed 3rd, lost place when mistake 5th, weakened approaching 2 out
- Form 212-112
- Age 6
- Weight 11-10
- Official Rating 167
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
tracked leaders, badly hampered and dropped to 7th at the 3rd, closed before 3 out, outpaced next, 5th before last, ran on well flat, finished well to take 3rd towards finish
Verdict
A third Champion Hurdle and a 20th Grade 1 victory for Hurricane Fly certainly can't be ruled out as the 10-year-old, aiming to become the oldest winner of the race since Sea Pigeon in 1981, has looked as good as ever this season. He found a fine turn of foot to hold off Our Conor in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in January when Captain Cee Bee and Jezki were third and fourth but improvement is expected from the latter today in a hood and the runner-up has had this as his aim all season. He was hugely impressive when running away with the Triumph Hurdle here last year but five-year-olds normally have to be something extra special to win this and his time may come in the years ahead. A lack of maturity might also count against Ptit Zig while Grumeti and Melodic Rendezvous were firmly put in their place by My Tent Or Yours in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November. The latter, just beaten in last year's Supreme Novices', has improved again this season and got the better of THE NEW ONE in a terrific tussle for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton but the latter's trainer, Nigel Twiston-Davies, is adamant his charge would have won had he not dived at the last and will be better suited by Cheltenham, where he has already won four times. Providing there is a decent gallop and he puts in an error-free round, the six-year-old could just out-last his rivals up the hill.
Formwatch
Captain Cee Bee (IRE) 50-1 (11-10) Led, reduced lead from before 2 out, headed before last where dropped to 3rd, kept on same pace run-in, 3rd of 4, 2 3/4l behind Hurricane Fly (11-10) at Leopardstown 2m hdl G1 (1) in Jan.
Grumeti 7-1 (11-2) Held up in last pair, headway to track leaders 3 out, went 2nd 2 out, no impression when dropped to 3rd approaching last, 3rd of 6, 7l behind Melodic Rendezvous (11-10) at Wincanton 2m hdl G2 (1) hvy in Feb.
Hurricane Fly (IRE) 4-7fav (11-10) Chased leader in 2nd, closed from before 2 out, ridden to lead before last where marginally headed when slight mistake, led again and stayed on well run-in, won at Leopardstown 2m hdl G1 (1) in Jan beating Our Conor (11-8) by 1 1/2l, 4 ran.
Jezki (IRE) 3-1 (11-10) Held up in rear, took keen hold, took closer order approaching 2 out, ridden along on outer into straight, kept on same pace under pressure from before last, last of 4, 3 1/2l behind Hurricane Fly (11-10) at Leopardstown 2m hdl G1 (1) in Jan.
Melodic Rendezvous Evensfav (11-10) Tracked leaders, went 2nd approaching last, challenging when not much room and squeezed through to challenge flat, led and bumped 2nd final 100 yards, driven out, won at Wincanton 2m hdl G2 (1) hvy in Feb beating Zarkandar (11-10) by 1/2l, 6 ran.
My Tent Or Yours (IRE) 1-5fav (11-2) Took keen hold and held up off the pace towards rear, smooth headway tracking leaders over 4f out, went 2nd on bit over 3f out, led over 2f out, came readily clear final 2f, easily, won at Kempton 2m n h flat (3) std in Feb beating Ranjaan (10-11) by 4 1/2l, 13 ran.
Our Conor (IRE) 5-1 (11-8) Raced in 3rd, closer order from before 2 out, travelling smoothly from before straight, gained slight lead last, headed and kept on without matching winner run-in, 2nd of 4, 1 1/2l behind Hurricane Fly (11-10) at Leopardstown 2m hdl G1 (1) in Jan.
Ptit Zig (FR) Evensfav (11-12) Tracked leader, left in lead 4 out, pressed and jumped right last, headed run-in, kept on and held by winner, 2nd of 6, 4 1/2l behind Melodic Rendezvous (11-8) at Haydock 2m hdl G2 (1) hvy in Jan.
The New One (IRE) 5-6fav (11-7) Tracked leader, led 3 out, quickened after next, blundered last, headed closing stages, no extra, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind My Tent Or Yours (11-7) at Kempton 2m hdl G1 (1) sft in Dec.