16.00
Good To SoftUnibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (GBB Race)
- Prize money: £253215
- 2m 0f 87y
- Class 1
- 7 runners
Runners: 7 runners
Type: Hurdle Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Cloudy
25/1 (Won)
- Win: £36.80
- Place: £3.60
Form: 11-431 C
Last run: 24 days
W: 11st 3lb
7 yo Filly
OR: 144
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 6 |
1st May 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 45y |
11st 5lb |
Fortuitous winner of the 2025 Champion Hurdle (same story in this season's Fighting Fifth); could only manage fifth when attempting to retain her crown (9.75l behind Lossiemouth); posted another solid effort in the Aintree Hurdle last time when fourth (2m4f, good to soft); return to 2m should suit, cheekpieces go on and she was second in this contest last year (good) but may need further luck to increase Grade 1 haul. |
8/1 |
|
4th 7 |
9th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 4f 0y Class 1 |
11st 3lb |
Fortuitous winner of the 2025 Champion Hurdle (same story in the Fighting Fifth) and finished only fifth, behind some of today's rivals, when attempting to retain her crown; largely consistent and has won over 2m4f but increasing her Grade 1 tally may require further luck. |
12/1 |
|
5th 8 |
10th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 87y Class 1 |
11st 3lb |
Record of 3-4 at Cheltenham features two Festival wins, beating Brighterdaysahead in the Grade 2 novice hurdle in 2024 then admittedly fortuitous (left in lead when State Man took a late fall; odds-on Constitution Hill exited earlier) when 25-1 in this race last year; also had fortune on her side in this season's Fighting Fifth as the front two in the market, including The New Lion, failed to complete; ran creditably on Boxing Day when last seen; largely consistent and should go well but may require further luck to retain her crown. |
8/1 |
40/1
- Place: £8.10
Form: 12-132 CD
Last run: 24 days
W: 11st 10lb
5 yo Colt
OR: 150
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2 |
19th Oct 2025 Good 2m 0f 0y Class 1 |
11st 6lb |
Not in top form since returned to the Flat but solid hurdles record (1121322) suggests a resurgence is likely; ran creditably, albeit fortunate to finish second the way things panned out, in the Champion Hurdle when last seen in this sphere; has the best chance at the weights. |
4/5 |
|
6th 3 (2) |
26th Sep 2025 Good 1m 4f 0y Class 1 |
9st 7lb |
Runner-up (albeit fortunate) in the Champion Hurdle in March and easily made all in this last year (soft; seems versatile ground-wise); he enjoyed the run of the race 12 months ago and hasn't shone on his two Flat starts this year, but he drops back in grade today and may once more benefit from an uncontested lead; could make another bold bid now back here. |
7/1 |
|
8th 4 (8) |
21st Jun 2025 Good To Firm 1m 3f 211y Class 1 |
9st 3lb |
Won the Golden Gates Handicap at this meeting in 2023 (1m2f, good to firm) and was a Listed winner at Newmarket (1m4f, soft) last September; runner-up in the Champion Hurdle in March, albeit fortunate; failed to settle when tailed off back on the Flat at Sandown (2m) last month and this drop back in trip seems a likely plus, but a Flat career best is required. |
20/1 |
100/1
Form: 143323 D
Last run: 37 days
W: 11st 10lb
11 yo Gelding
OR: 150
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 4 |
1st Nov 2025 Good 3m 0f 26y Class 1 |
11st 2lb |
11yo who appeared to be outstayed when fourth, beaten about 8l, in the Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown (extended 2m7f, yielding) in May; however, that was still a good performance in today's context and he's fit from the Flat; possible player for top Irish stable. |
8/1 |
|
4th 4 |
1st Nov 2025 Good 3m 0f 26y Class 1 |
11st 2lb |
11yo who appeared to be outstayed when fourth, beaten about 8l, in the Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown (extended 2m7f, yielding) in May; however, that was still a good performance in today's context and he's fit from the Flat; possible player for top Irish stable. |
8/1 |
|
14 (11) |
11th Oct 2025 Good 2m 2f 0y Class 2 |
8st 5lb |
Aged 11 but he's a seriously unexposed, dark horse on Flat; smart hurdles form in Grade 1s in August 2024-May 2025; three Irish maiden races are all he's contested on Flat, when runner-up twice last year (2m/1m6f) and winning by a short head this August (2m) but he's not been hit hard with this opening Flat mark and having Willie Mullins as his trainer demands respect. |
12/1 |
15/8
Form: 21-111 D
Last run: 72 days
W: 11st 3lb
6 yo Filly
OR: 163
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 6 |
9th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 4f 0y Class 1 |
11st 3lb |
Has form on most types of ground; took her Cheltenham Festival record to 0-3 with a defeat in the latest Champion Hurdle but that was a respectable effort without managing to confirm placings with Lossiemouth, who had played second fiddle in the Irish equivalent; record of 2-3 at about 2m4f includes an easy success in the Mersey at this meeting two years ago; very smart mare who holds leading claims at the weights. |
2/1 |
|
2nd 7 |
10th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 2m 0f 87y Class 1 |
11st 3lb |
Has form on most types of ground; hasn't lived up to expectations at this meeting for the last two years, beaten by Golden Ace in the Grade 2 novice hurdle in 2024 and only fourth (weakening when hampered) in this contest in 2025; otherwise a very smart mare and produced one of her best performances in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown (2m, heavy) most recently, reversing December placings with Lossiemouth and registering a fourth Grade 1 success; leading contender, provided she transfers the form to this venue. |
9/2 |
|
1st 5 |
1st Feb 2026 Heavy 2m 0f 0y |
11st 5lb |
Beat State Man in last season's Morgiana and gave a stunning performance to win the December Hurdle here by a huge margin; nowhere near that level when a remote fourth in an incident-packed Champion Hurdle; failed to regain her best when raised in trip at Punchestown, well held in third behind two of Lossiemouth's stablemates; outpointed by Lossiemouth here at Christnas but finished close enough to suggest she can provide a powerful challenge. |
13/8 |
150/1
Form: 0-4225 D
Last run: 72 days
W: 11st 10lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 146
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6th 3 |
11th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 1m 7f 176y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Won three of first five races over fences, including a Grade 3 novice at Punchestown (2m2f, good to yielding) in October, but has made mistakes and run poorly at Cheltenham and Newbury since; perhaps he'll be revived by a break and cheekpieces, but he has plenty to find on the figures. |
40/1 |
|
2 |
24th Oct 2025 Good 1m 7f 199y Class 2 |
11st 12lb |
Won two in a row this summer when back over fences (2m2f/2m1f, good) and landed a Grade 3 novice at Punchestown (2m2f, good to yielding) last week; seems versatile ground-wise and he's a key player today. |
9/4 |
4/7
Form: 1/1-11 CD
Last run: 45 days
W: 11st 10lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 175
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 1 (4) |
25th Mar 2026 Standard To Slow 1m 3f 219y Class 3 |
9st 12lb |
Superstar hurdler on his day and one of the best-known horses in training; having developed serious jumping issues, he was switched to the Flat in Southwell contest (1m4f) last month and showed his class by producing an impressive performance that is backed up by the figures; sets a tall standard en route to Group targets. |
1/6 |
|
1st 3 (12) |
20th Feb 2026 Standard 1m 4f 14y Class 2 |
9st 6lb |
Last jumps campaign started well but ended badly, as he took back-to-back falls at Cheltenham/Aintree and then laboured when he did complete at Punchestown; suffered another tumble on his reappearance in the Fighting Fifth in November, which has prompted this switch to the Flat in the hope of restoring confidence levels ahead of a possible bid to regain the Champion Hurdle crown he won in 2023. |
7/4 |
|
5th 2 |
2nd May 2025 Yielding 2m 0f 45y |
11st 12lb |
towards rear, overjumped 1st, soon went fourth, headway after 4 out, went third going okay 3 out, nudged along when jumped left and lost ground 2 out, soon no extra |
11/10 |
10/1
Form: 1-1231 CD
Last run: 37 days
W: 11st 10lb
8 yo Gelding
OR: 168
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 3 |
2nd May 2025 Yielding 2m 0f 45y |
11st 12lb |
made all, jumped well, 3 lengths ahead halfway, reduced lead after 4 out, pushed along and went clear again approaching last, ridden and kept on well run-in |
5/4 |
|
1st 3 |
2nd May 2025 Yielding 2m 0f 45y |
11st 12lb |
made all, jumped well, 3 lengths ahead halfway, reduced lead after 4 out, pushed along and went clear again approaching last, ridden and kept on well run-in |
5/4 |
|
4 |
11th Mar 2025 Good To Soft 2m 0f 87y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Beaten twice by Brighterdaysahead this season, flopping badly on the second occasion, and was gifted a third Irish Champion Hurdle last month as main rival Lossiemouth fell; won a substandard edition of this race last year and was no match for highly impressive Constitution Hill 12 months earlier; dependable in the main and has a voluminous Grade 1 tally but a second Champion Hurdle win looks far from certain; wears first-time headgear. |
10/1 |
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £346.60 |
| Straight Forecast | £443.28 |
| Trifecta | £4432.90 |
Selections
RP RATINGS:
Constitution HillSPOTLIGHT:
BrighterdaysaheadWEST COUNTRY:
Golden AceTelegraph:
BrighterdaysaheadThe Guardian:
BrighterdaysaheadDaily Record:
BrighterdaysaheadTOPSPEED:
Constitution HillPOSTDATA:
Constitution HillLAMBOURN:
Constitution HillThe Times:
Constitution HillDaily Mail:
Constitution HillD Express:
Constitution Hill