15:30 Cheltenham

Tuesday 10 March 2020

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)

Off time: 15:32 | Winning time: 4m 7.03s

Ballyandy⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 155| CD

20/1

Third in last year's Coral Cup (2m5f) and runner-up in this year's International Hurdle (2m1f); third to Epatante (beaten 8¼L) in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle, before nailing Pentland Hills & Cornerstone Lad with a late thrust in a Haydock Grade 2.

Form: 3-64231

Call Me Lord³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 157| BF| C| D

10/1

Concluded a light campaign last season with a third-placed finish in Sandown's Imperial Cup (2m, soft); all out to repel Ballyandy in the International Hurdle here (2m1f) prior to Christmas; runner-up in a Sandown Listed contest since.

Form: 1/73-212

Cilaos Emery^h²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 159| D

7/1

Grade 2 winning chaser (Cork); reverted to the smaller obstacles after falling at the first fence in last month's Dublin Chase at Leopardstown; landed the odds with ease (Darasso beaten 9½L) in Grade 3 Red Mills Trial at Gowran (2m, heavy) latest.

Form: 2/1-11F1

Coeur Sublime^t1⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 155| DWS

12/1

Headed close home (by Pentland Hills) in last year's Triumph Hurdle; arrives fresh (tongue-tie and wind surgery) after finishing third to Sharjah (beaten in excess of 12L) in the Grade 1 Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown (2m, yielding) in December.

Form: F423-13

Cornerstone Lad⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Henry Brooke| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 159| D

33/1

Took the scalp of Buveur D'Air in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth, and while there were mitigating circumstances (was given an enterprising ride, second finished lame) that represented improved form; is closely matched with Ballyandy and Pentland Hills.

Form: 131-113

Darasso²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark Walsh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 156| D

40/1

Former French racer (ex G.Cherel); last of four (behind Ballyandy, Pentland Hills & Cornerstone Lad) at Haydock penultimate, before being easily cast aside by Cilaos Emery in the Grade 3 Red Mills Trial at Gowran; an unlikely contender on that form.

Form: 2511-42

Darver Star^t³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Jonathan Moore| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 158

17/2

Progressive via successive wins over a range of trips (Downpatrick, Killarney, Listowel & Limerick); split Honeysuckle and Petit Mouchoir (Supasundae fourth) in the Grade 1 Irish Champion at Leopardstown (2m, yld) last month; stays very well indeed.

Form: 111132

Fusil Raffles⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 150| BF| D

20/1

Lost his unbeaten record for Nicky Henderson (3-3 prior) with a lifeless display in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton (2m, soft) on Boxing Day, race won by his well-backed stablemate Epatante; soft ground is a slight concern; may bounce back.

Form: 121-11P

Gumball^h³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Aidan Coleman| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 152| D

100/1

Pulled-up in the 2018 Triumph Hurdle (40-1); started this season well when making all for a 2m Listed win at Ascot (good to soft) but wholly exposed in the International Hurdle/Betfair Hurdle since; simply not up to this level of competition.

Form: 9-31260

Le Patriote^b1⁴⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 150| C| D

100/1

Won three on the spin last season culminating with a narrow victory in a Haydock Grade 3 (2m, good); has found life much tougher this season (both over hurdles and fences); sports newly applied blinkers; outsider with little chance.

Form: 11-1484

Not So Sleepy^t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: J J Burke| T: H Morrison| OR: 143| D

33/1

Finished fourth in the Cesarewitch and brought similar form to the table with back-to-back autumn/winter handicap hurdle wins at Ascot (1m7½f, soft/heavy); this race offers a much sterner test and thought highly unlikely to be competitive.

Form: 415-110

Pentland Hills⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 157| BF| C| DWS

9/1

Dual Grade 1 winning hurdler (Triumph & Anniversary Hurdle); things haven't gone according to plan this season, fading in the International (fifth) and nailed close home by Ballyandy in Haydock Grade 2; one of four for Nicky Henderson; wind surgery.

Form: 111-52

Petit Mouchoir^p³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 158| D

25/1

Versatile and a fine servant to Henry De Bromhead over the years; has tackled the Arkle (2018) and the Stayers' (2019) since finishing third to Buveur D'Air in the 2017 Champion; has recent related form with Sharjah, Darver Star and Supasundae.

Form: 4-44223

Sharjah^t³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 163| D

16/1

Brought down early in last year's Champion Hurdle; stayed on strongly to beat Petit Mouchoir by 3¾L in the Grade 1 Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas; disappointing sixth (behind an number of these rivals) in the Irish Champion since.

Form: 11B-416

Silver Streak⁷⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 158| D

20/1

Third (80-1) to the ill-fated Espoir D'Allen in last year's Champion Hurdle; kicked off this season with a 2m Kempton Listed win but has come up short in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth (third) and the Christmas Hurdle (second to Epatante) since.

Form: 235-132

Supasundae^t³⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 160| C| D

9/1

Won the Coral Cup at the 2017 Festival, and has contested the Stayers' in each of the past two years (runner-up to Penhill in 2018); best suited by 2m4f, as shown when gamely landing the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle (soft) last April.

Form: 2271-24

Epatante⁷⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: B J Geraghty| T: N J Henderson| OR: 159| D

2/1

Beaten just once in five starts over hurdles (in last year's mares' novices'); surged to the head of the market for this race after thrashing Silver Streak/Ballyandy and co in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton (2m, soft) on Boxing Day.

Form: 1/119-11

Forecasts

Epatante (2/1), Cilaos Emery (7/1), Darver Star (17/2), Supasundae (9/1), Pentland Hills (9/1), Call Me Lord (10/1), Coeur Sublime (12/1), Sharjah (16/1), Silver Streak (20/1), Ballyandy (20/1), Fusil Raffles (20/1), Petit Mouchoir (25/1), Cornerstone Lad (33/1), Not So Sleepy (33/1), Darasso (40/1), Gumball (100/1), Le Patriote (100/1)

With Buveur D'Air (2017 & 2018) injured and Espoir D'Allen (2019) no longer with us, there will soon be a new name etched into Champion Hurdle folklore. The mare Epatante surged to the fore of the market after a hugely impressive win in the Christmas Hurdle (Silver Streak second, Ballyandy third) and is evidently the form pick of the Henderson quartet, although it should be noted that Pentland Hills returns from wind surgery. However, the Irish challenge also appears strong with the stamina-laden Darver Star of interest and the Willie Mullins-trained CILAOS EMERY still unexposed over hurdles despite a Grade 1 novice win at Punchestown (Apr 2017).