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

1^st

Epatante

611-3

2/1f

T: N J HendersonJ: B J Geraghty

Held up in touch and travelled well, not fluent 3 out, eased out right before leading last, edged right flat, stayed on well

2^nd

Sharjah

711-10

16/1

T: W P MullinsJ: Mr P W Mullins

Held up in rear, headway going well after 2 out, switched right before last, went 2nd flat, edged left, stayed on, no impression towards finish op 14/1

3^rd

3 ¾

Darver Star

811-10

17/2

T: G P CromwellJ: Jonathan Moore

Tracked leaders, went 2nd after 5th, led between last 2, headed last, lost 2nd flat, stayed on same pace op 10/1

4^th

2 ¾

Cilaos Emery

811-10

7/1

T: W P MullinsJ: Paul Townend

Held up towards rear, raced keenly, mistake 5th, headway 3 out, edged left final 75 yards, stayed on same pace, unable to challenge tchd 13/2

5^th

Petit Mouchoir

911-10

25/1

T: H De BromheadJ: Rachael Blackmore

Led after 1st, clear after 5th until before 3 out where not fluent, headed between last 2, soon hanging right, no extra towards finish

6^th

Silver Streak

711-10

20/1

T: Evan WilliamsJ: Adam Wedge

Mid-division, mistake 3rd, outpaced after 2 out, stayed under pressure flat, never on terms op 25/1

7^th

2 ½

Supasundae

1011-10

9/1

T: Mrs J HarringtonJ: R M Power

Mid-division, niggled along briefly before 3rd, headway after 5th, driven from 2 out, weakened flat op 10/1

8^th

1 ½

Ballyandy

911-10

20/1

T: N & W Twiston-DaviesJ: Sam Twiston-Davies

Led until after 1st, chased leaders on inside after, driven after 2 out, weakened last

9^th

Pentland Hills

511-10

9/1

T: N J HendersonJ: N de Boinville

Held up in rear, not fluent 4th, shaken up after 2 out, went 9th before last, no chance op 8/1

10^th

Darasso

711-10

40/1

T: J P O'BrienJ: Mark Walsh

Held up towards rear, pushed along after 5th, never in contention

11^th

Fusil Raffles

511-10

20/1

T: N J HendersonJ: D A Jacob

Held up towards rear on outside, not fluent 3 out, soon weakened op 33/1

12^th

2 ¾

Gumball

611-10

100/1

T: P Hobbs & J WhiteJ: Aidan Coleman

Mid-division on outside, closed after 2nd, mistake 5th, weakened 2 out

13^th

1 ¼

Call Me Lord

711-10

10/1

T: N J HendersonJ: James Bowen

Held up on inside, not fluent 4th, pushed along and well beaten after 3 out op 14/1

14^th

1 ¼

Le Patriote

811-10

100/1

T: Dr R D P NewlandJ: Charlie Hammond

Slowly away, held up in rear, some headway on approaching 4th, closed to chase leaders 2 out, soon driven and weakened op 125/1

15^th

Coeur Sublime

511-10

12/1

T: G ElliottJ: D N Russell

In touch in mid-division, mistake 5th, well beaten from 3 out op 16/1

Also Ran

Cornerstone Lad

611-10

33/1

T: Micky HammondJ: Henry Brooke

Tracked leader until after 5th, soon weakened, pulled up before 3 out op 25/1

Not So Sleepy

811-10

33/1

T: H MorrisonJ: J J Burke

Slowly away, took keen hold and soon recovered to chase leaders, mistake 3rd, lost place after 5th, soon behind, pulled up before last tchd 28/1

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Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£2.70Pl:£1.90, £5.30, £2.70EX:£47.40Trifecta:£433.90Tricast:£245.93SF:£34.05Swingers:£10.20, £4.30, £26.90

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), Not So Sleepy (33/1), Cornerstone Lad (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).

Cilaos Emery
Epatante
Darver Star

Previous Winners

2019

Espoir D'allen

Weight: 11-10 |Age: 5

J: Mark Walsh | T: G P Cromwell

16/1

Prize Money

1st: £264,610.002nd: £99,693.003rd: £49,894.004th: £24,923.005th: £12,509.006th: £6,254.007th: £3,104.008th: £1,599.00