Champion Hurdle Betting Will Be The Focus Of Punters On Day 1

The 2010 Champion Hurdle is arguably the best race of the whole Festival with at least eight in with chances to win the race and will be the main focus of punters on day 1 of the festival. Favourite is Go Native, who won the 2009 Supreme Novices Hurdle, he is trained by Noel Meade and is available with odds of around the 4/1 mark with Bet365 to win the race. On form, Go Native holds the likes of Solwhit and Binocular having had both behind him in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November; he also had Binocular in third place behind him again in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton where he managed to beat Starluck as well but by only a short head. He will enjoy the ground, which is likely to be at least good to soft and comes into the race as a well deserved favourite.

Since his defeat by Go Native, the Charlie Byrnes trained, Solwhit has won the Irish Champion Hurdle in impressive style, a win which gave him his third Grade 1 of the season. As a result he became the choice of many to reverse the form with Go Native, but very recent reports of him scoping badly at home has deterred a great many punters even though he has been passed fit to race. Solwhit is now out to 7/1 from odds of 5/1 in the Champion Hurdle Betting to win.

On recent form, Khyber Kim has looked as impressive as anything else in this race. His wins in the Greatwood Hurdle and Boylesports International Hurdle in November and December respectively were most impressive and in which he got the better of some well fancied rivals in this. Horse’s such as Medermit, Punjabi and Celestial Halo are all held by Khyber Kim and he will come into the race very fresh and with a great deal of confidence behind him from the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard. He is currently being well backed and now has odds of 8/1 for the race.

The first three home in the 2009 Champion Hurdle are all being talked up by their jockey’s, Punjabi 7/1 will be ridden once again by Barry Geraghty, who prefers him to the non JP McManus owned challenger from the Nicky Henderson stable, Zaynar, while Celestial Halo 9/1, second last year, has never been better when training at home, according to according to Ruby Walsh.

Binocular 7/1 also from the Henderson yard and who was third last year has come on leaps and bounds over the last few weeks and his jockey, Tony McCoy has rarely been more confident about his chances.

Although apparently held by Khyber Kim, the Alan King trained, Medermit with odds of 9/1, looked like he is likely to improve again after his victory over Punjabi in the Sporting Bet Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock in January. King, it will be remembered saddled the winner of the Champion Hurdle with Katchit in 2008 and will have his charge spot on for the race.

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