Cheltenham Champion Hurdle

I have been re watching the 2009 Champion Hurdle.

Punjabi is clealry a quality horse but he got the run of the race and was a year older than both Binocular and Celestial Halo. I have said previously given the interrupted preparation he had and with another year under his belt, Binocular is my fancy to win in 2010. However the more I watched the race, coupled with the fact that Paul Nicholls is aiming him at the race and the fact he had a very dificult start to his training last year and the fact that he had to fight all the way in a contested fight for the lead with Osana and Hardy Eustace, it is dificult not to be impressed with his performance. I do have a concern as to who will ride him as if Hurricane Fly lines up who would Ruby Walsh choose to ride? I suspect (quite rightly), we will not get an answer until it happens but it has to be a worry.

Whilst I still think Binocular will win (as long as the going is not too soft), I think the 14/1 about Celestial Halo is too big a price.

Hurricane Fly, Solwhit and Zaynar are all horses who could make the grade but even if they do I could only see them as saver material. Unlike Celestial Halo and Binocular they have not been there and done it in the Champion Hurdle. Also Both Hurricane Fly and Solwhit have yet to prove they will take to the Cheltenham course.

However it is interesting that Zaynar is only 8/1 with Victor Chandler (who has an interest in him) and he is proven at Cheltenham. Nevertheless I would want to see him come out and be competitive against his elders before considering a saver bet. There is no way he should be 2 points shorter than Celestial Halo at the beginning of the season.

I accept there is the risk that Celestial Halo may be stepped up to the World Hurdle (particularly if Big Bucks is re-routed to the Gold Cup-something that might happen if anything happened to Kauto Star or Deman), but it was clear to me after the Champion hurdle last year Paul Nicholls really thinks he has a chance of winning it with Celestial halo and if he aims a horse at a race you have to take notice. Plus through his column in the Racing Post he is likely to talk positively of his chances and cause his proce to contract.

It is difficult to see anything at this stage being worthy of consideration for the Champion Hurdle other than the six mentioned and at the prices Binocular at 6/1 and Celestial Halo at 14/1 stand out.