CHAMPION HURDLE INFO
Date: Tuesday (15:30), March 15, 2022
Type: Grade 1 National Hunt Hurdle Race
Distance: 2 Miles ½ Furlongs
Age Of The Horse: 4 Years Old and Older
2020 Winner: Epatante
The standout race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival is undoubtedly the Champion. This page will discuss everything that there is to know about the famous race, including Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Betting in 2022, runners and riders and previous winners.
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With many of the 2022 Champion Hurdle Entries having performed well in trial races, the Champion Hurdle once again promises to be one of the most exciting races of the Festival. So, check out Ladbrokes Cheltenham promotions or similar offers by other brands and get ready for the show!
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 horse race that takes place on the Cheltenham Day One, open to runners aged four or older. Taking place on the Old Course at Cheltenham, the Champion Hurdle is run over a distance of just over 2 miles, with a total of eight hurdles to be jumped also. The Champion Hurdle is also well-known for being the last leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling, with jockeys including Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh having come out on top in the past.
Tuesday 15 March 2022 brings the curtain up on the Cheltenham Festival and the first race, as is always the case, will be greeted by the famous roar from the stands of Prestbury Park. We have an action-packed opener ahead with several Grand 1 races included. Standout of the afternoon, without any doubt, will be the last running of the popular Champion Hurdle. Followers have enjoyed some memorable renewals over the years and the early field listed for this March tells us to expect another thriller.
Five horses have won the Champion Hurdle three times; Hatton’s Grace, Sir Ken, Persian War, See You Then and Istabraq. The latter was owned by JP McManus who has won this race a record nine times while Nicky Henderson is the leading trainer with eight victories. McManus and Henderson teamed up to win this race with Epatante in 2020 who finished third last year and will bid to recapture her crown.
Favourites have a good record in the Champion Hurdle with seven victories in the past eleven seasons. Reigning champion Honeysuckle is odds-on favourite in the Champion Hurdle betting 2022 as she and jockey Rachael Blackmore bid to extend their unbeaten run to fifteen races. Champion Hurdle offers are likely to feature enhanced odds on Honeysuckle for new customers. If successful, she will be the first mare to win the Champion Hurdle twice.
We look at the 2022 Champion Hurdle in detail below, taking in everything from the current betting odds available on the antepost market to past winners, trends and there’s even a 2022 Champion Hurdle betting guide designed to help in your quest to beat the bookies.
When is the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle? The 2022 Champion Hurdle will take place on Tuesday 15th March 2022 at 15:30, with reigning champion currently being the firm favourite in the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle betting with major online bookmakers.
It is very difficult to oppose Honeysuckle who does not seem to have any weaknesses. She can come from behind or race up with the pace and acts on any ground. Rachael Blackmore knows her inside out and will be happy to pick her way through the field and try to kick clear in the home straight.
It will take an exceptional piece of training to win this with Appreciate It after a year off the course. A bigger threat may come from the progressive Teahupoo who posted a career best last time out. He looks a good each-way bet at around 8-1 in the Champion Hurdle betting.
Epatante can pick up place money for the second season in a row. Nicky Henderson has been quite confident in his latest bulletins and is expecting a big run from the 2020 winner.
Each-way 1/5 odds a place, 1,2,3
HONEYSUCKLE
Henry De Bromhead’s remarkable mare goes into the race unbeaten in fourteen career starts, ridden on each occasion by Rachael Blackmore. Last year she quickened clear to win by six and a half lengths and has looked as good as ever this season. She claimed her third consecutive Irish Champion Hurdle last month and dominates the Champion Hurdle betting.
The Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle
Rachael Blackmore onboard Honeysuckle celebrates winning©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
APPRECIATE IT
Willie Mullins trains Appreciate It, a runaway winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season. He was expected to go chasing this winter but that plan was put on hold due to a set-back. He has not raced for a year but if anyone can get him fit it is Mullins, the leading trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival.
2021 Cheltenham Festival, Prestbury Park, Cheltenham, England 15/3/2021
Appreciate It
©INPHO/Francesca Altoft
TEAHUPOO
Third favourite in the Unibet Champion Hurdle betting is Teahupoo, trained by Gordon Elliott. He was beaten at Fairyhouse last April but has won all three starts since. He was particularly impressive when winning by 11 lengths at Gowran Park last time out. His rider felt that Teahupoo hated the heavy ground that day and will be even better on a faster surface at Cheltenham.
EPATANTE
Nicky Henderson believes Epatante has a chance of regaining her crown after her victory in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. That form has been boosted since by the runner-up who won the valuable Betfair Hurdle at Newbury. Epatante has remained steady at 10-1 in the Champion Hurdle betting odds 2022.
ZANAHIYR
Zanahiyr is a stable companion of Teahupoo and has finished runner-up in his last three races. His most recent run was behind Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle. His rider lost an iron after a mistake at the first hurdle that day so that was a creditable effort.
ADAGIO
David Pipe’s Adagio ran a fine race to be second in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November. He was kept off the course with niggling injuries until chasing home Goshen at Wincanton last month.
TOMMY’S OSCAR
Tommy’s Oscar would be a fairy-tale winner for the small yard of Ann Hamilton in Northumberland. The horse has progressed from handicapper to Champion Hurdle contender, winning the Champion Hurdle trial at Haydock in soft ground in January.
GLORY AND FORTUNE
Glory And Fortune earned a tilt at this race by winning the Betfair Hurdle by a short-head. He had previously finished two and a quarter lengths behind Epatante at Kempton. He is priced at 50-1 in the Champion Hurdle betting.
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The 2022 Champion Hurdle may still be some time away but that hasn’t stopped traders going up with their thoughts on the winner of the race. The odds makers at all major bookmakers have made available antepost betting on Champion Hurdle 2022 and that has captured the attention of shrewd backers who like to get in early and secure a better price about their preferred runner.
The earlier you bet the more risk involved. This is because you could back a selection to win the Champion Hurdle only for it to run at Cheltenham Festival in another contest. Your pick could suffer an injury between now and the off and miss the festival entirely. In both instances you would lose your stake money without getting a run.
That’s the reason why many backers prefer to wait until firms make their non runner money back promotions available. With this promo you get the safety net of knowing your funds will be returned in full if your horse doesn’t compete in the race. This doesn’t come into play until much closer to race month, however.
Antepost betting may carry a risk but that is balanced out by the rewards offered by bookies. The odds available in the antepost market are usually much better than what is available to backers betting on the day of the race. Let’s take a closer look at the current betting and how traders expect the 2022 Champion Hurdle to play out.
A large number of online bookmakers introduce generous and potentially lucrative betting offers that can potentially help punters to both maximise winnings and minimise losses. While such promotions will range between platforms, the most popular offers come in the form of non runner no bet, faller insurance, enhanced odds and best odds guaranteed, with all being available surrounding the Champion Hurdle.
7 places7 places7 placesBetfred are paying 7 places on Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Wednesday, 14:50).
+4 places on Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Wednesday, 14:10)
+5 places on Glenfarclas Chase (Wednesday, 16:10)
+6 places on Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Wednesday, 16:50)
+4 places on Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Wednesday, 17:30)
Odds 1/5, Full t&c apply.
7 placesDay 1:
Ultima Handicap Chase - 6 places
Juvenile Handicap Hurdle - 5 places
Day 2:
Coral Cup - 6 places
Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase - 4 places
Grand Annual Challenge Cup - 5 places
Champion Bumper - 5 places
Day 3:
Pertemps Network Final - 6 places
Plate Handicap Chase - 5 places
Mares' Novices' Hurdle - 5 places
Kim Muir Handicap Chase - 5 places
Back a horse in a race with Each Way+ and get enhanced place terms or an extra place. Earn yourself a bigger EW payout or gain some extra insurance on your EW bets. 888Sport will pay out an extra place on selected Cheltenham 2022 Races. 18+, T&Cs apply.
Day 2
14:10, The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase - 4 places at 1/5
14:50, The Coral Cup - 6 places at 1/5
16:10, The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase - 4 places at 1/5
16:50, Grand Annual Handicap Steeple Chase - 5 places at 1/5
17:30, The Weatherbys Champion Bumper - 4 places at 1/5
Money BackOne way to pick your horses for the Cheltenham Festival and, in particular, the Champion Hurdle, is by researching the stats and trends associated with the contest. This will take a little more time than reading reviews, taking Champion Hurdle 2022 tips or simply going with the race favourite but it will be time well spent if it returns a profit.
The Champion Hurdle trends can prove quite useful when cutting down the field. Let’s look at some of the trends associated with the Champion Hurdle.
A huge number of options are available to punters when it comes to betting on the Champion Hurdle, including a range of bookmakers, markets, odds and promotions. The following are among the most important factors to consider when looking to place a bet on the Champion Hurdle:
The first thing to consider is undoubtedly the platform in which you will use to place your bets. Here, it is important to read bookmaker reviews in order to get a better feel of what they offer, as this will potentially have an impact upon how easily bets are placed, as well as the potential winnings in which you take away. The more you read on the form the better chance you will have of landing a winner. Read interviews, expert previews, form, trends, Champion Hurdle tips and even gossip columns. Arm yourself with as much info as you can before risking your cash on this year’s race.
The prices offered by a bookmaker are perhaps the most important thing to consider when looking for a new betting platform, as this will determine the amount of cash that you take away when placing winning bets. Do research on which bookies are offering market best price on your chosen horse. Any price comparison website will make this clear. Simply choose the race you want to bet on, and you’ll see a full list of prices offered on your pick by different bookies. The top offer will be highlighted, that’s the bookmaker you should bet with.
As previously mentioned, bookmaker offers can also help to ensure that punters come out on top when betting on the Champion Hurdle, whether it be a money back special or additional place for each-way bets.
Many bookmakers now offer the ability to watch the action as it unfolds via desktop or mobile, with streams of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival helping to add to the excitement.
All major online betting firms have gone up with their antepost books for the Cheltenham Festival races, including the Champion Hurdle. This allows you to get in early and secure a better price about your pick than the one that will be available to those betting on the day. If you are confident in your selection it would be wise to back it antepost.
Many of the most popular and advanced online betting sites and apps offer live betting and live streaming on major sports, including horse racing. At the likes of Coral, you are able to watch the Cheltenham Festival through an HD quality stream on your desktop computer or mobile app at no extra cost. Bet on the race and cheer your selection home to victory.
Punters eager to get a clue as to how the 2022 Champion Hurdle may pan out will pour over the stats and past runnings of the race. Last year’s event was won by Espoir D’Allen who beat off Melon into second with Silver Streak making up the major places when finishing third.
Epatante enhanced the fabulous Champion Hurdle records of trainer Nicky Henderson and owner JP McManus by justifying favouritism and a 2/1 starting price with an easy victory in the feature race on day one of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival. Despite a slight mistake at the third last, she was always travelling well and tracked the leaders menacingly approaching the penultimate flight.
Barry Geraghty then produced Epatante to lead over the final hurdle and she quickly asserted on the run-in, putting the race to bed with a three-length victory over 16/1 shot Sharjah from the Willie Mullins stable. The runner-up turned the tables on Darver Star, who represented the best of the Irish Champion Hurdle form for Gavin Crowmell at odds of 17/2. He was a further 3 3/4 lengths behind in third, but 2¾ lengths ahead of Mullins’s supplementary entry Cilaos Emery.
Front-running Gigginstown House Stud owed horse Petit Mouchoir faded to be fifth and beaten 11½ lengths under Rachael Blackmore from the Henry De Bromhead yard at 25/1. The next best British runner in the Champion Hurdle was 20/1 chance Silver Streak, a further half-length down in sixth and finishing three places worse than the previous year for Welsh trainer Evan Williams and his regular jockey Adam Wedge.
The 2019 champion came good against the expectations of traders and continued the trend of recent losing favourites in this race. Espoir D’Allen was weighed in as a 16/1 SP victor for Gavin Cromwell and JP McManus. Melon was a 20/1 second with Silver Streak placing at a chunky 80/1.
Espoir D’Allen’s victory ended the dominance of Buveur D’Air who had won each of the previous two runnings of the Champion Hurdle and many, in the antepost markets, expected him to go and complete the hat-trick. It wasn’t to be and, on race day, the champion secured a convincing victory that saw him cross the line unchallenged with none of the main finishers able to land a glove on Espoir D’Allen. That will go down as one of the most convincing wins of this test in recent times.
Buveur D’Air claimed a relatively easy win in 2017, with My Tent Or Yours making it a one-two for trainer Nicky Henderson. In a race with few major talking points, it was a comprehensive win for the French horse.
Reigning champion Buveur D’Air came out on top after a thrilling battle with Willie Mullins’ Melon, winning by just a neck after a fantastic comeback. Former winner Faugheen was unable to keep up with the duo, with Mick Jazz eventually finishing in third.
In the run up to the Cheltenham Festival you will see a number of trial races take place, including trials for the Unibet Champion Hurdle. These are important as they give vital clues on form and the fitness of the main runners in the frame for entry. Study the results and race times here before making your final bets on the Prestbury Park festival of horse racing.
For those looking to back their favourite for the Champion Hurdle at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, this page should undoubtedly help you along the way. Whether it be an ante-post or each-way bet, using a price boost or faller insurance promotion from your favourite bookmaker, there has never been a better time to bet on one of the most anticipated Grade 1 race at the upcoming Festival. Be sure to make a note of the race date, before backing your favourite runner and rider.
