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Champion Hurdle Odds: Course specialist Menorah can Claim Festival Day One Feature

Despite the withdrawal of antepost favourite and reigning champion hurdler, Binocular, the Champion Hurdle remains one of the highlights of the week at the Cheltenham Festival, with the odds of the big three, Menorah, Hurricane Fly and Peddlers Cross shortening. Current favourite is the Phillip Hobbs trained, Menorah who is an industry best price of 10/3 with Boylesports who go 7/2 on both Hurricane Fly and Peddlers Cross.

Menorah of course won the Supreme Novice Hurdle 12 months ago and has become somewhat of a specialist on this course. He has won twice at Cheltenham this season including last time out when impressively winning the Grade 2 International Hurdle in December by 4½ lengths from the current Supreme Novice Hurdle favourite, Cue Card. If he is the mix at the last then there probably is no better finisher up the hill than this extremely determined 6 year old. Hobbs has kept him very fresh and by all accounts he has been working extremely well at home.

Hurricane Fly from the Willie Mullins stable will be making his Cheltenham Festival bow, having been injured for the last couple of years at Festival time. A winner of seven Grade One races in Ireland, including the Irish Champion Hurdle last time, there is no doubting the ability or the speed of this son of Montjeu but whether or not he settles at Cheltenham in this first visit away from Ireland remains to be seen. Ruby Walsh gets the ride.

The Donald McCain entry, Peddlers Cross is unbeaten in six races over hurdles including the Grade One, Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival and the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle earlier this season where he had Binocular well beaten back in third. His form is simply outstanding, making him very difficult to oppose, he should enjoy the strong gallop expected to be set by stablemate, Overturn and should go very close with his chances probably depending on how he battles up the hill after the last. Overturn should not be completely ruled out himself, he is a very talented horse who was only 3½ lengths down on Binocular in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park in January and looks more than a reasonable each way option with odds of 40/1.

One entry that could ‘upset the applecart’ is Dunguib, who was the highest rated novice last year until slipping up when third behind Menorah in the Supreme Novice Hurdle. He was a hot favourite to win that race and by all accounts he is said to be back at his very best which is why he has been backed steadily all week; he is now as short as 8/1 with boylesports to win the race. Also being backed is the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained, Khyber Kim, who was second last year behind Binocular. He also finished well behind Binocular and Overturn in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park in January which is his only start this season. It is not the best of form to come into a race of this stature, but his trainer and jockey, Paddy Brennan have been very bullish about his chances. Boyles list him at 12/1 in their market which is probably about right as there are many pundits who believe he would be better suited to 2½ miles rather than this much quicker shorter trip.

Elsewhere there has been steady support into 8/1 for the Nicky Henderson sole entry, Oscar Whisky, who will need to step up and hugely improve if he is to make an impression in this. There are also misgivings regarding the Henderson yard, particularly with the controversy surrounding the withdrawal of Binocular, as well as other big name entries such as Riverside Theatre who has been taken out of the Ryanair Chase. That said, the Henderson yard has saddled the last two winners of the race, including with 22/1 shot, Punjabi in 2009 and know what it takes to win this day one feature.

Champion Hurdle Odds

10/3 Menorah
7/2 Hurricane Fly
7/2 Peddlers Cross
8/1 Dunguib
8/1 Oscar Whisky
12/1 Khyber Kim
14/1 Mille Chief
20/1 Thousand Stars
40/1 Overturn
50/1 Clerks Choice
150/1 Bygones Of Brid

Odds provided by Boylesports.com will be operating a comprehensive range of betting opportunities and offers for the 2011 Cheltenham Festival.

Posted: Monday, 14th March 2011
Author: Rodney Wise
Tags: champion hurdle, menorah, hurricane fly, peddlers cross, boylesports,

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