Champion Hurdle Preview: Apple's Jade to spoil Buveur party

Nicky Henderson and J.P. McManus have seven wins apiece in the Champion Hurdle, (Istabraq recorded three successive victories for McManus between 1998 and 2000, while See You Then did the same for Henderson between 1985 and 1987), so both men know plenty about the type of horse needed for repeat victories. This year, Buveur d’Air bids to add a third win of his own, which would put him into a select group of three-time winners consisting of Hatton’s Grace (1949-1951), Sir Ken (1952-1954), Persian War (1968-1970), See You Then, and Istabraq.

Like See You Then, Buveur d’Air represents a Nicky Henderson yard that now has 61 Cheltenham Festival winners to its name – just one behind Willie Mullins at the time of writing. Buveur d’Air is responsible for two of those, his quick jumping instrumental in both a four and a half length beating of My Tent Or Yours in the 2016 renewal of this race and a battling neck verdict over Melon 12 months ago.

🏆 2017
🏆 2018
❓ 2019

Buveur D’Air delivered last year, but will he deliver again at The Festival™️ presented by @MagnersUK?

9 days to go... pic.twitter.com/CtYm6dyTJ7

— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 3, 2019

Buveur d’Air’s sheen of invincibility was buffed with an emphatic eight-length Fighting Fifth win in December, and though he was beaten for the first time over jumps since the 2016 Supreme Novices' Hurdle in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, there was no disgrace in being out-sprinted after the last (after an uncharacteristic blunder three out) by his talented stablemate Verdana Blue. A piece of work in a listed race at Sandown last month should have put Buveur d’Air spot on for this, and – still only eight years old – it’s not inconceivable that he adds a third before bidding for an unprecedented fourth Champion Hurdle next season.

Of course, that’s looking too far ahead; back to the present, and Apple’s Jade has recorded a level of form this season that both eclipses what she managed last term and ensures that she is 7 lb clear of Buveur d’Air on weight-adjusted ratings with her mares' weight allowance. Following a reappearance win in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan in November, she ran her Hatton's Grace Hurdle rivals ragged, before landing the three-mile Christmas Hurdle in bloodless fashion after the fall of Faugheen at the second-last.

She completed a four-timer in the Irish Champion Hurdle back at Leopardstown (by 16 lengths from Supasundae) last month, notching up her tenth Grade 1 success in superb style, and earning herself a crack at this race rather than trying to atone for her (below-par) third in the Mares’ Hurdle last season when, as it turned out, she was in season.

Awesome. Apple's Jade annihilates the field to win the Irish Champion Hurdle at the #DublinRacingFestival - Gordon Elliott & Jack Kennedy take the first two at #Leopardstown #RTEracing pic.twitter.com/NYUEHhVjry

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 2, 2019

For all she’s been placed at two Festivals, and won at another, it’s hard to argue that Apple's Jade has produced her best form at Cheltenham, however her performances this season mark her out – perhaps surprisingly, considering the presence of a two-time Champion Hurdle winner in the race – as the horse to beat.

Whilst Apple’s Jade has blossomed this season, last year’s Champion Hurdle runner-up Melon has wilted. He’s only run to a useful level of form in two starts – when fourth behind Sharjah, Supasundae and Tombstone in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown in December and when filling the same position behind Apple’s Jade in the Irish Champion – and he has made bad jumping errors on each occasion. There’s still a feeling of untapped potential about Melon, and a repeat of his performance last season would give him place claims at least, but he now has plenty to prove; indeed, he may yet find himself deserted by Ruby Walsh in favour of Laurina, though that is probably no negative considering how well he went for Paul Townend 12 months ago.

Laurina’s domination of her own sex since arriving from France has been as emphatic as the market on each occasion has suggested it should be. She’s been very strong in the betting for this race (in preference to the Mare’s Hurdle, a race that her stable is primed to win again with Benie des Dieux) and looks a top-class hurdler in the making, but her price now offers very little in terms of value. After all, it’s very hard to assess just how good she is, having faced just six inferior rivals in two starts this season.

While there is plenty of guesswork involved with Laurina, there is very little with Supasundae, bar perhaps which race he will run in (also has a Stayers’ Hurdle entry). He won both the Irish and Punchestown Champion Hurdles last season, and finished placed over further than two miles at both Cheltenham and Aintree in-between. However, he has been firmly put in his place by Apple’s Jade and Sharjah in three runner-up efforts this season.  

Sharjah – a stablemate of Laurina and Melon – is one of the few horses in the field that has gone under the radar somewhat. He showed his best form on testing ground last season, and the going was soft when he won the Galway Hurdle in August, however he has matched that smart form in two of his three starts over hurdles since (spent the autumn running on the Flat), all of which were run on good ground.

A proper Grade 1 animal! Sharjah wins the Ryanair Hurdle in brilliant style for Patrick and Willie Mullins at @LeopardstownRC... pic.twitter.com/8qDk5ONIKb

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 29, 2018

Sharjah provided Willie Mullins with an eighth straight win in the Morgiana when beating Faugheen by seven and a half lengths, and, though it may not have been the strongest renewal of the Ryanair Hurdle last time, the way Sharjah scooted clear on the run-in suggests that he has not stopped improving yet. He hasn’t been seen since, during which he has turned six, and the feeling is that he has been slightly missed in the market as a result of his absence. He may yet go off a bigger price on the day, as Ruby Walsh and Paul Townend may both ride other horses, but Patrick Mullins clearly gets on well with him (two wins from four starts) and he makes some appeal at around 10/1.

In terms of tactics, the assumption is that Apple’s Jade will try to make best use of her undoubted stamina by front-running as usual. An easy lead would make her very hard to beat, but any harrying up-front by the likes of Global Citizen and Supasundae might set the race up for horses with a superior turn of foot. Though she didn’t show it on the Flat at Kempton the other day, Verdana Blue would be suited by such a scenario, as would her stablemate Brain Power. He looked a different proposition when making a successful return to hurdling in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham last time, and while this race takes place on the slightly less stamina-sapping Old Course, he is respected.

Brain Power storms the Unibet International Hurdle for Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson ⚡️

Spare a thought for the likely retirement of The New One who pulled up before the last 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/MCIOqPRMOW

— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) December 15, 2018

Global Citizen, meanwhile, was firmly put in his place when fourth in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, but produced a much improved effort when winning the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock in January. He was given a good ride that day (allowed time to settle in midfield before moving through to make the running), but obviously faces a much stiffer task back against the cream of the crop here.

Of the rest, Espoir d’Allen was the chief beneficiary of Saldier’s late fall in the Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas in November, but he has since added a pair of bona-fide Grade 3 wins, beating the good yardstick Wicklow Brave by two and a half lengths on the latter occasion. Neither will look out of place here, but both need to produce clear career-best efforts to trouble the principals. Silver Streak, who may have won the Champion Hurdle Trial but for a bad mistake at the third-last, will likely be ridden to pick up the pieces late on. He shouldn’t be good enough, but is just the sort of horse who could raise his game again now running amongst superior horses.

Conclusion

Given the quality of the field, it’s probably wise not to be too dogmatic about this being a two-horse race, but Buveur d’Air and Apple’s Jade have both earned their place at the head of the betting, albeit in different ways. There’s a suspicion that Buveur d’Air will raise his game now running in his cup final, but Apple’s Jade has taken her form to a new level this season. Though they were trained by Gordon Elliott’s title rival Willie Mullins, both Faugheen and Annie Power ran their English rivals ragged from the front when winning this race, and the expectation is that Apple’s Jade will follow in their footsteps.

Recommended bet:

Back Apple’s Jade to win the 2019 Champion Hurdle at 2/1

Read Nick Seddon's preview of Wednesday's Queen Mother Champion Chase

Read Adam Houghton's preview of Thursday's Ryanair Chase

Read Nic Doggett's preview of Thursday's Stayers' Hurdle

Read Nic Doggett's preview of Friday's Gold Cup

Please note, this article was first published on Wednesday