Champion Hurdle: King charge Worth a look

The Champion Hurdle has been a heated topic of discussion in recent weeks, with the complexion of the race looking far more uncertain than would often be the case at this stage of the season. The question marks surrounding the participation of the last two winners, Faugheen and Annie Power, was in no small part responsible, but the week beginning January 23rd looks set to be the pivotal in this long-running saga and now looks a good time to consider a long-range wager.

The announcement on Wednesday that Annie Power would miss the Festival altogether was the first piece of critical information to be supplied this week. Last year's winner is reported to have suffered a separate leg injury to the one that has kept her off the track since April and trainer Willie Mullins is understandably keen to monitor her recovery before committing to an outing at the Punchestown Festival.

Annie Power's absence now lends greater significance to the return of Faugheen in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday and the Champion Hurdle market looks set for a shake-up whatever the outcome this weekend. Faugheen has not been sighted on a racecourse since winning Sunday's race so impressively 12 months ago, but the vibes have been far more positive about his well-being at home of late and Faugheen will likely be odds-on for Cheltenham if showing the engine remains intact with victory in a six-strong field that also includes Petit Mouchoir and Nichols Canyon. There has to be some doubts on that front given the difficulty Mullins has had in getting him back to the track this season, however, and those around him in the Champion Hurdle market are likely to be much shorter should Faugheen suffer just the second defeat of his career at Leopardstown. 

The aforementioned Nichols Canyon inflicted the first of those when winning the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last season and he improved further to repeat the dose in the Morgiana this time round. He once again showed a tendency to jump out to his right when second in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas, though, and will do well to repeat his third in this race 12 months ago, with the Stayers' Hurdle mentioned as an alternative target at the Festival.

Petit Mouchoir was the one to take advantage of Nichols Canyon's below-par effort in the Ryanair Hurdle, travelling strongly on the front end throughout and quickly asserting once asked for his effort at the second-last. That represented by far the best effort of his career to date and he has already shown form good enough to be competitive in an average renewal of the Champion Hurdle, with Sunday's race likely to tell us more about his standing among the Irish contingent.

Willie Mullins also has Yorkhill and Vroum Vroum Mag among the entries, but both appear to have likelier targets at the Festival. Last year's Neptune winner Yorkhill is now unbeaten in two starts over fences and features prominently in the betting for both the Arkle and the JLT, while Vroum Vroum Mag is engaged in no fewer than six races at the fixture. She looks more likely to her chance in the Mares' Hurdle she won in 2016 - or perhaps the Stayers' Hurdle having won the Christmas Hurdle over three miles at Leopardstown last time - and neither can be recommended at this stage with such doubts about their participation.  

Jezki and The New One also hold Stayers' Hurdle entries and that race is likely to represent their best chance of success at the Festival. The duo showed themselves to be among the best two-milers around when first and third respectively in the 2014 Champion Hurdle, but a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and The New One has been soundly beaten in two further cracks at this race. Jezki, on the other hand, didn't need to be anywhere near is best after 21 months off the track when winning at Navan earlier this month, and a watching brief is advised until after his next outing in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran Park. 

Brain Power (Ladbroke) and Superb Story (County) have both won major two-mile handicaps in the last 12 months and do at least have this race confirmed as their target at Cheltenham. The Nicky Henderson-trained Brain Power is the more interesting of the pair having bolted up from top-weight in the Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot last month and he remains open to more improvement than most here. He gets the opportunity to consolidate his claims in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown.

However, he could face a clash with Yanworth if taking his chance in that particular race and Alan King's charge appears to have has all the makings of a top-class performer in this division. He failed to meet market expectations when only second to Yorkhill in last year's Neptune, but showed improved form when winning his first two starts of the current campaign and gave the impression this test would suit when getting the better of The New One and My Tent Or Yours in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day. He took a while to find top gear at a track that wouldn't have played to his strengths that day, but found plenty for pressure and stayed on strongly to pull some three and a quarter lengths clear in the closing stages. 

The stiff two miles of the Champion Hurdle should be right up Yanworth's street on that evidence and he certainly appears to be the leading British candidate for the race at this stage. He might even be favourite come Sunday evening should Faugheen fail to reproduce his best form in the Irish Champion Hurdle and the advice is to take the 4/1 currently on offer, with the seven-year-old appealing as by far the most solid option in a difficult year. 

Recommendation:

Back Yanworth for the 2017 Champion Hurdle at 4/1

Read our 2017 Ryanair Chase preview

Read our 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup preview

Read our 2017 Champion Chase preview

Read our 2017 Stayers' Hurdle preview