Defending champion Hurricane Fly (3/1 joint-favourite
with Stan James) headlines 18 entries for the £400,000 Grade One Stan James
Champion Hurdle over an extended two miles, the highlight on the first day of
The Festival, Champion Day, Tuesday, March 11.
The
Willie Mullins-trained star will be bidding to become the sixth three-time
winner of hurdling's top race and the first since Istabraq, who triumphed
for Aidan O'Brien in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and the first not in successive years.
Hurricane
Fly captured his first Stan James Champion Hurdle in 2011 and became only the
second horse to regain the crown when getting the better of the 2012 victor Rock
On Ruby (40/1) in a thrilling finish to last year's renewal.
After
confirming his superiority over Rock On Ruby at the Punchestown Festival in
April, Hurricane Fly returned this season with a gutsy victory in the Grade One
StanJames.com Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November - a record-breaking
17th Grade One success.
The
10-year-old extended that sequence to 18 with a decisive two and a half-length
success over Jezki (Jessica Harrington & 8/1) and JCB Triumph Hurdle
hero Our Conor (Dessie Hughes & 9/1) in the Grade One Ryanair Hurdle
at Leopardstown on December 29.
Jezki
did not enjoy the clearest of runs in the Ryanair Hurdle and his trainer
Jessica Harrington is keen for the six-year-old to take his chance in the Stan
James Champion Hurdle. Jezki has run twice before at The Festival, finishing
third in the Sky Supreme Novices' Hurdle last year and eighth in the 2012
Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
Jessica Harrington commented:
"At the moment, the Stan James Champion Hurdle is very much the aim for
Jezki.
"I
have been delighted with him since Christmas. Maybe he was a bit unlucky there,
but he ran a very good race and it was the first time he had come up against
that class of horse.
"He
runs a week on Sunday in the Irish Champion Hurdle. His preparation has gone
very well and we will have to wait to see if he can get closer to Hurricane Fly
- it all depends on luck in running and how the race goes.
"He
went to Cheltenham last year and was beaten by two very good horses. His
jumping was probably a little bit sloppy on the day, but he gets two and a half
miles and I see no reason why he won't run very well in the Champion
Hurdle."
Mullins
is also responsible for Grade One-winning mare Annie Power (9/1), who
recorded a ninth straight success in the Dornan Engineering Hurdle at
Cheltenham on New Year's Day, and French import Un De Sceaux (12/1), who
has won all six of his career starts in facile fashion. Three-time Grade One
victor Thousand Stars (50/1) completes the quartet for Ireland's
champion trainer.
Hurricane
Fly is joined at the top of the Stan James betting by The New One, who
annexed last season's Grade One Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle
at The Festival.
The
six-year-old announced himself as a serious contender for the Stan James
Champion Hurdle with a 10-length demolition of Rock On Ruby at Kempton Park in
October and a six-length victory in the Grade Two StanJames.com International
Hurdle at Cheltenham in December.
Nigel
Twiston-Davies' charge went down by half a length to StanJames.com Fighting
Fifth Hurdle hero My Tent Or Yours (4/1), unbeaten this season and
trained by Nicky Henderson, in a vintage renewal of the Grade One Christmas
Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
Henderson,
the most successful current trainer in the Stan James Champion Hurdle with five
victories, has also entered Grandouet (25/1) and Rolling Star
(50/1).
Other
notables engaged include Ptit Zig (Paul Nicholls), a Grade One winner at
Auteuil in October, Grade Two Elite Hurdle victor Melodic Rendezvous (Jeremy
Scott)and 2012 Supreme Novices' Hurdle hero Cinders And Ashes (Donald
McCain).
Rory
Jiwani of sponsor StanJames.com said: "We're delighted to see
such a high-class entry for this year's StanJames Champion Hurdle.
"It's
shaping up to be the race of The Festival with reigning champion Hurricane Fly
sharing favouritism at 3/1 with last year's Neptune Investment Management
Novices' Hurdle winner The New One.
"We
laid Willie Mullins' star heavily after his lacklustre reappearance in the
StanJames.com Morgiana but he looked as good as ever in the Ryanair Hurdle over
Christmas and he's by far our worst result in the book. Nicky Henderson's My
Tent Or Yours is next best at 4/1 despite beating The New One at Kempton last
time out.
"Outside
the big three, Ireland adds real depth with runaway Triumph winner Our Conor,
Jezki and Willie Mullins' unexposed pair of Annie Power and Un De Sceaux all
holding live chances.
"Paul
Nicholls' sole entry Ptit Zig and Melodic Rendezvous will demonstrate their
credentials in Saturday's StanJames.com Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock, while
last year's runner-up and 2012 Champion Hurdler Rock On Ruby is also in the
18-strong entry list although his target appears to be the Racing Post Arkle
Chase, also on Day One."
Stan
James Champion Hurdle - Stan James bet: 3/1 Hurricane Fly, The New
One, 4/1 My Tent Or Yours, 8/1 Jezki, 9/1 Our Conor, Annie
Power, 12/1 Un De Sceaux, 25/1 Grandouet, Ptit Zig, 33/1 Melodic
Rendezvous, 40/1 Rock On Ruby, Cotton Mill, 50/1 Cinders And
Ashes, Rolling Star, Grumeti, Thousand Stars, Montbazon,
200/1 Act Of Kalanisi
About The Festival
The Festival runs from Tuesday, March 11 to Friday, March 14
inclusive and is the embodiment of everything that is great about Cheltenham.
It is four days of atmosphere, anticipation and action, played out on a
beautiful sporting arena that has no equal. The Festival features the best and
the bravest horses and jockeys, nervous and excited trainers and owners, and a
wide cast of human characters who come together every year determined to have
the time of their lives. For racing's practitioners, Festival glory provides
lifelong memories that will never fade and defines careers. Witness the sheer
elation of winning connections as they return to the cheers of the crowd and
you are seeing dreams fulfilled and years of planning and effort coming to
fruition. The Festival is one of those rare events that engages everyone who
comes into contact with it, never failing to produce award-winning drama,
enjoyment, camaraderie and sporting excellence in a cocktail for which no
hangover cure is required. It truly is a life affirming four days.
About Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse is situated in Prestbury on the outskirts of
the historic spa town of Cheltenham. The Home of Jump Racing, Cheltenham
Racecourse is the venue for the world's pre-eminent Jump Racing meeting, The
Festival, which takes place in March every year. Set against the beautiful
backdrop of the Cotswolds, Cheltenham Racecourse is a stunning natural
amphitheatre and offers the highest-quality action throughout the Jump season.
Cheltenham has been voted Britain's Racecourse of the Year for the last 10
years by members of the Racegoers Club. Please find more details at www.cheltenham.co.uk and through Twitter (@CheltenhamRaces) and
Facebook www.facebook.com/thehomeofjumpracing
Cheltenham Racecourse is part of The Jockey Club, which has been
at the heart of British racing for more than 260 years. Today the largest
commercial group in the sport, The Jockey Club runs the largest racecourse
group in the UK by turnover (2012: £142.1m), courses (15) including those at Aintree,
Cheltenham, Epsom Downs and Newmarket, attendances (2012: 1.8m), total prize
money (2012: £35.3m), contribution to prize money (2012: £16.5m) and quality
racing (Group and Graded races); more than 3,000 acres of world-class training
grounds in Newmarket and Lambourn; The National Stud breeding enterprise and
education provider; and the charity for racing's people in need, Racing
Welfare. Governed by Royal Charter, every penny The Jockey Club makes it puts
back into British racing. More information is available at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk
The
Stan James Champion Hurdle
Class 1,
Grade 1, £400,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 3.20pm, Tuesday,
March 11, 2014, two miles and half a furlong. For four-year-olds and upwards
which are allotted a rating of 130 or more by the senior BHA Head of
Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and taking account of
races run up to and including March 4 - horses whho are not qualified for a
rating in GB, IRE or FR may also be entered (such horses may be eligible
providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse's racecourse performances
up to and including March 4 would merit a minimum rating of 130 - the decision
of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final). Weights: 4yo: 11st 2lb; 5yo+:
11st 10lb; fillies & mares allowed 7lb. Entries closed January 14, entries
revealed January 15 (18 entries). Scratchings deadline February 11,
£20,000 supplementary stage & six-day confirmation stage March 5, final
declaration 10.00am, March 9. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are
correct up to and including the racing of Monday, January 13.
Form
Horse Age Owner Trainer
563011 ACT OF KALANISI (IRE)
8 C E
Stedman, Dr Richard & Laura Newland Dr Richard Newland
1111-11 ANNIE POWER (IRE) 6
Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
111/25P- CINDERS AND ASHES 7 Dermot
Hanafin & Phil Cunningham Donald McCain
3/2F0-44 COTTON MILL 7
Bloomfields John Ferguson
2F6-U22 GRANDOUET (FR) 7
Simon Munir Nicky Henderson
131/4-35 GRUMETI 6
McNeill Family Alan King
1111-11 HURRICANE FLY (IRE) 10
George Creighton & Rose Boyd Willie Mullins IRE
131-112 JEZKI (IRE) 6 J
P McManus Jessica Harrington IRE
2111-15 MELODIC RENDEZVOUS 8 Cash
For Honours Jeremy Scott
2/32114/- MONTBAZON (FR) 7
David Sewell Alan King
1121-11 MY TENT OR YOURS (IRE) 7 J
P McManus Nicky Henderson
1111-3 OUR CONOR (IRE) 5
Barry Connell Dessie Hughes IRE
131-212 PTIT ZIG (FR) 5 Barry Fulton, Chris Giles & Richard
Webb Paul
Nicholls
3123-21 ROCK ON RUBY (IRE) 9 The
Festival Goers Harry Fry
1165-10 ROLLING STAR (FR) 5 Michael
Buckley & The Vestey Family Nicky Henderson
212-112 THE NEW ONE (IRE) 6 Sarah
Such Nigel Twiston-Davies
632-405 THOUSAND STARS (FR) 10
Hammer & Trowel Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
1/111-11 UN DE SCEAUX (FR) 6 Edward
O'Connell Willie Mullins IRE
18 entries
6 Irish-trained
Timeform
Ratings for the Stan James Champion Hurdle (weight-adjusted)
185p
ANNIE POWER
184
HURRICANE FLY
183 MY
TENT OR YOURS
182 THE
NEW ONE
180
JEZKI
180 OUR
CONOR
179
ROCK ON RUBY
175
GRANDOUET
174
THOUSAND STARS
169P UN
DE SCEAUX
169
PTIT ZIG
Breakdown
of Entries by Trainer
4 entries
Willie Mullins IRE - Annie Power, Hurricane Fly, Thousand
Stars, Un De Sceaux
3 entries
Nicky Henderson - Grandouet, My Tent Or Yours, Rolling Star
2 entries
Alan King - Grumeti, Montbazon
1 entry
John Ferguson - Cotton Mill
Harry Fry - Rock On Ruby
Jessica Harrington IRE - Jezki
Dessie Hughes IRE - Our Conor
Donald McCain - Cinders And Ashes
Dr Richard Newland - Act Of Kalanisi
Paul Nicholls - Ptit Zig
Jeremy Scott - Melodic Rendezvous
Nigel
Twiston-Davies - The New One
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