Runner-by-runner guide to the 2022 Unibet Champion Hurdle

Who wins the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday?

Here’s our guide to the ten runners declared for the feature race on the opening day of the Festival.

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Official Rating: 152. General odds: 16-1.

A Grade One-winning juvenile hurdler last term who signed off his season by finishing runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle (behind Quilixios) and at Aintree (second to Monmiral). Has claimed two more silver medals this term - finishing runner-up in the Greatwood Hurdle, in mid-November, and then Kingwell Hurdle (to Goshen) at Wincanton. There’s nothing wrong with his attitude but he looks up against it for all his reliability.

Official Rating: 160. Odds: 7-2

Runner-up in the Champion Bumper two years ago and carried all before him in novice hurdles last term, routing his rivals in the Supreme after two earlier Grade One wins at Leopardstown. The plan had been to go chasing this term but that idea was ditched when he suffered a setback that would have prevented him having a full campaign over fences. Not giving him a prep run is a bold move but Willie Mullins has often pulled off that trick at the Festival and fitness is unlikely to be an issue.

Official Rating: 148. Odds: 80-1

It was less than a year ago that he was beaten off a mark of 129 at Ludlow, but he’s been a revelation this season. Won the Welsh Champion Hurdle in the autumn and the richly endowed Betfair Hurdle last term; in between chasing home Epatante in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. His best form has been on flat tracks and this demands plenty more again, but you cannot blame connections for rolling the dice.

Official Rating: 159. Odds: 100-1

At ten years of age, he would be the oldest winner since Sea Pigeon in 1981. Must have given his owner, Lady Blyth, lots of fun as he’s had 55 runs – 42 on the Flat and 13 over jumps – and enjoyed big days in both spheres. The front-runner dead-heated with Epatante in this season’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle, but Cheltenham’s probably not his track. He was a well-held fifth in last year’s Champion Hurdle, having been pulled up the previous year.

Official Rating: 155. Odds: 33-1

Routed his rivals in the County Hurdle two years ago, off a mark of 137, but hasn’t gone to the next level, being beaten in each of the five Grade One races he has contested. Offered hope he still might get there when third to Sharjah in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas after 11 months off, but seemed to have no excuses when fourth to Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle (beaten about nine lengths) last time.

Official Rating: 149. Odds: 8-1

Beaten just once in seven starts but has been kept away from Grade One company. Raced exclusively at Fairyhouse in three starts as a juvenile hurdler last term, he has shown he doesn’t require right-handed tracks this term with successive wins at Naas, Limerick and Gowran. He thumped Quilixios by a dozen lengths on the first occasion and had that rival 22 lengths behind when scoring at Gowran last time. In between, he was all out to beat him at Limerick. Interesting up in class, for all that he will be up against a different calibre of opposition.

Official Rating: 156. Odds: 20-1

Something of a fairytale runner for Ann and Ian Hamilton, who train just a handful of other horses. Tommy’s Oscar has certainly earned his place in the line-up, making it eight wins from 13 starts over hurdles with his fluent win in admittedly weak renewal of Haydock’s Champion Hurdle Trial last month. His cruising speed and accurate jumping will serve him well but he’s never run at Cheltenham and has looked hitherto well served by flat tracks.

Official Rating: 159. Odds: 16-1

He’s looked as if he will benefit from a step up to beyond two miles since finishing fourth in the Triumph Hurdle last year but the son of Nathaniel has continued to pay his way over 2m, winning the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal in October and finishing runner-up in four Grade One contests. Put in his place by Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle last time and not easy to envisage him turning the tables, even on the stiffer track.

Official Rating: 153. Odds: 10-1

Attempts to regain the crown she won two years ago, although that wasn’t a deep renewal and she finished a well-beaten third to Honeysuckle at Cheltenham and Punchestown last season. She’s added second wins in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Christmas Hurdle to her CV this term, but those victories have lacked swagger (had to share spoils on first occasion) and the handicapper actually has her on a lower rating than the start of the campaign.

Official Rating: 165. Odds: 8-15 fav

There’s little that hasn’t been said already about the mighty mare, who is unbeaten in 14 starts (ten of them in Grade One races) and is back to defend her crown after an emphatic victory last year. One small niggle is that she didn’t draw right away from her rivals when winning a third Irish Champion Hurdle last time after quickening clear after two out, but that’s probably being a little churlish. She will continue to be very hard to beat in a division lacking depth.

It is difficult to oppose HONEYSUCKLE, a shining light in a division that has lacked depth for a few years now (it could be a very different story 12 moths from now to judge by this season’s batch of exciting novices and juveniles). Her latest Irish Champion Hurdle was a little underwhelming – she didn’t surge clear after putting her stamp on the race – but her form is on a different plane to her rivals, plus we know she will cope with whatever ground she encounters. Appreciate It represents a fresh face and I wouldn’t worry about his year’s absence, but he’s never met a horse of Honeysuckle’s calibre and is going to have raise his game. Saint Roi has never quite the heights that his County Hurdle win of two years ago promised but he is a big price to reach the frame.