2026 Champion Hurdle preview, tip and ratings

This year’s Champion Hurdle (Tuesday, 16:00) is missing some big names, with Sir Gino joining the same owners’ former winner State Man on the injury list, while Constitution Hill’s ‘trial’ on the Flat at Southwell last month was such a success that it has led to a full-time change of career.

That leaves two very smart Irish mares at the head of the ratings, with five of the last ten renewals having gone to members of their sex. This will be a third consecutive meeting between Lossiemouth (176) and Brightersdayahead (175), with the score one apiece from their two races at Leopardstown.

A prolific winner for Willie Mullins, Lossiemouth finally gets a crack at the Champion Hurdle, having won the the last two editions of the Mares’ Hurdle, and is unbeaten at Cheltenham, having also won the Triumph Hurdle at her first Festival and the International Hurdle in 2024. She was fit from a successful reappearance in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown when beating Brighterdaysahead by a length in the December Hurdle but underperformed in the Irish Champion Hurdle last time when never going with her usual zest. Fitted with cheekpieces here, the headgear can help her reverse that form.

Gordon Elliott had planned to send Brighterdaysahead over fences this season but a belated return to action meant she remained over hurdles and she improved on her run in the December Hurdle when back to her best in the Irish Champion Hurdle, jumping more fluently than her below-par rival and going on to beat Lossiemouth by just over three lengths. Like Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead has won a lot more races than she’s lost in her career, though she has been beaten in both her appearances at the Festival, notably when most disappointing in last year’s Champion Hurdle when sent off 5/2 second favourite to Constitution Hill.

Unbeaten in his five completed starts, Dan Skelton’s The New Lion (172p) has the most scope for improvement in the race. He was impressive in the Baring Bingham at last year’s Festival and hasn’t had the right circumstances to improve on that in two runs dropped to two miles this season. He was still in front and finding for pressure when falling two out in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle and was then left with only two inferior rivals to beat, after Sir Gino had pulled up injured, in the International Hurdle last time, when quickening to win readily having looked suited by reverting to patient tactics. The likely stronger gallop should suit him here.

Another mare, the Jeremy Scott-trained Golden Ace (166), was left in the lead by State Man’s fall at the final flight in last year’s Champion Hurdle and had luck on her side again when landing the Fighting Fifth after her main rivals had departed, but she’s a likeable type and was a good second to Sir Gino in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on her last start.

Alexei (163) booked his place in the line-up for Joe Tizzard by landing the odds in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton last time, having been most progressive in handicaps earlier in the season, notably winning the Greatwood in good style at Cheltenham’s November meeting. Paul Nicholls has supplemented Tutti Quanti (162) but he too has something to find out of handicap company for all that he won the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury last time under 12-0 (from a BHA mark of 138) by 15 lengths, following up his course-and-distance win in the Gerry Feilden in the autumn.

Besides Lossiemouth, Willie Mullins also runs Poniros (160) and Anzadam (164). Poniros won’t be the 100/1-shot he was when making a winning debut over hurdles in last year’s Triumph Hurdle but has plenty to find here, even if he did shape encouragingly on his first start since Royal Ascot last year when staying on late for third behind Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth at Leopardstown last time. The headstrong Anzadam began the season unbeaten but has had his limitations exposed in top company, finishing runner-up in the Fighting Fifth and then fourth in both the big hurdles at Leopardstown.

It’s hard to make a case for Workahead (152) who completes the line-up for Henry de Bromhead. He’s lightly raced and improved for his reappearance when second in last month’s Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran but still has only a maiden hurdle win to his name.

Timeform weight-adjusted ratings

176 Lossiemouth

175 Brighterdaysahead

172p The New Lion

166 Golden Ace

164 Anzadam

163 Alexei

162 Tutti Quanti

160 Poniros

152 Workahead

Timeform analyst’s verdict

Several high-profile absentees potentially leaves the door ajar for another mare to add their name to the roll call of winners. LOSSIEMOUTH looks the type to benefit from cheekpieces so is marginally preferred to Brighterdaysahead in her quest for a Cheltenham Festival four-timer. The Elliott-trained mare has yet to win at this venue, but she did beat the selection at Leopardstown and demands respect, while The New Lion's ceiling has yet to be ascertained.