Further Champion Hurdle Info

THE SMURFIT KAPPA CHAMPION HURDLE

Class 1, Grade One, #370,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 3.20pm, Tuesday, March 10. 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 3 - horses which 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 3 would merit a minimum rating of 130 - the decision of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final), two miles & half a furlong. Weights: 4yo: 11st 2lb; 5yo+: 11st 10lb; fillies & mares allowed 7lb. Entries closed January 13, entries revealed January 14 (34 entries). Forfeit stage February 10, #19,000 supplementary entry stage March 4, six-day confirmation stage March 4, final declaration 10.00am, March 8. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, January 12.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

P355/11- CYBERGENIC (FR) 11 Judith Wilson & Tina Wilson Paul Murphy

P210-10 RIVER LIANE (FR) 5 Valerie Courtney Thomas Cooper IRE

F110-25 SIZING EUROPE (IRE) 7 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE

BREAKDOWN OF ENTRIES BY TRAINER WITH PAST SUCCESSES IN THE SMURFIT KAPPA CHAMPION HURDLE

Nicky Henderson (1985, 1986 & 1987 See You Then)

Noel Meade IRE

Paul Nicholls

David Pipe

Willie Mullins IRE

Tom Cooper IRE

Henry de Bromhead IRE

Francois Doumen FR

Tom George

Nick Gifford

Sabrina Harty IRE

Robbie Hennessy IRE

Philip Hobbs (2003 Rooster Booster)

Dessie Hughes (2004 & 2005 Hardy Eustace)

Alan King (2008 Katchit)

Emma Lavelle

Donald McCain Jnr

Colm Murphy IRE (2006 Brave Inca)

Paul Murphy

Edward O'Grady IRE

Harry Rogers IRE

Roger Teal

Andy Turnell

Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle - Analysis

The 2009 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle has attracted 34 entries, with 15 hailing from Ireland and one from France.

Among the entries this year are no less than four previous winners - Hardy Eustace (2004 and 2005), Brave Inca (2006), Sublimity (2007) and Katchit (2008). Hardy Eustace proved that he was no back number with victory in a Grade One contest at Punchestown in December while Brave Inca has returned from injury this season and has posted promising efforts when placed in Grade One contests at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown. Sublimity was an impressive winner of the Grade One December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29, when he had Won In The Dark in second place, Brave Inca third, Muirhead fourth, Sizing Europe fifth, Aitmatov sixth and Hardy Eustace seventh. Last year's winner Katchit has failed to fire on his three starts so far this season but has often reserved his best for Cheltenham in the past.

Nicky Henderson famously landed three consecutive renewals of the Champion Hurdle with the great See You Then in 1985, 1986 and 1987. This time around, he looks to hold his strongest hand in the contest for many years with his five entries including the current ante-post favourite Binocular, runner-up in last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, who was so impressive when landing the Grade Two Boylesports.com International, which was run at Ascot on December 20 following the abandonment of Cheltenham the previous weekend. The master of Seven Barrows could also be represented by the 2007 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle third Afsoun, Aigle D'Or, runner-up in the Greatwood Hurdle at The Open in November, Punjabi, the impressive winner of the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Wetherby earlier this season before falling two out in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and Sentry Duty, who won the highly-competitive Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Ascot on December 20.

Osana only found Katchit a length too good last year and is one of two entries for David Pipe alongside Ashkazar. In addition to Katchit, other Festival winners from 2008 who could bid for further glory this time around are the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle hero Crack Away Jack, Celestial Halo, who collected the JCB Triumph Hurdle and Whiteoak, who landed the inaugural running of the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle.

Significant entries among the 15-strong Irish contingent also include the Edward O'Grady-trained Catch Me, successful on his last three starts including the Grade One Hatton's Grace Hurdle, and the Cheltenham regular Harchibald. Harchibald, one of five entries for champion Irish trainer Noel Meade, has competed in two previous renewals, just getting edged out by Hardy Eustace when he was second in 2005 before finishing 10th last year. However, he showed that he retains plenty of ability with success in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton last month, beating Snap Tie by three quarters of a length. Meade could also be represented by Jered, a Grade One winner at Punchestown last season, Aitmatov, Jazz Messenger and Muirhead.

Two exciting novices that could take their chances are the Willie Mullins-trained Hurricane Fly, successful in Grade One company on his latest two starts and Dee Ee Williams from the Nick Gifford yard who was a short-head runner-up in Grade Two company at Ascot last month.

The sole French entry is the Francois Doumen-trained Onnix, who was sixth in last year's Pertemps Final at The Festival and is owned by Sir Michael Smurfit.