Six horses remain in the 2025 Champion Hurdle as one of the four big names expected to run for much of the build-up in Lossiemouth was not declared, and will instead run in the Mares’ Hurdle 40 minutes earlier. The showpiece contest on day one of the Cheltenham Festival is due off at 4pm on Tuesday, 11th March.
Lossiemouth aside, the field still remains stellar. 2023 winner Constitution Hill is still on course to attempt to regain his title; Nicky Henderson’s charge remains unbeaten under rules, winning twice this season, and will be the one they all have to beat given his record at the Cheltenham Festival. He won the 2022 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by 22 lengths and this race two years ago by nine.
State Man was only second in the 2023 renewal, but comes into this as the defending champion. However, having boasted a near-impeccable record prior to this season, life has been much tougher in the face of some stern opposition this term, meaning Willie Mullins’ charge is flying under the radar despite having won a third straight Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.
The big Cheltenham Festival news story of the week prior to the meeting was the confirmed participation of Brighterdaysahead in this race instead of the Mares’ Hurdle. Gordon Elliott has never won the race, but his mare was a startlingly impressive winner at Leopardstown over Christmas by more than 30 lengths as State Man toiled in her wake.
Three more bold challengers remain in the face of that impressive quartet. Burdett Road claimed the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham earlier this campaign and was third to Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle in December. He was beaten by Golden Ace in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton recently though, while the final pair are likely pacemaker King Of Kingsfield and 11-year-old veteran Winter Fog, representing Elliott and Willie Mullins respectively. Both will be hoping for an each-way place in what could prove to be the race of the meeting.
2025 Champion Hurdle Runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Burdett Road | James Owen |
| 2 | Constitution Hill | Nicky Henderson |
| 3 | King Of Kingsfield | Gordon Elliott |
| 4 | State Man | Willie Mullins |
| 5 | Winter Fog | Willie Mullins |
| 6 | Brighterdaysahead | Gordon Elliott |
| 7 | Golden Ace | Jeremy Scott |
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Runners 2025: Kopek Des Bordes and Romeo Coolio top classy field of 12
Kopek De Bordes is the star attraction amongst the list of 12 horses declared for the 2025 Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, which kicks off next week’s Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday 11th March, 2025. The unbeaten Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old is already a hot favourite for the traditional curtain-raiser, but he could face some notable rivals…
Sun 09 Mar 2025