2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
This is looking the race of the week as all the big guns are turning up and there are a few unexposed angles to keep things spicy. I had a 1pt each-way selection on Silver Streak all written up and ready to publish but was waiting until the last moment because the horse simply cannot have soft ground. Plenty has changed in the last 24hrs as, unfortunately, the rain has come so he’s off the short list. It was a toss up between an each-way play to take advantage of the generous place terms or a win-only bet on EPATANTE, who is a much bigger price today than she has been all season. She’s the reigning champion and I cannot fathom why she is a drifting 9/2 shot with Honeysuckle now less than half the price. The over reaction to Epatante’s defeat by Silver Streak at Christmas is silly – she made a jumping error against a strong staying and pacey two miler who stole a few lengths at the start, so there was no way she was ever going to get by him. If she did have an off day then it was hardly a bad run. Epatante has nothing to prove and is the archetype of a Champion Hurdler. She’s a slick jumping, strong traveller with a turn of foot with proven Festival form. 9/2 is massive.
2pts win Epatante @9/2, 15:05 Cheltenham, Tuesday
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