Champion Hurdle Tips: Ladies first once again?

Talk about legendary racehorses - how many 24 carat superstars have claimed this glittering prize down the years? Here's a flavour, and apologies in advance if I've missed off your personal favourite(s). Hatton's Grace, Sir Ken, Persian War, Night Nurse, Monksfield, Sea Pigeon, Dawn Run, See You Then, Istabraq, Hurricane Fly, and Constitution Hill.

Stacks of other notables have impressively travelled the 2m-and-change and jumped those eight flights to earn a place in Festival history, and if you're Annie Power, Bula or Comedy of Errors you're probably shouting at the computer screen as we speak wondering how I could fail to include you.

The 2026 renewal looks open and competitive and three mares take their chance, all receiving the 7lb fairer sex allowance from the boys. It's to one of those that I'm looking for my idea of the winner. 

Champion Hurdle odds

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Our in-house Horse Racing tipster Owen McMahon has gone through the card for Tuesday's Races and made a selection for every race. Read who he's backing and why with our Cheltenham Day 1 Tips. Add to that former Jockey Katie Walsh has passed on her Cheltenham Tuesday Tips to us here at Betfred.

Last year saw a sensational turn-up in the race, as first Constitution Hill (four out) then State Man (at the last) fell, leaving the admirable mare Golden Ace to pick up the pieces and prevail for trainer Jeremy Scott and jockey Lorcan Williams, at 25/1.

She defends her crown on Tuesday afternoon having run well the last twice, in Newcastle's Fighting Fifth and Kempton's Christmas Hurdle, and she'll doubtless make a bold bid to retain her crown.

Two other mares are among those that oppose here and they clashed 37 days ago at Leopardstown in the Irish Champion Hurdle - the winner Brighterdaysahead, and runner-up Lossiemouth.

16:00 - Lossiemouth @ 2/1

The ground was desperate that day, and Gordon Elliott's Brighterdaysahead was brilliantly ridden I thought by today's pilot Jack Kennedy, leading before the straight and maintaining a nice cushion to the line (won by 3.25l).

Lossiemouth wasn't given an unduly hard time of it in the ground and on a better a surface at that same venue in December had beaten her rival a length. The ground at Cheltenham is said to be most likely in the good-to-soft realms, potentially with a bit of 'good' in places here and there, and I feel this will benefit Lossiemouth greatly.

The selection enjoys Cheltenham, and dotted up in the Mares' Hurdle for a second time in 2025. She's also a previous winner of the Triumph, and has won at the track on four occasions all told.

Lifetime she's a sensational 13-from-17 over hurdles, and given the lack this year of some of the division's traditional bigger guns for one reason or another, connections (owners the Riccis, and trainer Willie Mullins), have given the green light for a crack at the big one.

She positively skips up this hill on decent-ish ground and of course stays that little bit further, too - no bad thing at a track so testing in nature. She's got an awful lot going for her in my view and has the class to prevail.

Dan Skelton will have high hopes for last year's Turners winner The New Lion in the McManus silks, but I'm hoping Lossiemouth can do something of an Annie Power and not only dominate against her own sex but take the step up on the biggest hurdling stage of all - and in those same Ricci colours as the illustrious 2016 champion.

It's an absolutely fascinating heat and I can't wait for it all to unfold.

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Cheltenham tips with Betfred Insights.