Britain vs Ireland: who will come out on top in the Champion Hurdle?

There has been plenty of chatter over the last 12 months surrounding the Irish domination at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival.

The vast majority of horse racing fans seem to be expecting a similar display come March, but where do the British-trained runners stand with their Irish counterparts? In the first installment of this series, Ross Millar takes a deep dive into the Champion Hurdle.

Ten-year rivalry: Ireland 6 v UK 4

Best of the Irish: Honeysuckle

Trainer Henry de Bromhead has followed the same route as last year with reigning Champion Hurdle heroine Honeysuckle, who has looked as good as ever this term. She returned in fine form to win the Hatton’s Grace in impressive style in November before plundering the Irish Champion Hurdle for a third consecutive year at Leopardstown. 

Honeysuckle didn’t hit the line as strongly at Leopardstown this year as she did 12 months prior, but she had the race won a long way out and it would be a braver man than me to use that as a basis for opposing her.

The prolific eight-year-old would need to post a below-par performance to see any of the usual guard denying her another win in the Champion Hurdle, although Appreciate It is untested at this level and might be capable of giving her a race. However, he will surely be disadvantaged by the lack of a prep run and it would arguably be Willie Mullins’ finest training feat if he were to pull it off.

Best of the British: Epatante

British-based contenders look thin on the ground, but Epatante, who won this race two years ago, has looked back to somewhere near her best this season after dead-heating on unsuitably soft ground in the Fighting Fifth hurdle and regaining the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. 

Her hurdling was back to its super-slick best and she was arguably value for more than the official winning margin of two lengths over the festive period. The form has since been franked by runner-up Glory And Fortune, who has won off a mark of 143.

I’m confident that she will get closer to Honeysuckle this year, but nine-and-a-half-lengths is a big gap to close and I can’t see her managing it.

Eyecatching Irish outsider: Quilixios

Last year's juvenile crop appeared to be an above average group and Quilixios proved he was up there with the best by landing the Triumph Hurdle, extending in good style up the hill under Rachael Blackmore. He has finished second on his first two starts this season, but I’m prepared to put a line through his most recent run at Gowran as he never looked to be happy.

It’s no secret that the De Bromhead team is yet to hit form this season and, if he were to arrive at Prestbury Park in peak condition, he could well outrun his current odds.

Eyecatching British outsiders: Not So Sleepy, Tommy’s Oscar

Not So Sleepy forced a dead-heat with Epatante in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and testing ground would increase his chance, but he was a well-beaten fifth in the Champion Hurdle last year and he will do well to better that this time.

Perhaps the best candidate for this category is Tommy’s Oscar, who has improved 17lb this season for the brilliant husband-and-wife team of Ian and Ann Hamilton. He travels strongly through his races, so he should be able to cope in a race run at championship pace, although his best form has come on flat tracks and his one disappointment this season came at Carlisle. 

His current odds accurately reflect his chance, but he’s still improving and entitled to take his chance. The Cheltenham festival often throws up wonderful stories and this would certainly be up there with the best of them. 

Verdict: UK or Ireland?

The Champion Hurdle should go to Ireland. Honeysuckle looks impossible to oppose and Ireland have a strong team, led by 2021 Supreme winner Appreciate It, to back her up.