Leader D’Allier out of Supreme Novices’

The seven-race card gets underway with the Grade 1 SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. There are now 11 runners in the race with Willie Mullins’ Leader D’Allier withdrawn this morning having been found lame.

Nicky Henderson bids to win his sixth Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 40 years after River Ceirog gave him his first victory in the race. He is represented by Old Park Star, the mount of Nico de Boinville.

There is, as usual, a string Irish challenge in the race, with Mighty Park [Mark Walsh], Tale The Talk [J.J. Slevin] and El Cairos [Jack Kennedy] the market leaders among the seven Irish-trained runners.

Kopek Des Bordes bids for Arkle Chase

Last year’s SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, Kopek Des Bordes, bids to land the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase at 2.00pm.

The Charles McCarthy-owned French-bred faces a field of six, with Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba, and Kargese, the likely main challengers.

Unibet Champion Hurdle

The Unibet Champion Hurdle, the opening day feature race, has a field of 9 runners.

The Champion Hurdle was first run almost a century ago, but only seven mares have won it: African Star (1939), Dawn Run (1984), Flakey Dove (1994), Annie Power (2016), Epatante (2020), Honeysuckle (2021 & 2022) and Golden Ace (2025).

Three mares in field of nine

This afternoon, there are three mares in the starting line-up: Brighterdaysahead from the Gordon Elliott yard, last year’s winner, Golden Ace, and Lossiemouth from the Mullins yard.

Five of the past ten renewals of the race have been scooped by mares, including achieving a 1-2 in 2022.

No horse in this year’s Unibet Champion Hurdle line-up has had a blemish-free campaign, which is highly unusual.

Thirty-one of the past 35 winners of the race won on their most recent start. Only The New Lion and Brighterdaysahead qualify on that count this year.

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Lossiemouth will skip a high-profile clash with Constitution Hill and Brighterdaysahead in Tuesday’s Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival 2025, after connections confirmed her switch to the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle on the same day.

The Willie Mullins-trained mare is already a dual Festival winner, landing the Mares’ Hurdle in 2024 and the Triumph Hurdle in 2023. While she had been on course for a Champion Hurdle bid throughout the season, a recent heavy fall in the Irish Champion Hurdle forced a rethink. On Sunday morning, owners Rich and Susannah Ricci opted to target a second Mares’ crown.

Champion Hurdle Set for Seven-Runner Showdown

Lossiemouth’s absence leaves a seven-runner field for the Champion Hurdle, headlined by reigning champion State Man, who sports first-time cheekpieces. The unbeaten Constitution Hill, trained by Nicky Henderson, remains the odds-on favourite, while Gordon Elliott’s rising star Brighterdaysahead adds further class to the lineup.

Golden Ace, trained by Jeremy Scott, has been rerouted from the Mares’ to the Champion, joining Burdett Road, King Of Kingsfield, and Winter Fog in Tuesday’s feature.

Lossiemouth Odds-On for Mares’ Hurdle Repeat

Lossiemouth is favourite to land back-to-back wins in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, where 11 runners have been declared. Her stablemate Jade De Grugy is second in the betting for what looks like another strong renewal.

Mullins Dominates Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Willie Mullins will run six of the 12 declared for the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, with Kopek Des Bordes heading the market and wearing a first-time hood. Paul Townend takes the ride, with other Mullins runners including Funiculi Funicula, Irancy, Karbau, Karniquet, and Salvator Mundi.

Other key runners include William Munny, Romeo Coolio, and British hope Tutti Quanti, ridden by Harry Cobden.

Majborough Leads Arkle Betting

In the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy, only five go to post. Majborough is the strong favourite for Mullins and JP McManus. British hopes rest with L’Eau Du Sud, trained by Dan Skelton, with Jango Baie, Touch Me Not, and Only By Night completing the field.

Full Fields for Ultima and Juvenile Handicap

The Ultima Handicap Chase features a full field of 24, including Lucinda Russell’s pair Whistle Stop Tour and Myretown. Derek Fox has opted for the former, with Patrick Wadge aboard the latter.

The Hallgarten and Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle has also attracted a full field of 22, while 18 will line up for the Princess Royal National Hunt Chase after field size limits came into effect.

Champion Hurdle 2025 Declarations:

• Burdett Road – Sam Twiston-Davies

• Constitution Hill – Nico de Boinville

• King Of Kingsfield – Danny Gilligan

• State Man – Paul Townend

• Winter Fog – Brian Hayes

• Brighterdaysahead – Jack Kennedy

• Golden Ace – Lorcan Williams

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Declarations:

• Kopek Des Bordes – Paul Townend

• Funiculi Funicula – Brian Hayes

• Irancy – Mark Walsh

• Karbau – Sean O’Keeffe

• Karniquet – Danny Mullins

• Salvator Mundi – Patrick Mullins

• Romeo Coolio – Jack Kennedy

• Sky Lord – Darragh O’Keeffe

• Tripoli Flyer – Jonathan Burke

• Tutti Quanti – Harry Cobden

• William Munny – Sean Flanagan

• Workahead – Rachael Blackmore

Arkle Challenge Trophy Declarations:

• Majborough – Mark Walsh

• L’Eau Du Sud – Harry Skelton

• Jango Baie – Nico de Boinville

• Touch Me Not – Jack Kennedy

• Only By Night – Keith Donoghue

Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Declarations:

• Lossiemouth – Paul Townend

• Jade De Grugy – Danny Mullins

• Casa No Mento – Sam Twiston-Davies

• Dysart Enos – Jonathan Burke

• Gala Marceau – Brian Hughes

• Jetara – Sam Ewing

• Joyeuse – Nico de Boinville

• July Flower – Rachael Blackmore

• Kala Conti – Jack Kennedy

• Queens Gamble – Paul O’Brien

• Take No Chances – Harry Skelton

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