FLY'S THIRD OR KING CONOR

It hardly feels like 12 months since Alderwood stormed up the hill at the end of last years Festival, but here we find ourselves, after counting the months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds waiting for it to come around again with another mouth-watering four days racing in prospect. This post will focus upon the feature race of Day 1, the Champion Hurdle, whilst the other will focus upon the other races of the first day.

It's been billed as the race of the meeting, the best running of the race in many years. It is the Champion Hurdle. I am going to write about my two selections first, then the rest afterwards. Firstly, it's HURRICANE FLY. One of the best hurdlers to have graced the turf, the very fact that he is chasing his TWENTIETH Group One success is a clear testament to his class. He is chasing his third win in the race and with his jockey, Ruby Walsh, being quoted as saying that he's never ridden him the right way at Cheltenham, this must strike fear into the opposition. Who knows what he could do in that case? Tuesday will be his chance to secure his name in racing folklore forever.

The potential fly in Hurricane's ointment (I'm here all week) could prove to be OUR CONOR. Although he has been beaten by Hurricane Fly twice this season, he has improved with every run and his trainer, Dessie Hughes, will have him primed and ready for the occasion. We know he acts up the hill after his demolition job in last year's Triumph Hurdle. If he wins this, he will surely be National Hunt's newest hero, especially given his tender age of 5.



Hurricane Fly (blue) and Our Conor (yellow). Its between those two in my opinion.



THE NEW ONE-Not sure a horse beaten by At Fishers Cross and Zarkandar as a novice 

                             is quite up to winning a race of this standard. Albeit under different

                             circumstances, Annie Power gave Zarkandar a more impressive beating 

                             than The New One. Although Annie Power does not run in this race, it

                             suggests at least one may be too good.

MY TENT OR YOURS- very classy horse, but the fact he couldn't beat this year's Arkle

                               hopeful Champagne Fever up the hill at the Festival last year

                               implies, to me, that he may fall short of what is needed to win this.

                               Would Champagne Fever win a Champion Hurdle?...

JEZKI- to put it simply, good horse, but looks as though a place is all he can hope for.

MELODIC RENDEZVOUS- wonderfully reliable horse, place claims if ground was softer,

                                   good ground seems to have ruined his chances.

             My Top 3- 1) HURRICANE FLY 2) OUR CONOR 3) THE NEW ONE

             Lets hope for a brilliant race.