2022 Champion Hurdle: the runners, the odds, the verdict

The Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30) is the highlight on the opening day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday. Nine runners take on defending champion Honeysuckle in the biggest hurdling contest of the season, including last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Appreciate It, 2020 victor Epatante and talented five-year-olds Adagio, Teahupoo and Zanahiyr.

3.30 Cheltenham, Tuesday: Unibet Champion Hurdle racecard and betting

1 Adagio

Smart and rock-solid youngster; good second in the Greatwood and Kingwell this term

Trainer: David Pipe
Jockey: Tom Scudamore
Odds: 20-1

2 Appreciate It

An exciting contender on his first start since a runaway success in last year's Supreme

Trainer: Willie Mullins:
Jockey: Paul Townend
Odds: 4-1

3 Glory And Fortune

Narrowly landed the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last month; this is much harder

Trainer: Tom Lacey
Jockey: Stan Sheppard
Odds: 80-1

4 Not So Sleepy

Dead-heated with Epatante in the Fighting Fifth; 12l behind that mare in Christmas Hurdle

Trainer: Hughie Morrison
Jockey: Jonathan Burke
Odds: 80-1

5 Saint Roi

Won the County Hurdle in 2020; limitations have been exposed in Grade 1 races

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Mark Walsh
Odds: 33-1

6 Teahupoo

Improving five-year-old who looked very good on latest start and has an attractive profile

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Robbie Power
Odds: 10-1

7 Tommy's Oscar

Would be a fairytale winner for the Hamiltons but looks likely to come up short

Trainer: Ann Hamilton
Jockey: Danny McMenamin
Odds: 33-1

8 Zanahiyr

Second to Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion; continues to prove consistent

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Jack Kennedy
Odds: 20-1

9 Epatante

Won this contest in 2020 then finished third in 2021; won the Christmas Hurdle last time

Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Jockey: Aidan Coleman
Odds: 16-1

10 Honeysuckle

Superstar mare; has won three Irish Champion Hurdles; impressive in this race last year

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
Jockey: Rachael Blackmore
Odds: 4-6

The verdict

Honeysuckle

The brilliant Honeysuckle is taken to become the first mare to win the Champion Hurdle twice. Appreciate It is feared most.

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Sign up to William Hill here and get 30-1 on Honeysuckle to win the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday of the festival. New customers using EPH30. Applies to bets placed from 12:00 9th March 2022 until 15:30 15th March 2022. Max £1 bet at 30-1. Returns paid as 2 x £15 free bets (30-day expiry). Player, currency restrictions and terms apply. 18+. begambleaware.org.