How the Mares' Hurdle picture could look very different on the day - plus other key talking points

Strap yourselves in for the best Champion Hurdle in decades

When you see Constitution Hill odds-on everywhere, and as short as 4-7 with Ladbrokes, the automatic assumption is to think the day-one feature is a foregone conclusion and his to lose. Maybe it is, but this could be the hottest Champion Hurdle of the modern era.

Honeysuckle, who won two Champion Hurdles and at four festivals in a row, was never rated higher than 165. Brighterdaysahead, who only blew out six candles the other day, is already rated 163, while Lossiemouth, also only six, is rated 160.