Improving Epatante the one to follow in wide-open Champion Hurdle
In the 15 Champion Hurdles run since the move to a four-day festival, only a handful of winners took a rating below 165 into the race. That number is set to increase by one as, for the first time this century, the likely field comprises no horses with a current RPR in excess of 164.
Looking through past runnings of the race, the most similar to this year in terms of quality would be 2017. On that occasion four contenders were rated 165 going into the race, but that didn't stop the winner, Buveur D'Air (170) posting a figure slightly above the average winning mark of 169.
Only third behind Altior (166) and Min (160) in a vintage Supreme Novices' Hurdle the year before, his pre-race RPR of 159 was the second lowest of the past 15 Champion Hurdle winners.
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Published on inCheltenham Festival
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