Zaynar Heads Champion Hurdle Market

ZAYNAR CROWNED NEW CHAMPION HURDLE FAVOURITE

Nicky Henderson’s Zanyar now heads the betting for the Champion Hurdle with William Hill in an afternoon of changes in the ante-post market. The five-year-old took the closing Grade Two Hurdle at Prestbury Park and was subsequently cut to 4-1 from 5-1 favourite.

Zaynar can Win the Champion Hurdle

Thirty-five minutes earlier Cheltenham was left shocked when Khyber Kim lowered the colours of odds-on favourite Celestial Halo who was eased to 8-1 from 6-1, with the winner slashed to 12-1 from 50-1 for the Hurdling Blue Riband.

In one of the most open heats for decades, just four points split the front five in the betting for the Champion Hurdle with second-favourites Hurricane Fly and Binocular both at 5-1, Irish raider Solwhit at 6-1, and last year’s runner-up Celestial Halo at 8-1.

Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’Today’s events have muddied the waters even further for ante-post punters. Zaynar has entered the Champion Hurdle fray fairly late-on but is now the only leading contender unbeaten this season, and fully deserves to be favourite.’’

Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle: 4-1 Zaynar, 5-1 Binocular, Hurricane Fly, 6-1 Solwhit, 8-1 Celestial Halo, 12-1 Go Native, Khyber Kim, Punjabi, 20-1 Voler La Vedette, Sublimity, 33-1 Medermit, Starluck, 40-1 Quevega, (Others On Request) (EW 1/4 1,2,3)



In other ante-post news, Poquelin was promoted to 9-2 (from 10-1) second-favourite for the Ryanair following his victory in the Boylesports Gold Cup, whilst Tell Massini enhanced his lofty reputation further with his win, and now heads the betting at 5-1 for the Albert Bartlett three-mile hurdle, and 10-1 (from 14-1) for the newly-named Neptune Investments Hurdle.



Skybet…
Zaynar is the new 4/1 favourite with Sky Bet for the Champion Hurdle after he extended his unbeaten sequence to five over hurdles with victory in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Nicky Henderson will aim last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner at the Champion Hurdle and will refit the cheekpieces used last year at the Festival to focus his concentration.

Matt Doyle of Sky Bet said: ‘He is the one contender yet to disappoint and his elevation to head the market was justified following the defeats in the International of last year’s Champion Hurdle 1-2.’