'12-1 is too big about a dual festival winner' - ante-post fancies for the Champion Hurdle, Stayers' Hurdle and Mares' Hurdle

Entries for the Champion Hurdle, Stayers' Hurdle and Mares' Hurdleclosed on Tuesday and after delving into the ante-post markets we have identified a selection in all three races . . .

Zarak The Brave

Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30 Cheltenham, March 12)

It's difficult to see anything other than a repeat Champion Hurdle win for Constitution Hill, who scored by nine lengths at odds of 4-11 last year.

Willie Mullins' State Man chased him home 12 months ago and is again the main danger, having taken his Grade 1 tally to seven with victories in the Morgiana Hurdle and Matheson Hurdle this season.

While the top two are almost certain to fight out the Champion Hurdle finish, there are three places on offer for ante-post betting even though it looks likely that there will be fewer than eight runners on the day.

With that in mind, it might be worth a small each-way play on Zarak The Brave, who is a general 50-1 shot.

Paul Townend and groom Sinead Walsh with Zarak The Brave after the Galway HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He was not far off the best juvenile hurdlers last season and made a winning start in open company in the Galway Hurdle last August, belying his hurdling inexperience with a hard-fought success.

The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding looked to have been provided with a penalty kick when sent off the 1-8 favourite for a three-runner Grade 3 at Tipperary next time out, but he looked uncomfortable from an early stage and was pulled up after five out. He was found to be clinically abnormal after that race and has since been given a break.

His entry in the Champion Hurdle suggests connections feel he's back on track and they may view this as a more favourable festival target than asking him to lug a big weight in the County Hurdle. This year's Champion Hurdle is going to cut up significantly if the big two stand their ground and Zarak The Brave has far more upside than the likes of Zanahiyr, Not So Sleepy and Pied Piper.

Zarak The Brave15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

Ashroe Diamond

Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (4.10 Cheltenham, March 12)

Willie Mullins has not won this race since Benie Des Dieux in 2018 but he holds a strong hand this year with Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau both prominent in the ante-post betting.

The Triumph Hurdle one-two have not been seen since landing Grade 1 juvenile hurdles last spring and that appears to be by design. When talking about Lossiemouth in his Racing Post stable tour in the autumn, Mullins explained: "The season when horses step out of juvenile company is always tough, so I'm not going to rush her."

The Triumph form has received knocks this season, with two-and-a-half-length third Zenta producing a Racing Post Rating of just 117 when third at Cork last month and fifth-placed Ascending beaten in maiden hurdles at odds of 7-2 and 6-4.

Mullins has proved the softly-softly approach can pay dividends in this division, but at the prices both Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau make little appeal.

You Wear It Well, Magical Zoe and Luccia all contested the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at last year's festival, finishing first, second and fourth respectively. They look set to reoppose in this race, but both Magical Zoe and Luccia have their stamina to prove over 2m4f.

Ashroe Diamond: impressive winner at Fairyhouse last seasonCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

A late setback forced Ashroe Diamond to miss last year's Mares' Novices' Hurdle, but at the time she had looked Willie Mullins' number one hope in the race and subsequently confirmed her status as one of the leaders in that division when claiming a Fairyhouse Grade 1 last April, putting the race to bed with a strong turn of foot after the last.

Her connections flirted with the idea of going chasing after that success but ultimately decided to keep her over hurdles with this race nominated as her main target.

Ashroe Diamond has been seen only once this campaign, finishing behind Teahupoo and stablemate Impaire Et Passe in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse last month. She was far from disgraced behind two bona fide Grade 1 hurdlers there and some of her novice form from last season behind the likes of Marine Nationale, Irish Point and Facile Vega stacks up well in this company.

Her form figures in races against her own sex are 14111 and she has an overall consistent profile having never finished out of the first four in ten starts. She's a best-priced 8-1 for the Mares' Hurdle and, with plenty in this field having questions to answer, those odds look too big.

Ashroe Diamond16:10 Cheltenham

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Jky: Tnr: W P Mullins

Sir Gerhard

Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (3.30 Cheltenham, March 14)

Theleme, Teahupoo and Irish Point are vying for favouritism in this year's Stayers' Hurdle but, with Theleme yet to race outside France and Teahupoo having failed to land what looked a weaker running of this race 12 months ago, it is Irish Point who should arguably be the outright favourite on the back of his impressive Christmas Hurdle win at Leopardstown.

That success, on his first start beyond 2m4f, clearly opens up avenues for Irish Point, but his connections chose to swerve Cheltenham last year to keep him fresh for Aintree – a decision vindicated with victory in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices' Hurdle – and they were once again non-committal about the festival after the Christmas Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott, who trains Teahupoo as well as Irish Point, said: "Jack [Kennedy] said all I have to do now is to make sure to split them up. He [Irish Point] could be a horse we'd keep for Aintree but we'll see what happens."

With his participation in question, preference instead is for Sir Gerhard, who was successful back over hurdles at Punchestown last time out.

Sir Gerhard: made a successful transition back to hurdles

Sir Gerhard: successful back over hurdles at Punchestown last time outCredit: Patrick McCann

That victory produced an RPR of 158, the same figure that Irish Point achieved in the Christmas Hurdle. Trainer Willie Mullins confirmed after that win that Sir Gerhard would go down the Stayers' Hurdle route this season.

The nine-year-old has spent the majority of his career racing over shorter, but he landed the 2022 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle over 2m5f on testing ground and that success showcased his stamina attributes.

The 2021 Champion Bumper winner has gained four wins from just five hurdles starts and brings plenty of potential into this division. The general 12-1 available looks an enticing price for a dual festival winner.