Cheltenham Festival day one confirmations revealed with 12 in contention for Champion Hurdle

Iberico Lord has been supplemented for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at a cost of £18,000 following the scratching of his stablemate Constitution Hill.

The better prospect of soft ground on Tuesday compared to Friday – when he was originally set to contest the County Hurdle – is another factor that has led to connections adding him to the potential field.

The JP McManus-owned Iberico Lord has a 3-7 record over hurdles, winning the Greatwood Hurdle on soft ground at Cheltenham in November and the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on heavy ground last month.

Henderson said: "He is obviously a very progressive young horse that keeps improving having won the Greatwood and Betfair Hurdle. He loves soft ground, which it seems that it might well be on Tuesday, and therefore possibly not too soft on Friday when he was originally intended to run in the County Hurdle.

"With the unfortunate defection of Constitution Hill, the race has a different complexion and so he is due to join Luccia in the line-up."

Iberico Lord was introduced into the Champion Hurdle market at 25-1 by bet365 and has since been cut to 16-1.

There were 11 other confirmations for the Champion Hurdle, including Irish Point and Lossiemouth, with the latter also confirmed for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle on the opening day.

Last year's second State Man heads the betting having racked up four Grade 1 wins since his defeat in the race. He most recently landed a second Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.

State Man: odds-on favourite for the Champion HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Six horses were not confirmed for the Champion Hurdle – Fils D'Oudairies, First Street, Gala Marceau, Guard Your Dreams, Under Control and Zanahiyr.

There were 13 confirmations for the Mares' Hurdle. Brighterdaysahead was taken out of the race – she was as short as 8-1 with some firms but is expected to run in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

Marine Nationale, who was ruled out of the spring festivals with a suspensory strain on Monday, was one of three horses not confirmed for the My Pension Expert Arkle Novices' Chase. Blood Destiny and Senecia were also taken out of the race, which has 15 remaining entries.

Ballyburn remains in contention for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle. He was one of 15 confirmations, with market principals Tullyhill, Mystical Power, Firefox, Jeriko Du Reponet and Slade Steel among the potential runners.

Nick Rockett, a 10-1 chance for the National Hunt Chase, has not been confirmed for the amateur riders' race. Minella Cocooner was also taken out of the race by Willie Mullins, leaving Embassy Gardens and Meetingofthewaters as his two entries in a race named in memory of the trainer's late mother Maureen. Meetingofthewaters was also confirmed for the Ultima Handicap Chase.

Broadway Boy and Flooring Porter were taken out of the National Hunt Chase, which will have a maximum field of ten runners. The latter will instead bid for a third Stayers' Hurdle, having won the race in 2021 and 2022 and finished fourth last season.

• 'We've weighed up the opposition and this is what suits best' - Flooring Porter to bid for third Stayers' Hurdle 

Tom Segal on why Iberico Lord is worthy of Champion Hurdle tilt

Iberico Lord is rated only 143 and the Nicky Henderson team probably rate him about three classes below Constitution Hill but the figures seldom lie and he has won the two biggest handicap hurdles of the season in Britain with loads in hand.

As far as I'm concerned, Iberico Lord is comfortably the second-best hurdler in Britain. He has course form, having hacked up in the Greatwood, and if the weather forecasters are to be believed he's more than likely to get the soft ground he needs on the opening day of the festival. 

I'd make Iberico Lord a short price to beat Not So Sleepy, Luccia and Nemean Lion, who are all vying for third favourite in the Champion. While he has a lot to find with State Man, there's no knowing how high Iberico Lord can go. 

Don't forget State Man was once a handicapper, and so were many former Champion Hurdle winners. If Iberico Lord were to run, I'd have no hesitation in having a few quid on him each-way.

Latest fields for the Cheltenham Festival day one Grade 1s

Champion Hurdle (3.30) 

Colonel Mustard Lorna Fowler
Irish Point Gordon Elliott
Nemean Lion Kerry Lee
Not So Sleepy Hughie Morrison
Pied Piper Gordon Elliott
State Man Willie Mullins
Zarak The Brave Willie Mullins
Echoes In Rain Willie Mullins
Lossiemouth Willie Mullins
Love Envoi Harry Fry
Luccia Nicky Henderson
Iberico Lord Nicky Henderson

bet365: 4-11 State Man, 3 Lossiemouth, 7-2 Irish Point, 12 Not So Sleepy, Pied Piper, 14 Luccia, 16 Echoes In Rain, Iberico Lord, Zarak The Brave, 20 bar

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (1.30)

Anotherway Willie Mullins
Asian Master Willie Mullins
Ballyburn Willie Mullins
Favour And Fortune Alan King
Firefox Gordon Elliott
Gold Dancer Willie Mullins
Ile Atlantique Willie Mullins
Jeriko Du Reponet Nicky Henderson
Kings Hill Paul Gilligan
Mistergif Willie Mullins
Mystical Power Willie Mullins
Slade Steel Henry de Bromhead
Supersundae Willie Mullins
Tellherthename Ben Pauling
Tullyhill Willie Mullins

Betfair Sportsbook: 4-5 Ballyburn, 7-2 Firefox, Mystical Power, 4 Tullyhill, 7 Jeriko Du Reponet, 8 Slade Steel, 14 Ile Atlantique, 16 bar

Arkle Chase (2.10)

Authorised Speed Gary Moore
Colonel Harry Jamie Snowden
Djelo Venetia Williams
Facile Vega Willie Mullins
Found A Fifty Gordon Elliott
Gaelic Warrior Willie Mullins
Hunters Yarn Willie Mullins
Il Etait Temps Willie Mullins
JPR One Joe Tizzard
Master Chewy Nigel Twiston-Davies
Matata Nigel Twiston-Davies
My Mate Mozzie Gavin Cromwell
Qulixios Henry de Bromhead
Sharjah Willie Mullins
Zanahiyr Gordon Elliott

Paddy Power: 4 Found A Fifty, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps, 5 Facile Vega, Hunters Yarn, 6 Quilixios, 7 JPR One, 10 My Mate Mozzie, 16 bar

Mares' Hurdle (4.10)

Ashroe Diamond Willie Mullins
Echoes In Rain Willie Mullins
Gala Marceau Willie Mullins
Hispanic Moon Henry de Bromhead
Lantry Lady Henry de Bromhead
Lossiemouth Willie Mullins
Love Envoi Harry Fry
Magical Zoe Henry de Bromhead
Marie's Rock Nicky Henderson
Telmesomethinggirl Henry de Bromhead
Theatre Glory Nicky Henderson
You Wear It Well Jamie Snowden
Zenta Willie Mullins

Coral: 1-2 Lossiemouth, 3 Ashroe Diamond, 12 Echoes In Rain, Gala Marceau, Love Envoi, Marie's Rock, 16 Hispanic Moon, Lantry Lady, Magical Zoe, 20 bar

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