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.

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.