This year’s Stan James Champion Hurdle, the feature on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival in mid-March, is shaping up to be one of the most wide open for years with a handful of worthy candidates all bidding to get their hooves on the trophy, writes Elliot Slater.

Bookies and those regularly placing a cheltenham bet are finding it hard to separate the three market leaders; last year’s winner Binocular, the 2010 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Menorah, and Irish star Hurricane Fly, all having the form in the book to warrant worthy consideration as a betting medium. Those that fancy Nicky Henderson’s Binocular to follow up his impressive win in the race last year will not have been unduly put off by his defeat to the smart Peddlers Cross in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newbury in November on his seasonal reappearance. He always needs a run or two to reach concert pitch and will be primed to peak at around ten past three on March 15.

Menorah has gone from strength-to-strength this term, giving masses of weight away but still winning the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle in tenacious fashion on his seasonal bow. Even better was his disposal of Cue Card and Silvanicio Conti in the Grade 2 International Hurdle at Cheltenham, a win that confirmed him very much a front-runner in the race for this season’s championship.

 Ireland’s principal hope this term appears to be Hurricane Fly, already the winner of two Grade 1’s this term – at Fairyhouse and Punchestown – on both occasions proving too strong for his old rival, the smart Solwhit. With other contenders including the aforementioned Peddler’s Cross, last year’s Champion Hurdle runner-up Khyber Kim, the rapidly progressive Oscar Whisky, and the smart Starluck, this year’s Champion Hurdle promises to be truly a race to savour.