British fortunes at the Cheltenham Festival haven’t been strong recently. Totals of ten, ten, nine and eight over the last four seasons don’t exactly paint the picture of a sustained recovery.
British Champion Hurdle Challenge
The absence of Constitution Hill and Sir Gino leaves Nicky Henderson without a leading contender in the Champion Hurdle. This has undoubtedly weakened the British challenge.
Golden Ace bids to retain her crown. However, the main British hope this year is The New Lion, winner of the 2025 Turners Novices’ Hurdle for Dan Skelton.
The New Lion’s Chances
The New Lion comes out only third best in the ratings. This takes into account the 7 lb he has to concede to the Irish mares Lossiemouth and Brighterdayshead.
On the other hand, The New Lion is still unexposed. He is unbeaten in his five completed starts over hurdles, and has the potential to improve past those two rivals.
Looking Ahead to Cheltenham
Do the Timeform ratings point to a better collective performance by British-trained runners at Cheltenham this week?