2026 Scottish Champion Hurdle Betting Tips
Nicky Henderson saddled Verdana Blue to a Scottish Champion Hurdle success in 2019 and perhaps the leading trainer will return to the winners' enclosure in 2026. Khrisma was pulled up last time out at Kelso although that was preceded by two wins and two runner-up spots. She won a novices' hurdle at Market Rasen and can be forgiven for a jumping error in her previous heat.
Tellherthename is a seven-year-old who also has claims. Dan Skelton saddles a runner who finished midfield in the County Handicap Hurdle, with the 18/1 shot now looking favourably weighted. However, some punters might prefer the form line of Captain Hugo. There was a strong performance at Kelso in late February when securing the spoils.
The 14/1 shot was able to win nicely over two miles and it was a nice recovery after an early February fall at Musselburgh. At the end of December, the runner had ran excellently at Haydock to oblige as the odds-on favourite. Philip Hobbs and Johnson White might certainly see their horse go close at Ayr and he appears to be coming into good form again.
Cracking Rhapsody runs for Ewan Whillans and the horse completely outran odds of 50/1 when finishing fourth in the County Handicap Hurdle. This came after finishing well behind Captain Hugo at Kelso, with Indemnity coming into the race off the back of his own victory. That happened at Plumpton in early April when the 15/2 shot won by five and a half lengths.
2025 Scottish Champion Hurdle Tips
Kargese was an impressive winner at the Cheltenham Festival, with the five-year-old sent off as the 3/1 favourite in the County Handicap Hurdle before obliging with a victory over two miles and one furlong. This came after the mare fell short of the mark in the BetMGM Mares’ Hurdle at Ascot in January, although she might go well despite the weight allowance.
Absurde was three lengths behind Kargese when being sent off as a 5/1 shot in the County Handicap Hurdle, with the horse previously running well at Flemington back in November. On that occasion, the runner was less than two lengths off the pace in the Melbourne Cup and there’s a definite chance that he can come out on top at Ayr.
Be Aware was sent off as the 3/1 favourite for the Coral Cup at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, with the horse only able to produce an eighth-placed finish. Dan Skelton trains a runner who can finish third in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle, with the horse previously producing a solid performance when being runner-up in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.
Kabral Du Mathan was second out of fourteen runners at Windsor over two miles and that race happened in January. That involved him finishing two lengths behind Secret Squirrel, while there was previously a runner-up performance at Ascot when being narrowly beaten in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle, with Paul Nicholls having a lively chance with this one.
2024 Scottish Champion Hurdle Tips
The Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle will feature a big field of runners, with L'Eau Du Sud looking like the one to beat. The six-year-old was second in the recent Cheltenham Festival when running a bright race in the County Handicap Hurdle, with the 7/2 favourite beaten by eventual winner Absurde although there was plenty to like about this showing.
Previously to this came a second placed finish at Newbury Racecourse in February, with the 28/1 shot producing a fine performance when landing a runner-up spot behind Iberico Lord. The latter will be lining up in this encounter, with Nicky Henderson saddling a runner who was pulled up in the recent English Champion Hurdle.
However, that win at Newbury means that the horse will have his backers here and the same applies to Doddiethegreat who produced a midfield finish at Cheltenham when running at the recent Festival. Henderson didn’t see his charge jump with fluency on that occasion but there was previously a fourth placed finish behind his stablemate at Newbury.
Favour And Fortune is a six-year-old with bags of quality, with the horse finishing sixth in his previous outing and that came in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. This was a strong effort when running home behind eventual winner Slade Steel, with the horse previously being in the frame during his previous four efforts.
2023 Scottish Champion Hurdle Tips
Anna Bunina runs for trainer John C McConnell in the 2023 Scottish Champion Hurdle, with the horse last seen running in the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Sent off at 28/1, she produced an impressive showing although there were several horses ahead of this runner and that includes winner Faivoir.
Dan Skelton’s runner was sent off at an even bigger 33/1 and could be capable of running a big race in this Ayr showdown, with some quality horses beaten in the field including Pied Piper, Sharjah and Filey Bay. Skelton could arrive at this race mob-handed with Knickerbockerglory and Playful Saint currently entered.
Nemean Lion is trading at a shorter price and Kerry Lee’s runner was able to land the spoils at Kelso Racecourse in early March. Sent off at 4/1 in the bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle, the runner was able to narrowly see off Colonel Harry and perhaps the latter will be able to make the frame once again, with the horses well clear of the pack on that occasion.
Colonel Mustard runs for trainer Lorna Fowler, with the horse finishing second to Benson in the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle over two miles on good to soft ground. The eight-year-old finished second to El Fabiolo previously to that and this might look like good form considering the latter was able to claim a victory in the recent Arkle.
2022 Scottish Champion Hurdle Tips
Milkwood was sent off as the 3/1 favourite to win the Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle last year and the seven-year-old was able to win on good ground to reward his backers. It was a fairly smart victory which saw the horse oblige by a distance of nearly four lengths and punters will be able to back the same runner at a much bigger price this time around.
The Mulholland-trained charge finished second in the Guinness Galway Handicap Hurdle at the Galway Festival last July, with the horse proving underwhelming on his seasonal reappearance at Uttoxeter in early October, although the fact that the horse has course and distance could mark him out for glory.
First Street is an interesting pretender to the crown, with the five-year-old one of the younger horses in the race and Nicky Henderson will roll the dice and hope that this charge is able to cut the mustard. The horse produced a really impressive performance when winning the County Handicap Hurdle when finishing second behind the well-backed State Man earlier this month.
Henderson will have been taken by this runner considering he was sent off at a starting price of 16/1, with the horse having finished third in the Betfair Hurdle previously to this. We could see Nico de Boinville reappear on the charge and a repeat of that Cheltenham performance could see him in the frame.
West Cork also lined up in the County Hurdle at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and the Dan Skelton-trained runner was also able to reward each-way backers when finishing fourth behind State Man, with the horse previously running in the Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ayr and perhaps he can come back to the boil for this encounter.
Anna Bunina finished second behind Milkwood in the 2021 Scottish Champion Hurdle and perhaps the runner can go one better this time around. There have been two appearances at Musselburgh along with the horse turning out at Doncaster, although none of these have seen a success in this race.
Who Are the Scottish Champion Hurdle Betting Favourites?
The Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle looks to be a wide open betting market and it might be that many customers want to place each-way horse racing bets on the action where you can often get enhanced place terms on this two-mile encounter, although Houx Gris could be the most interesting runner of all.
The four-year-old is trained by Paul Nicholls and this trainer has already won this race twice with Fadalko and Sanctuaire, with his latest charge being available at betting odds of 11/2 when finishing fourth in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, with this rewarding each-way punters.
Houx Gris also ran into third place in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle and is clearly open to improvement, with the horse sticking out on the Ayr Champion Hurdle race card considering he’s aged just four and could be a good deal more progressive than some of the other competitors.
Ajero is another interesting runner and he’s won his past four encounters, with the Kim Bailey-trained horse having won his past four races and many customers will be looking to place their horse racing bets on a selection that is currently available at betting odds of 10/1.
What Are the Best Champion Hurdle Betting Tips?
Many bookmakers will be offering each-way horse racing betting terms of ¼ odds for the first four places and you might even find this is extended to five places, with the sponsor Coral among those horse racing bookies who are going to offer punters something extra for this big Scottish horse race.
The Nicky Henderson-trained Buzz is among the racing betting favourites and the seven-year-old recently finished fifth in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury Racecourse, with Soaring Glory another interesting runner who finished fourth in the 2021 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after previously winning the Betfair Hurdle.
If you compare the latest Scottish Champion Hurdle betting odds, you will find sponsor Coral currently offering a best price 10/1 about Faivoir and the in-form Dan Skelton will feel as though his horse has a chance of going close after winning four times this season.