Cheltenham Festival: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Champion Hurdle

The feature race of the festival’s opening day is the Champion Hurdle..

Run over two miles and eight hurdles, this is jump racing’s equivalent to the 100 metres.

The race was first run in 1927 and has been consistently run on Tuesday since 1980. Some of the greatest horses to grace the sport have won this race, with five horses winning it three times - most recently Istabraq from 1998 to 2008.

Nicky Henderson is the leading trainer in this race with nine winners, including the reigning champion Constitution Hill.

On March 4, it was confirmed that Constitution Hill would not be running at the festival this year after several unsatisfactory blood tests. 

When is it? 

The race has a scheduled start time of 3.30pm on March 12, 2024.

How can I watch?

The race will be broadcast live on ITV and Racing TV, you will also be able to stream it through the SBK app.

The Runners

State Man - 1.38
Irish Point - 6.6
Lossiemouth - 7.8
Nemean Lion - 22
Not So Sleepy - 30
Zarak The Brave - 48
48 - BAR

Odds correct as of 12pm on March 5

Who should you back?

Before last week the answer was relatively simple - Constitution Hill. But times and the odds have changed. After a disappointing gallop at Kempton last week he drifted in the market before being finally pulled out on Monday.

As a result, State Man moved into the favourite slot and without Constitution Hill he is now odds on at 1.38.

State Man is a formidable horse in his own right and is unbeaten this season, something all of the last nine winners have achieved. He has also not only run at the festival before but he won at the festival in 2022. Only two winners this century have never raced at the festival before. 

Verdict: 

Since last year we have all been looking forward to the rematch between State Man and Constitution Hill, but with the latter being pulled out it has become a one-horse race. I struggle to see Lossiemouth or Irish Point posing State Man a serious challenge.