2008 Champion Hurdle: Sizing Europe, Sublimity and Osana favourite

2008 Champion Hurdle: Sizing Europe, Sublimity and Osana favourite Just one day away from the start of the 2008 Cheltenham Festival and the feature race on Tuesday, the Champion Hurdle, and the favourites are clear - Sublimity, Osana and Sizing Europe. At the U.K. licensed European online bookmaker Bet365 (official website), Ireland's Sizing Europe, trained by H. De Bromhead and owned by Mr. Alan Potts, is listed as the most likely winner of the 2008 Champion Hurdle with odds 9/4. Jockey will be A. J. Mcnamara, who has won 10 of the total 51 races he took part in, while Sizing Europe raced 5 times within the last year, winning three of those races.

According to the odds makers, on Tuesday Sizing Europe will meet the toughest competitor - last year's Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity. At Bet365 the odds on Sublimity to win the 2008 Hurdle are sitting at 5/1, way behind Sizing Europe but a favourtie nonetheless. The eight-year-old left two former champions trailing in his wake 12 months ago when he sprinted away from Hardy Eustace and Brave Inca, but because he has only been seen once since, he arrives at Cheltenham Racecourse with it all to prove once again. Sublimity is trained by John Carr, owned by Mr. W. Hennessy and jockey on Tuesday will be Philip Carberry. According to many horse racing experts, Sublimity remains the best bet on the 2008 Champion Hurdle.

Osana, trained by D. Pipe and owned by Mr Thomas Barr, is third on the betting sheets with odds to win the 2008 Champion Hurdle matching those of Sublimity at 5/1. Harchibald, trained by N. Meade and owned by Mr. D. P. Sharkey, comes fourth in odds, listed at 7/1 with the British bookie. Harchibald was the runner-up in 2005 and on Tuesday the jockey will be Paul Carberry, to add a little brotherly rivalry to the Cheltenham Festival. Click here to see the full list of the 2008 Champion Hurdle betting odds.

There are two contenders that will not start for the 2008 Champion Hurdle. De Valira, who was due to be ridden by Ruby Walsh, has been pulled out after an injury picked up schooling, and Noel Meade's Jazz Messenger will also miss the Cheltenham race on Tuesday. The 2008 Champion Hurdle will start on Tuesday at 3:15pm.

Published on 03/10/2008