Hear me out… this is why Burdett Road should take on Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham

IT’S over 70 years since a four-year-old landed the Champion Hurdle – but if I owned star juvenile Burdett Road that’s the race I’d be gunning for in March.

Now before you laugh at me, here me out. What this boils down to is whether your main objective is simply to try and win a race at the Cheltenham Festival… or whether you are in this game to do something extraordinary.

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There’s no doubt Burdett Road, unbeaten in two jumps races for up-and-coming Newmarket handler James Owen, is more likely to bang in the Triumph than the main event.

And no one wants him to do so more than me. I tipped him up everywhere before he jumped a twig at 33-1 for the juvenile feature, and he now trades at 5-1.

That said, of course he’s more likely to land any race that doesn’t feature the reigning Champion Hurdle hero and monster that is Constitution Hill. But it might just be this is the moment for Burdett Road to go for gold.

Firstly, the chances are he’s not a horse who is going to improve bundles over the next few seasons. That’s just logical for an animal that had three races as a two-year-old.

He was trained by Roger Varian then, but then moved to Michael Bell with whom he landed the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot. Burdett Road has raced 13 times, which is five more than Constitution Hill.

The latter has never faced any horse with the speed of a mile and a quarter Royal Ascot winner, and it is Burdett’s Road finishing pace which made him look exceptional at Cheltenham last time when pulverising subsequent winner An Bradan Feasa.

On official ratings I’d guess Burdett Road has about a stone to find with Rubaud, who was stuffed by Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day. And Rubaud is rated about 26lb lower than Nicky Henderson’s star.

So you could assume Burdett Road would have to find 40lb to trouble Constitution Hill right now. That all said, he would get 10lb in the Champion, which brings the difference down to 30lb, and there is every chance Burdett Road is miles better than what we might mark him at the moment.

At the very least he deserves a Champion Hurdle entry, and fine Flat horses like Sublimity, Alderbook and Royal Gait all showed their class off the level to land the crown.

Burdett Road is one of many belting novices out there at the moment, none more so than Marine Nationale who bolted up over fences in Ireland this week. The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero is now down to evens for the Arkle and looks a beast.

Also appearing extraordinary over fences is Gaelic Warrior, another to hack up across the Irish Sea on Thursday and now as short as 5-4 for the Turners Novices’ Chase even though he’s clearly happier going right-handed than left as he will have to at Prestbury Park.

There’s every chance we will see some more ripe young talent on the track at Newbury this weekend, with Willmount, Captain Teague and Johnnywho looking impressive prospects in the feature Grade 1 Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle.

Willmount was hugely impressive when scoring at the course last time on his first effort for Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville, and he should have little difficulty stepping up in trip as a winner of a point-to-point over three miles.

Captain Teague was third in the Champion Bumper at the Festival in March, and didn’t seem at his best when beaten at the same track last time. I expect more from him for Paul Nicholls.

Johnnywho is unbeaten in four starts for Jonjo O’Neill, and impressed at Carlisle in November. This is much tougher but he could easily be up to this.

I’m with Willmount, and I can’t wait to see what happens.

For my Nap of the day I head to Haydock, where I can’t have Fortescue out the first three in the Betfred Last Fling Handicap Chase.

Incredibly, considering the event is over an extended three and a half miles, Fortescue got going too late in this race last season when finishing fifth but he’s 5lb lower here and has strong each-way claims for Henry Daly and Hugh Nugent who takes off 3lb as he did 12 months ago.

His recent fourth behind Nassalam looks good form now and he has a huge chance of a place at least. An each-way NAP – boom!

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