Ranking the Contenders for the 2025 Champion Hurdle

The 2025 Cheltenham Festival is just around the corner, and anticipation has already reached a fever pitch for the Gloucestershire showdown. The four-day extravaganza gets off to a thunderous start on day one, with the Champion Hurdle taking centre stage. And this year, the showpiece race promises to be tighter than ever. So, who are the protagonists aiming to reign supreme? 

Constitution Hill – The Returning King 

Last year, Constitution Hill grabbed all the headlines heading into Cheltenham as news of him pulling out of the Champion Hurdle just days out from the race ripped up bet slips across the country. 12 months ago, he was pulled from action after a routine run out with trainer Nicky Henderson revealed that something was very wrong. The decision was made to pull the overwhelming favourite from the race, robbing him of the chance to defend his crown. 

This year, Constitution Hill is back, and the bookies make him the one to beat once more. The latest Cheltenham Festival betting odds make him the 1/2 frontrunner to return to the top step of the podium, banishing the ghost of 2023 in the process. However, there are plenty of contenders aiming to chase him down. 

State Man – The Reigning Champion 

State Man was the one who took full advantage of Constitution Hill’s victory last year, and this year he is aiming to defend his crown. Despite the fact the he is the reigning champion, the bookies don’t fancy his chances one year on from his finest moment. Websites allowing one to bet on horse racing currently price him as a distant 6/1 fourth favourite for glory, and much of that is down to the stellar lineup competing this year. 

For State Man, 2024 is about vindication. Punters and pundits alike are saying that his victory last year was purely a case of being in the right place at the right time, taking advantage of the favourites’ withdrawal. This time around, victory will cement his legacy, but he will have his work cut out like never before if he is to get the job done again. 

✅️ Confirmed by @gelliott_racing:

BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD will run in the Champion Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.pic.twitter.com/6Dai9e7QBC

— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) March 3, 2025

Brighterdaysahead & Lossiemouth – The Upstarts 

Separating the reigning champion and the returning king in the betting charts right now are two young up-and-coming stars that are looking for their own moment in the sun. Both Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth enjoyed stellar campaigns in 2024, and they have forced the bookies to sit up and take notice. They have made the former a live 7/4 second-favourite, and the latter is narrowly behind at 4/1. 

Brighterdaysahead has had a breathtaking ascent over the last 12 months. The powerful mare blew the field apart with a jaw-dropping 30-length victory in the Neville Hotels Hurdle over Christmas, thrashing none other than State Man in the process. Her fighting spirit was on full display when she clawed her way back to defeat Lossiemouth in Punchestown’s Morgiana Hurdle.

Trainer Gordon Elliott’s decision to throw her into the Champion Hurdle, bypassing the Mares’ race, has sent ripples of excitement through the racing world. Her speed and stamina, bolstered by a 7lb allowance, make her a genuine threat to Constitution Hill. But as good as she’s been, can she crack one of the greatest hurdlers of all time? That’s the million-pound question.

The six-year-old mare Lossiemouth may not have grabbed the outright headlines this season, but her talent and potential are undeniable. An impeccable winner of the Mares’ Hurdle last year, she’s shown flashes of brilliance, including a close second to Constitution Hill in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle. Despite a fall at Leopardstown dampening her record, Willie Mullins has long hinted at her readiness to step into the Champion Hurdle spotlight.