Champion Hurdle trio Punjabi, Celestial Halo and Starluck will all meet this weekend in the Grade 2 Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle ahead of their bids for Cheltenham glory.
In a race which has traditionally seen winners going on to Champion Hurdle success, the latest having been Katchit in 2008, the trio come into race all having questions to answer before being considered true contenders for the hurdle crown.
Last year’s Champion hurdler Punjabi currently a 14-1(Ladbrokes) chance to repeat that success in March has found it difficult so far this season to recapture that form and was soundly beaten by Alan King’s improver Medermit at Haydock last time out.
The Paul Nicholls trained Celestial Halo, who finished a close second behind Punjabi in last year’s Champion Hurdle has also found it tough this season. He was soundly beaten by Solwhit (currently 5-1 favourite with William Hill) when last seen at Leopardstown and looks a shadow of the horse he was last year.
The improver in the field on Saturday looks to be the Alan Fleming trained Starluck, who was narrowly beaten by Go Native in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton in December. Currently 16-1(Ladbrokes) for Cheltenham, the five-year-old has been impressing his trainer at home and will look to go a few places better than his fourth in the Triumph Hurdle last year.
“I’ve been increasingly happy with him, even since Christmas, and I think he is physically stronger and improving. He is right enough to run and right enough to do his best” said Fleming.
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