Ruby Walsh’s Champion Hurdle 2023 Tips – Former Jockey Picks his 1-2-3 for Tuesday’s Main Event

The Cheltenham Festival is almost here and legendary jockey turned horse racing pundit Ruby Walsh has picked his 1-2-3 for the big race on day 1, the Champion Hurdle. 

Constitution Hill is the strongest favourite of the week amongst the Cheltenham betting odds so we need to find some each-way bets against him, or try to predict which horses will finish 2nd and 3rd in the race for forecast or tricast bets.

Ruby Walsh regularly writes for Paddy Power and in one of his latest columns he has picked his Champion Hurdle betting tips, looking at which two horses can chase the superstar home up the Cheltenham hill on March 14th.

 

Can Constitution Hill be Beaten?

This is horse racing, so there is always a chance that the unexpected can happen but realistically, only an accident can stop Constitution Hill from powering away from the field in the day 1 feature. The other jockeys will try every trick in the book to unsettle the horse and jockey Nico De Boinville but they will have to go some to stop this superstar.

Ruby Walsh said: ”

The biggest strength that Constitution Hill probably has in terms of not getting beaten, is Nico De Boinville.

He is incredibly good at keeping things unbelievably simple. He doesn’t ever overcomplicate a ride – we watched him on Shishkin last Saturday and asked would he stay the extra trip in the Ascot Chase.

Nico De Boinville rode him like there was absolutely no doubt and this was all dead normal. That’s what he does time and time again.

He will sit just behind the pace so it doesn’t matter how fast they’re going, If they go slow he’ll sit on the pace, gets upsides three furlongs out at the second or the third last and send Constitution Hill on to win his race off the bend into the straight.

Nico just keeps things unbelievably simple. Paul Townend will be looking at it and thinking ‘well, what will I do’?”

 

Will State Man get close to Constitution Hill?

State Man put up a really impressive performance in the Irish Champion Hurdle to beat Honeysuckle into second place and although that is another strong run by the Irish raider, there looks like he won’t be able to make a dent in Constitution Hill if everything goes smoothly.

Paul Townend will ride State Man and tactics will be important for his chances, but there looks like little he can do to unsettle Constitution Hill.

Ruby Walsh said: “If he jumps out and goes to the front, Nico’s going to sit on your tail, if you stand below the start and don’t go, Nico will be just gone.

Nico De Boinville doesn’t ride that way, Nico will get upsides you down to the second last and be gone off the bend because in his eyes, my horse is either good enough or isn’t.

If Paul goes too slow in front, Nico will join him at the top of the hill and sail for home then. He’s riding the best horse and that’s the way he rides them.”

 

Ruby Walsh’s Champion Hurdle Prediction for a 1-2-3

1. Constitution Hill
2. State Man
3. Vauban

 

State Man to chase home the Champion Hurdle favourite

“Of course he could but it depends then, where when Paul presses the button. Could I see if supposing Constitution Hill makes the running, can I see Paul Townend taking Nico De Boinville on at the top of the hill? No, he’ll follow him down and try to pull out to have a go going to the last so no I wouldn’t think so. I think they’ll be first and second.”

 

Vauban the each-way bet for the Champion Hurdle 2023

Vauban stayed on well in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival but he will need to improve on that performance in the English version at Cheltenham. Ruby Walsh had this to say when he rounded off his Champion Hurdle prediction: “Rory put a figure on it for you a couple of weeks’ back as to what juveniles have to improve to get up to open horses and Vauban is improving, whether he’ll improve quick enough or not only time will tell, but for me at the moment he looks booked for third.”

 

Read More:

Cheltenham 2023 mega accumulator across four races.

Coral Cup and Albert Bartlett ante-post betting tips at double figure odds.

All our Cheltenham Festival Day 1 betting tips.

Cheltenham Free Bet Offers

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