Can the Defending Champions Prevail Again in Cheltenham’s Four Championship Races?

All four of last season’s Championship winners at the Cheltenham Festival have been declared to run again at the meeting in 2022 where they will be defending their crowns.

Such is the quality of the races at the Cheltenham Festival sports meeting, defending champions don’t have a great record at the meeting. Last season all four of those big prizes were won by first-time winners. Here is a look at the chances of the four champions from 2021.

Honeysuckle – Champion Hurdle

The 2m hurdles division has been dominated by Honeysuckle over the last two seasons. Since her victory at the Cheltenham Festival last March, she has enhanced her reputation further with two more Grade One successes.

Honeysuckle became only the sixth mare in history to win the Champions Hurdle in 2021. She will benefit once again from the mares’ allowance in the premier 2m hurdle contest.

The eight-year-old remains unbeaten on the track after 13 starts under Rules and an appearance in a point-to-point in Ireland. She is now rated as high as 165 by the official handicapper in the UK.

Of all the four reigning winners of the four Championship races, Honeysuckle has the best chance of success again, according to the horse racing betting Betway offers on the Cheltenham Festival. As of January 27, she is odds-on at -150 to win the 2022 Champion Hurdle and maintain her 100% record.

This will be the third Cheltenham Festival Honeysuckle will be appearing at. In 2020, connections opted against running in the Champion Hurdle and instead went for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle. She won a strong renewal of that race against her own sex.

Put The Kettle On – Queen Mother Champion Chase

2020 Arkle winner Put The Kettle On stepped out of novice company with ease last season, scoring in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the festival in March. She came out on top in a thrilling finish up the hill at Cheltenham, scoring by less than a length.

In what was a brilliant week for Irish trainer De Bromhead, his mare got the better of Nube Negra and Chacun Pour Soi. All three of those horses are expected to return for the 2m contest on day two of the meeting.

This year’s race is expected to be much stronger as the unbeaten chaser Shishkin is the red-hot favorite to prevail. He recently won the Grade One Clarence House Chase at Ascot, beating Energumene, one of the leading Irish hopes for the Champion Chase this year.

Put The Kettle On’s form this season is not very encouraging. As reported in the latest Cheltenham racecourse news, she was well beaten in the Shloer Chase, while she came home last of five runners on her latest appearance at Fairyhouse. As of January 27, last year’s Champion Chase winner is +2000 to bounce back and score again at the festival.

Flooring Porter – Stayers’ Hurdle

At odds of +1200, Flooring Porter was the biggest-priced winner of the four Championships races at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. He came home better than any of his rivals in the Stayers’ Hurdle over 3m.

The Irish horse appeared at Cheltenham for the first time in his career and he had no issues with the course. Under the hands of Danny Mullin, the pair made all the running in the race.

Flooring Porter has failed to win in his two outings already this season. He did finish a close second in the Grade One Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown last time out. As of January 27, he can be backed at +400 to win the Stayer’s Hurdle for the second straight year.

Minella Indo – Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most prestigious race of the week at the Cheltenham Festival. It is one of the highlights of the sports entertainment calendar. In 2021 Irish-trained horse Minella Indo became the latest winner of the 3m2f contest.

The eight-year-old chaser finished ahead of his stablemate A Plus Tard to land first place. He jumped well throughout the contest, and he outstayed his rivals in what was an impressive performance.

Unfortunately for his connections, Minella Indo has not shown the same spark so far this season. He was pulled up on his last appearance in the King George VI Chase at Kempton. Those associated with the horse will be hoping he bounces back at the Gloucestershire racecourse. As of January 27, he is +700 in the betting to win the 2022 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The 2022 Cheltenham Festival begins on March 15 when the Champion Hurdle will be the first of the four Championship races across the week from Prestbury Park.