Champion Hurdle 2019: Five Main Rivals To Buveur D'Air In Cheltenham Festival Feature

We are less than two months away from the Cheltenham Festival 2019 and trainers are beginning to finalise their squads for the four-day extravaganza at Prestbury Park, and on Wednesday the entries were made for the 2019 Champion Hurdle.

Unsurprisingly, two-times champion Buveur D'Air is among the 27-strong field, but having been defeated in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day the Nicky Henderson-trained raider will need to bounce back on March 12, when the Champion Hurdle lights up the opening day of the Jumps extravaganza.

Spearheading the ante-post betting, Buveur D'Air will face a whole host of lively adversaries and we pick out five contenders that could be challenging the JP McManus-owned star, who is attempting to emulate the mighty Istabraq, who won three Champion Hurdles in a row in the same JP McManus silks.

1. Laurina

A facile 18-length winner of the Mares' Novice Hurdle at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival, Laurina returned to the track with a comfortable victory over Sensulano at Sandown, but it's expected that Willie Mullins' charge will venture out of the mares division and take on the boys in the Champion Hurdle. Unbeaten after five starts with Willie Mullins, Laurina oozes class and she could prove to be the major rival to Buveur D'Air as Mullins opts to not go for the Mares' Hurdle, but unleashes Laurina in the opening day showpiece.

2. Sharjah

With four wins in eight years in the Champion Hurdle, Willie Mullins knows what it takes to win the Tuesday Championship race and the master of Closutton could not only saddle Laurina, but could set Sharjah the task of beating Buveur D'Air.  Eighth in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last year, Sharjah has blossomed over timber and has bagged a brace of Grade 1 wins in Ireland winning the Morgiana Hurdle and Ryanair Hurdle, and if there is a chink in Buveur D'Air's armour then he could well capitalise on any failings on the jolly's part.

3. Verdana Blue

A spectacular winner of the Christmas Hurdle when reeling in Buveur D'Air in the Kempton Park feature, Verdana Blue could lock horns with her stablemate once again on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.  She will be in receipt of weight again at GL50 and while she is entered for the Mares' Hurdle the owners are likely to be willing to take on the champion once again, and while she has failed to win on her last three visits to Cheltenham she could be a lively contender for glory on March 12.

4. Espoir D'Allen

An exciting juvenile for Gavin Cromwell, Espoir D'Allen has continued to improve as a five-year-old and was last seen easing to an eight-length win over Mr Adjudicator in a Limerick Group 3 contest.  He will need to continue on an upward curve to feature in the 2019 Champion Hurdle, but there's scope for more improvement in the next couple of months and he will add more depth to the McManus team, who will be spearheaded by Buveur D'Air.

5. Brain Power

Brain Power's chasing career has been put on hold and Nicky Henderson's charge showed he could be a contender for the Champion Hurdle when landing the coveted International Hurdle crown at Cheltenham in December.  Ninth in the 2017 Champion Hurdle, Brain Power looks a lot classier horse having gained more experience and he could be another lively contender to the favourite, who aims to become only the sixth horse in history to win three Champion Hurdles.