Welsh Champion Hurdle Preview, Tips, Runners & Trends

2024 Welsh Champion Hurdle Preview

Established in 1969, the Welsh Champion Hurdle is scheduled to take place in October of each year at the Ffos Las racecourse, the race is a Class 2 Limited Handicap Hurdle which is open to runners who are aged four years old or older, it is run over a trip of just shy of two miles in which the runners have to jump a total of eight hurdles. Originally run at Chepstow racecourse and was dropped from the racing calendar in 2003 after a decline in the number of runners being entered into the race, however, in 2011 the race was revived at Ffos Las.

Welsh Champion Hurdle Information:

• Welsh Champion Hurdle Past Winners
• Welsh Champion Hurdle Trainer Statistics
• Welsh Champion Hurdle Jockey Statistics

Our dedicated Ffos Las tips page will not only bring you predictions from the OLBG racing tipsters for the upcoming card that includes the Welsh Champion Hurdle but will also have predictions for each meeting at Ffos Las throughout the season so be sure to head over there.

How competitive is the Welsh Champion Hurdle market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 12 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2022 when the race had an over-round of 109%. The race in 2019 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 124%, whilst on average over the last 12 renewals of the Welsh Champion Hurdle, the over-round has been 118%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £118 which is bet.

Welsh Champion Hurdle Trends:

• 2024 Welsh Champion Hurdle Trends
• Welsh Champion Hurdle Trend Analysis

Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? From the past 12 if you had followed the winner of the Welsh Champion Hurdle next time out then you would have backed a total of 2 winners. Backing all 11 runners who have been out since to win at SP next time out, would have returned an LSP of +24.80. Before placing your bet on the 2024 Welsh Champion Hurdle see which other runners today are being backed on the racing predictions page.

Over the last 12 renewals, it was the Cian Michael Collins trained Effernock Fizz ridden by Sam Ewing who set the fastest winning time in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, the runner won the race in a time of 3:34.43 was set when winning the race in 2022. At the other end of the scale, it was the combination of trainer Alan King and jockey Wayne Hutchinson with Medinas who set the slowest winning time, the race-winning time was 5:39.10 in the 2013 renewal.

These are the top three quickest-run Welsh Champion Hurdle over the last 12 renewals:

• 2022 - Effernock Fizz (3:34.43)
• 2023 - Nemean Lion (3:37.84)
• 2021 - Glory And Fortune (3:40.81)

Welsh Champion Hurdle Past Winners

Here are the Welsh Champion Hurdle past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won along with the age & weight of the horse. The trainer of the horse at the time of winning the Welsh Champion Hurdle as well as the jockey is also displayed along with the starting price the horse was sent off.

Race Notes: No race in 2012 and in 2016 the race was originally scheduled for February but was abandoned due to waterlogging, it was rescheduled in October.

Where have the winning runners come from?

Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Welsh Champion Hurdle have been based:

• GB: 11 winners with an additional 18 placings from 104 runners
• IRE: 1 winner with an additional 1 placing from 4 runners

Welsh Champion Hurdle Trainer Statistics

There are two leading trainers in the Welsh Champion Hurdle over the last 12 renewals with both Paul Nicholls and Alan King who have both won the race two times. Paul Nicholls winners have been with Saphir Du Rheu (2014) and Silsol (2015). Alan King winners have been with Medinas (2013) and Sceau Royal (2020).

Here are some of the top Welsh Champion Hurdle trainer statistics over the last 12 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):

Welsh Champion Hurdle Jockey Statistics

Here are some of the top Welsh Champion Hurdle jockey statistics over the last 12 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):

2024 Welsh Champion Hurdle Trends

Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, 13, 2, (3, 4, PU), 2, (1, 2), (1, 4), 3, 8, 8, 3, (1, 10)

The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones as you would expect them to do well.

• 12 / 12 (58%) - No bigger than 10/1 (LTO)
• 12 / 12 (62%) - No bigger than 10/1
• 12 / 12 (72%) - Within the first 7 of the market
• 12 / 12 (76%) - Achieved a TS of 94+ (Going)
• 12 / 12 (77%) - Achieved a TS of 91+ (Last Win)
• 12 / 12 (79%) - Achieved an RPR of 125+ (Going)
• 12 / 12 (80%) - Furthest ran 2m1f - 3mf
• 12 / 12 (80%) - Is not GB bred
• 12 / 12 (81%) - Highest Placed is not Cl3-4
• 12 / 12 (81%) - Won by at least ¾ (Last Win)
• 12 / 12 (81%) - Held an OR of 131+ (Career)
• 12 / 12 (81%) - Highest Won is not Cl3/Cl5
• 12 / 12 (81%) - Achieved a TS of 119+ (Career)
• 12 / 12 (85%) - Made 1 - 19 starts (Further)
• 12 / 12 (86%) - Not BL/BR/CH in colour

Remember to use the trends listed above along with the Ffos Las racing predictions to see if you can find the winner of the Welsh Champion Hurdle. You may want to do your own research into the race, there are times when there are a number of runners who pass the trends so you need to do your own research to find a bet, we have a Horse Racing Form Reading Made Easy & What to Look For article to help you do just this in the OLBG Betting School section.

Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, It is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Welsh Champion Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.

Welsh Champion Hurdle Trend Analysis

The trend factor which had produced 6+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +3.54 is when runners ran in a Non Handicap last time out. The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners were GB bred, when backing these the trend shows a record of 0-22.

The course which has produced the most winners of the Welsh Champion Hurdle is Cheltenham, there has been a total number of 5 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out.

The race is open to both sexes with the Male runners having produced a total of 11 winners from a total of 101 runners whilst the Female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 7 runners.

Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have been disappointed with multiple attempts but no wins in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, that stallion is Kayf Tara who has failed to produce a winner from 5 runners.

Looking at the winning odds over the last 12 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Sceau Royal in 2020, winning for Alan King at odds of 10/1 under the guidance of Daryl Jacob. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 12 renewals there has been a total of 4 winning favourites in the race. Before placing your bet on the 2024 Welsh Champion Hurdle head over to see which other runners today are being backed by the best racing tipsters today.