Scottish Champion Hurdle Runner By Runner Betting Guide

Scottish Champion Hurdle runner by runner betting guide

Willie Mullins saddles four runners here, two of whom have standout chances.

Get the best odds for the Cammidge Trophy Stakes from the best horse racing betting sites.

1 Ethical Diamond

Age: 5
Weight: 11st 12lb
Form: 60-014
Rating: 144
Jockey: Patrick Mullins
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Odds: 3/1

Ethical Diamond has proved to be a talented horse under both codes and has already been placed in the Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot. He took his form to a new level over hurdles when finishing 4th in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and it looks as though there is a lot more to come. He is the choice of Patrick Mullins and has a standout chance to claim his second win over hurdles off a 1 lb higher mark.

Star rating:

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4 Kabral Du Mathan

Age: 5
Weight: 11st 7lb
Form: 11-122
Rating: 139
Jockey: Harry Cobden
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Odds: 7/2

Paul Nicholls has gotten a great tune out of this talented 5-year-old, winning two of his four starts over hurdles for Nicholls, filling the runner-up spot on the other two starts. He comes here on the back of an 85-day break, and given his form in his two previous runs, Kabral Du Mathan is a serious player here on ground he relishes.

Star rating:

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11 Valgrand

Age: 6
Weight: 11st 0lb
Form: 112070
Rating: 132
Jockey: Harry Skelton
Trainer: Dan Skelton
Odds: 13/2

You can pinpoint the moment that Harry Skelton blew Valgrands mark out of the water, and that was when kicking on to win by 17 lengths at Cheltenham’s October meeting. He went from a mark of 118 to 140 in the blink of an eye and has found it hard to rediscover his form ever since. He must pull something out of the fire to trouble the principals here.

Star rating:

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6 Dysart Enos

Age: 7
Weight: 11st 5lb
Form: 11-378
Rating: 137
Jockey: Jonathan Burke
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien
Odds: 7/1

The world seemed to be at Dysart Enos feet at the start of the season, and many were expecting big things from her, but it hasn’t panned out as such. She was turned over in the Greatwood Hurdle when many considered her the best handicapped horse in training. But she has been well beaten since the Greatwood Hurdle, including in the Grade 1 Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival behind Lossiemouth. If she is to play a part in the finish, she needs to find a career-best and fast.

Star rating:

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3 Bunting

Age: 5
Weight: 11st 7lb
Form: 47-92P
Rating: 139
Jockey: Danny Mullins
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Odds: 9/1

There is no doubt that Bunting has become expensive to follow since arriving at Willie Mullins, but he has promised to be better than what we have seen so far. Bunting comes here after being pulled up on handicap debut in the Coral Cup (choice of Paul Townend), but he did too much over a trip that didn’t suit him. The drop back in trip is a positive, and with Danny Mullins taking the ride, this 5-year-old may be able to dictate things on the front end and get away when it matters, making him a big player at an each-way price.

Star rating:

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2 Kihavah

Age: 8
Weight: 11st 7lb
Form: /1-223
Rating: 139
Jockey: Brian Hughes
Trainer: Adrian Paul Keatley
Odds: 14/1

Kihavah has been a credit to his connections over the years and was last seen when finishing 3rd in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle behind Sir Gino. He doesn’t have a great record when fresh and will need to be on his A-game here to get the better of some talented rivals. And with him being a dual-purpose summer horse, this will likely be a stepping stone for the season, with a crack at going one place better in this season’s Ebor as the main aim.

Star rating:

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7 Under Control

Age: 6
Weight: 11st 2lb
Form: /72-69
Rating: 134
Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Odds: 16/1

A good second in a Grade 2 Mares Hurdle at Doncaster in 2024 has been marred by a disappointing run in the Galway Hurdle, where Under Control pulled her chance away and then put in a dismal display in the Greatwood Hurdle on the back of a 108-day break.

She returns after another lengthy absence and seems like a horse that is hard to keep sound. Given that she has been lightly raced in recent years, she should have more to give, but she is also impossible to trust on the back of her two latest runs.

Star rating:

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12 Welsh Charger

Age: 7
Weight: 10st 12lb
Form: 19-171
Rating: 130
Jockey: David Noonan
Trainer: Alaster Ralph
Odds: 20/1

Welsh Charger has been very progressive over the past two seasons, winning six of his 11 starts over hurdles, with the latest of those wins coming in the Scottish County Hurdle when out battling Afadil. He has gone up a further 4 lb for that win, and even though he may lack the quality of some of his rivals, he doesn’t lack the will to win. That quality could see him in with a chance when push comes to shove and he has a small each-way chance.

Star rating:

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10 Ooh Betty

Age: 7
Weight: 11st 0lb
Form: -10130
Rating: 132
Jockey: Ben Jones
Trainer: Ben Clarke
Odds: 25/1

You rarely see Ooh Betty run a bad race, but this race would look beyond her. She has won five of her 19 starts, placing in a further nine, so if she is back to her gritty best, she could pick up a place if some of her rivals fail to run their race. But that is the best she can hope for.

Star rating:

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5 Cracking Rhapsody

Age: 6
Weight: 11st 5lb
Form: 401017
Rating: 137
Jockey: Craig Nichol
Trainer: Ewan Williams
Odds: 28/1

Third in this last season (beaten 1 lengths), Cracking Rhapsody has since improved his Ayr record to four wins from five runs when battling well to win the Morebattle Hurdle. He has since finished 7 lengths off Kargese in the Country Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, which gives him a good each-way shout here. This improving sort has more than a realistic chance of filling the places once again.

Star rating:

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8 Batman Girac

Age: 5
Weight: 11st 2lb
Form: 5-60F0
Rating: 134
Jockey: Brian Hayes
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Odds: 40/1

Batman Girac has yet to get off the mark for Willie Mullins, and even though it is hard to rule out anything that Willie Mullins sends overseas, this is one of a few times where it is not hard. Batman Girac needs a miracle to win this.

Star rating:

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9 Karafon

Age: 5
Weight: 11st 1lb
Form: 5-1470
Rating: 133
Jockey: J J Slevin
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Odds: 40/1

Karafon quickly reverts back to 2m after finishing 21st of 24 runners in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival. He has a 4th place finish in Grade 1 novice company to fall back on, but even if he can get back to that form, he needs to find a bit more to get seriously involved here.

Star rating:

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Scottish Champion Hurdle verdict

Kabral du Marthan has a lot more room for improvement on the back of a small break, as does Ethical Diamond, who will be hard to beat with normal improvement from his second start in handicap company. But the drop back to 2m could be the catalyst for Danny Mullins to take the bull by the horns and make all under BUNTING.

He has always promised to be better than what we have seen so far and can put in a much better run now that he has been returned to 2m on his second start in handicap company.

Selection: Bunting 8/1 (e/w)

About the author

Andrew Halligan

My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.

You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).

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