The Champion Bumper is not only the premier flat race at the Cheltenham Festival, but the most prestigious contest for this category on the entire National Hunt racing calendar.
It’s a chance for racing enthusiasts to catch of glimpse of the best up-and-coming horses from the top yards in the sport.
Excitement is already building for this year’s renewal, although the withdrawal of ante-post favourite Maughreen has left a void in the horse racing betting.
Some may now find it hard to make a selection in the market, so we’ve run through the recent trends with a fine-tooth comb to hopefully make your decision easier.
That said, let’s dive into the statistics from the last 12 renewals of the Champion Bumper.
Age
Restricted to horses aged between four and six, the Champion Bumper serves as a stepping stone for burgeoning thoroughbreds to garner experience before transitioning to jumps.
Over the last 12 editions, all winners have fallen within the five or six-year-old age range — with four-year-olds uncommon features in the winner’s circle.
Odds
While favourites often hog the limelight, the trends may put you off backing the new market leader Jalon D’oudairies.
Only three of the last 12 winners held the mantle of the favourite, highlighting just how hard this race is to predict.
What is interesting is that seven of the last dozen have come from the top three in the market, so it might not be worth looking too far down the race card.
Last time out
Siding with a last-time-out winner has proven to be a must in the last 12 renewals of the Champion Bumper, as all of the last dozen winners won last time out.
Timing is also critical, with seven of the last 12 winners competing within the last 39 days.
Cheltenham form
Given that these young horses will only have a few outings under their belt at most before the Champion Bumper, not many have yet experienced Cheltenham’s testing terrain.
However, the two runners who did get a taste of Prestbury Park before the Bumper both went on to win at the Festival.
Distance mastery
While Cheltenham form might not carry much weight, being a master of the Champion Bumper’s trip (2m½f) is a must.
All of the recent winners assessed had previous experience over similar distances, while eight of the last dozen winners secured wins over such trips.
Previous Bumper experience
Experience in Bumpers is another influential factor, with all 12 winners possessing at least two runs in National Hunt racing flat races.
Two is the magic number when it comes to wins as well, with two wins a regular feature among victors — while all had at least one victory on their record.
OR
It’s clear where the line is drawn in terms of official rating, with all of the recent winners under consideration rated 118 or higher.
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All things considered, Jalon D’oudairies is the entry that ticks most of the boxes. While the fact he is the pre-race favourite is a red flag, he boasts two wins in as many Bumpers and could prove good value at 5/1.