Alexei Wins Molyneux Hurdle on Return

Joe Tizzard's Champion Hurdle fourth won the Aintree Grade 2 and now heads for the Fighting Fifth...

By Puntrr Editorial

Alexei, trained by Joe Tizzard, won the Grade 2 William Hill Molyneux Hurdle at Aintree on Saturday 7 November 2026, returning to action with a four-length defeat of Gordon Elliott's Mange Tout. The six-year-old, fourth in last season's Champion Hurdle, was sent off the 4-7 favourite and is now heading for the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle at the end of the month.

Harry Cobden took the ride for the first time, filling in for the injured Brendan Powell. Lucky Place, trained by Nicky Henderson, was third in a four-runner contest.

How the Molyneux Hurdle unfolded

The race over two miles and a furlong was billed as a meeting of Britain's two leading Champion Hurdle contenders, but it lost a good deal of its edge on Friday. Dan Skelton withdrew Mydaddypaddy because the ground was riding quicker than he wanted. Skelton said the horse needs a slower surface and that the course had prepared the track very well.

That left Alexei with a more straightforward task, though he still had to concede 8lb to Mange Tout. She is a Grade 1 winner over course and distance from the Grand National meeting in April.

Lucky Place made the early running with Mange Tout the closest to him and Alexei tracking in third. Mange Tout was left in front after a mistake two out from Lucky Place. Alexei joined her at the last, and Cobden's mount responded quickly once asked to go and kept finding to win by four lengths.

Tizzard felt Alexei was a little sleepy early on, which he did not regard as a bad thing given the horse has been keen in the past. He described it as a lovely reappearance and expects the run to sharpen him up. The trainer also pointed out that Alexei had done all his preparation at home, without any racecourse gallops or outings, so he believes there is more to come.

Champion Hurdle market and what comes next

The bookmakers reacted. Paddy Power shortened Alexei to 12-1 from 20-1 for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, while Betway went 11-1 from 16-1. Mydaddypaddy was quoted at 7-1 in the post-race market for the same race, and Lossiemouth is the reigning champion that both are trying to dethrone.

Tizzard's plan is straightforward. Alexei goes to the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in three weeks and then, all being well, to the Christmas Hurdle. The aim after that is a return to Cheltenham and the opening-day championship. The trainer said the horse ran well in the race last year and needs only a little progression to be in the mix.

There was an interesting side note on his versatility. Tizzard admitted that Alexei had been schooled over fences at the end of last season. However, with the same owner's Sober Glory set to go novice chasing this term, the plan is to stay over hurdles and try to improve on last season's Cheltenham finish.

It is worth keeping the result in context. Alexei did not have to face Mydaddypaddy, and the Molyneux Hurdle, previously run as the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton, has not produced a Champion Hurdle winner in the same season. A victory in a four-runner Grade 2 is a useful marker rather than conclusive evidence. The Fighting Fifth should provide a sterner test of where he stands among the British hurdlers.

Next steps for Mange Tout and Mydaddypaddy

Elliott was delighted with Mange Tout's effort against Alexei and felt she had performed above her official rating. The Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is the direction he would like to take with her. Her four-length second at Aintree gave him encouragement for that ambition without changing the fact that Alexei proved the stronger horse on the day.

For Mydaddypaddy, Skelton is in no hurry to name a new target. The Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdle are both Grade 1 possibilities, while his rating of 153 could bring a handicap into consideration. The Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle over two miles three and a half furlongs has also been mentioned as an option. Ground conditions will be the deciding factor, as Skelton's comment that the horse simply needs rain makes clear.

Written by Puntrr Editorial