For all that this Festival has the makings of another tremendously successful one for Irish raiders, the UK-based trainers can land the first blow courtesy of Constitution Hill in the Grade One Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
While the wheel has been turning in favour of the raiding party, Nicky Henderson has stood firm as a flag bearer for the UK, and in unbeaten hurdler Constitution Hill he has a horse that can give him a third win in seven runnings of this race, and fifth in all.
Runner-up in his only point-to-point, he made his track debut in early December at Sandown and could scarcely have been more impressive dismissing an ordinary field. Back at the same course but stepped up to Grade One company for his second start, he produced a similarly devastating performance to cast aside all rivals.
While that race, the Tolworth Hurdle, has a poor record as a trial for today’s race, there is little doubt this fellow is exceptionally talented, and this race should be run to suit.
With Dysart Dynamo one of those likely to ensure a true test, Nico De Boinville can bide his time before using his mount’s pace to hit the front in the shadow of the post.
Willie Mullins, who has a great record in this race, has two decent candidates in Dysart Dynamo and Kilcruit. The former is a free-going sort with an abundance of talent, while the latter was arguably unlucky in the bumper here last season but hasn’t quite scaled the same heights thus far this season.
Jonbon, a stablemate of Constitution Hill, is an unbeaten brother to Douvan and if the occasion doesn’t get to him, he will go close.
Reigning champion Honeysuckle has every chance of defending her crown in the Unibet Champion Hurdle. While Henry de Bromhead’s horses were under a cloud for part of this season, this superb mare managed to win both outings with the minimum of fuss, starting with the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse and following up in the Irish Champion Hurdle.
While it is possible to pick some holes in both lines of form, the fact is that she has always managed to find a way to win whatever the obstacle in her way. She is a deserving odds-on favourite and with the yard finding form in recent weeks, she will be extremely hard to beat.
Zanahiyr finished behind her in the Irish Champion Hurdle and can fill the same spot once more. Gordon Elliott’s runner was a disappointing favourite in last season’s Triumph Hurdle but is much better than that. His season has been building towards a tilt at this race and with cheekpieces fitted for the first time, just to sharpen him up, he can give the selection a fright.
Former champion Epatante has looked better this season than when losing her crown here last year, and she can go well, while Triumph Hurdle runner-up Adagio comes here on the back of two very good runs in defeat and has place claims.
The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle looks quite open, but Queens Brook looks to have been trained to the minute for this race and can give her trainer, Gordon Elliott, back-to-back wins in the race, following Black Tears’ victory in 2021.
The selection hasn’t been easy to train, and not all her form stacks up, but her only previous visit to this track, in 2020, resulted in her finishing third behind Ferny Hollow and Appreciate It in the Champion Bumper, with Third Time Lucki just in behind.
That form reads particularly well in the context of this race and with her recent run, behind Burning Victory, looking certain to bring her on, she has strong claims in an open renewal.
