Constitution Hill is a heavy odds-on favourite to join a tiny elite and regain the Unibet Champion Hurdle title at Cheltenham in March.
Nicky Henderson’s star, unbeaten in nine racecourse starts after an exciting return to action at Kempton over Christmas, is a general 4-7 shot to emulate his superb 2023 victory in hurdling’s championship.
Hurricane Fly was the last horse to regain the hurdling crown in 2013. The only other one to manage the feat was Comedy Of Errors, all of 50 years ago.
Constitution Hill tops an entry of 16 horses left in the Champion Hurdle after Tuesday’s initial acceptance stage.
Leopardstown attendance at Dublin Racing Festival capped at 18,500 and all tickets to be pre-booked
Constitution Hill a heavy odds-on favourite to regain Champion Hurdle crown in March
Energumene on course to try to make it third time lucky in Clarence House Chase
Gerri Colombe could warm up over hurdles for another Cheltenham Gold Cup bid
Lossiemouth, who he beat at Kempton, and the other star Irish mare Brighterdaysahead, are entered in both the Champion and the same day’s Mares’ Hurdle at the festival.
If those dual options were expected, a surprise was the inclusion of a potential Japanese runner in the Champion Hurdle.
The eight-year-old All The World was third in October’s prestigious Tokyo High Jump and was installed as a 25-1 shot to upset the Anglo-Irish applecart in two months’ time.
Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoo dominates a list of 35 entries for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle. The reigning champion stayer will try to emulate Flooring Porter, the last horse to successfully defend the crown.
In other news, the Jockey Club has confirmed a reserve system will be back in operation at April’s Randox Aintree Grand National. For the last two renewals, reserves were not allowed due to technical production racecard issues with horses carrying numbers over 40.
However, a reduction in the maximum field from 40 to 34 means reserves can carry numbers in the 30s that accurately reflect the weight they carry.
“In 2023 we announced several changes to the race, one of which being the reduction of field size from 40 to 34. As a result of this, some complications once faced around accommodating runners numbered beyond 40 are no longer so much of an issue,” a Jockey Club spokesman said.
As was the case in the past, the deadline for non-runners to be replaced by reserves will be 1.0pm the day before the National.
Last year’s National runner-up Delta Work is among a dozen entries left in this Sunday’s Grade Two Horse & Jockey Chase at Thurles after Tuesday’s forfeit stage.
The race still widely referred to as the Kinloch Brae was won for a third time last year by Allaho, while other notable winners in the last decade are Sizing John and Don Cossack. The latter scored in 2016 prior to securing Gold Cup glory at Cheltenham, a feat equalled by Sizing John 12 months later.
Wednesday’s jumps action is in Clonmel where Paul Townend will be fancied to extend his lead at the top of the jockeys’ championship. The six-time champion, who lost out to Jack Kennedy last season, teams up with a trio of Willie Mullins horses that could go off at short odds.
The €250,000 purchase Karma D’airy and another French recruit, Funiculi Funicula, both go in maiden hurdles while Bunting will have a first start since last May in a conditions event.
Separately, Falcon Park was an easy winner at Punchestown on New Year’s Day, a performance that suggests he could be up to defying a 7lb penalty in one of the handicaps.
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