The Gr1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (17h30) is the highlight of Day 2 at the Cheltenham Festival after a terrific opening day, where the amazing Constitution Hill was the standout
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Extraordinary is the word Nicky Henderson tends to use when describing Constitution Hill and he was at it again after his stable star soared to new heights in the Champion Hurdle – the day one feature the trainer has made his own.
The Racing Post reports that he was capturing it for a record-extending ninth time, but few of his previous winners displayed the dominance of Constitution Hill, who was an extraordinary force in last year’s Supreme and followed up in similar style here.
He was entitled to, given he had not come off the bridle in five starts, but he faced a quality rival in State Man, who was on top in the County Hurdle last year and has swept all before him at the highest level in Ireland this season.
Sent off the 4-11 favourite, Constitution Hill powered clear of State Man to win by nine lengths, but you suspect that margin could have been wider had Nico de Boinville desired.
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He is not one for unnecessary fuss or showboating, but his hulking partner is more than capable of providing fireworks even if it looks like a full tank of rocket fuel is still under the bonnet.
“He’s just an extraordinary horse,” said Henderson, touched by the electric atmosphere that accompanied an electric performance.
“You can’t believe at this stage of his life he’s doing things like this. You always worry something can go wrong and there’s pressure. It’s fun, but underneath it’s not quite as much fun as you think it is. When it’s over, I promise you, it is though.”
Henderson trains the son of Blue Bresil for longtime buddy Michael Buckley, who was persuaded to buy him by former Seven Barrows jockey Barry Geraghty.
Reigning champion Energumene tackles six rivals in Wednesday’s showpiece. Run over 2 miles on the Old Course, track conditions are likely to remain soft.
The nine-year-old gave Willie Mullins his first success in this event last season, jumping superbly on his way to an eight and a half-length win over Funambule Sivola. He followed that up with impressive victories at the Punchestown Festival and on his seasonal reappearance in the Hilly Way at Cork. However, he was not himself when only third behind Editeur Du Gite on Festival Trials Day here in January.
He is the sole Closutton representative this year in what looks one of the most anticipated contests of the Festival.
Re-opposing the Mullins star is Edwardstone, winner of the Arkle Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival as well as the Tingle Creek at Sandown in December, and Editeur Du Gite.
On Festival Trials Day, it was the reopposing Editeur Du Gite trained by Gary Moore and Edwardstone that fought out a thrilling finish, but Energumene’s jockey Paul Townend is confident he can turn the tables.
“The Clarence House Chase was a big indicator for the Champion Chase,” Townend commented.
“I think we very much underperformed on the day, and I wasn’t happy from the time he turned at the top of the hill.”
“I don’t think Editeur Du Gite will get it his own way in front here and I can see him getting taken on more on the Old course at Cheltenham. I thought Edwardstone probably came out of the Clarence House Chase with the most credit even though he didn’t win.”
“We learnt a lot from that race, and we know what Energumene is capable of.”
Alan King’s Edwardstone may have lost out by the narrowest of margins to Editeur Du Gite, but still did enough for the bookmakers to make him their race favourite.
The day’s action gets underway at 15h30 with a red-hot running of the Gr1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, run over 2 miles 5 furlongs. Ten go to the start with Willie Mullins mob handed fielding four of the runners including current favourite Impaire Et Passe, the mount of Paul Townend.
Unbeaten in his three starts, the 5-year-old was hugely impressive when taking the Gr2 Moscow Flyer at Punchestown in January, a race Mullins usually aims his better novices at.
Stable companion Gaelic Warrior, the mount of Patrick Mullins, is another with impressive credentials in this contest. He will attempt to go one better than his second in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at this meeting 12 months ago. This season the Rich Ricci owned 5-year-old has won his three starts by a cumulative total of over 100-lengths. Soft going would also be a positive for this 5-year-old.
The very progressive Hermes Allen, trained by Paul Nicholls, won the Gr1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury on New Year’s Eve and he will enjoy the likely strong pace in this contest. Paul Nicholls is on record as stating that Hermes Allen looks one of his best chances at the Festival.
Barry Connell’s Dublin Racing Festival scorer Good Land is another declared bringing top form to the table. A front-running winner of a Group 1 at Leopardstown in February on his last start, he cannot be discounted along with fellow front-runner, the Danny Mullins ridden Champ Kiely.
The third Group 1 contest on the card is the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (16h10) run over an extended 3-miles. 11 runners are declared, and the Irish dominate the market.
Unbeaten in three steeplechase starts, Scilly Isles winner Gerri Colombe is a general 6/4 favourite for trainer Gordon Elliott with Jordan Gainford retaining the ride. He looks the one they all have to beat.
Mullins is responsible for five of the declared runners with his quintet including second favourite Sir Gerhard (Paul Townend aboard) and the supplemented Adamantly Chosen.
Fellow Irish trainer Patrick Neville has chosen to run dual course winner The Real Whacker in this, and this game front-runner is going to ensure a strong pace and could be hard to reel in up the straight.
Dreams of the SA connections of the Hollywood Syndicate and the Kieswetter family’s Barnane Stud to open the festival on a high with the plucky grey Dublin Racing Festival hero Il Etait Temps fell short when the smart galloper ran on doggedly into fifth place behind Marine Nationale who won at 9-2 from Facile Vega in second, with Irish-trained horses dominating the finish to the race with the first eight home.
Owned and trained by Barry Connell, who had spoken so positively about him in the build-up to Cheltenham, Marine Nationale tagged on to the back of the well-backed favourite Facile Vega and travelled smoothly through the race.
Facile Vega surged through the field to take the lead at the penultimate hurdle and kicked clear between the final two hurdles. However, he was quickly chased down by Marine Nationale who went clear under jockey Michael O’Sullivan after a sketchy jump from Facile Vega over the last.
