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Andy Gibson's Champion Hurdle review: Constitution Hill plus supporting cast

Constitution Hill ridden by jockey Nico de Boinville

Horse racing analyst Andy Gibson examines the performance and prospects of Constitution Hill, as well as some of the also-rans who finished behind the impressive Champion Hurdle winner at Cheltenham.

Constitution Hill is simply and obviously a long way clear of the second-best two-mile hurdler either side of the Irish Sea. 

He was fast and fluent over his obstacles and stretched away to win with plenty in hand without being hard-ridden at any stage.

His jockey endured a brief moment of doubt when he was particularly long at the last in similar fashion to Annie Power all those years ago. 

Constitution Hill

This superstar of a horse coped with this minor issue with ease to extend his unbeaten run over hurdles to six races.

Whether we see him again this season is open to debate given how lightly raced he has been in his two years as a hurdler. 

Furthermore, the issue of whether he will be asked to retain his Champion Hurdle crown next season or go chasing is another dilemma best left for another day.

Better to savour such a wonderful horse and an exceptional Champion Hurdle winner while we can. 

Whether he is better than the likes of Altior and Sprinter Sacre is impossible to say with any degree of confidence; nonetheless, it certainly appears to be the general consensus at Seven Barrows.

State Man

Whilst the second-best hurdler finished in the runner-up spot, I am not sure how much more State Man actually achieved here in comparison to the quality of form he has shown earlier this season. Moreover, I am not convinced his jockey was overly confident of his chances of turning over the favourite.
Broadly speaking, he has finished a similar distance clear of Vauban in all three of the races where they have been in opposition this season. He jumped better than his younger stable mate in their two previous encounters and did so again here.

At the moment he is the best of the Irish and by quite a margin, although maybe the connections of Marine Nationale will feel differently about that. 

One would guess that the direction the out of the ordinary winner takes next season will determine what the Mullins camp does with this worthy Champion Hurdle runner-up.

Zanahiyr

Often the best horse does not finish in the correct position, and I would guess there is something of that in the flattering third-place finish of Zanahiyr, who was simply the only rival to be given a pick-up-the-pieces type of ride.

The fourth and sixth horses home were both asked to try and win the race and one or both of those might be regarded as being favourite to beat this one on another day.

Vauban

Although Vauban did not make a significant error he continues to jump his hurdles less fluently than State Man, and this trait has played a part in his finishing positions and losing margins this season.
Maybe Willie Mullins will struggle to see the point in pursuing a hurdles career with him next season unless both of today's first two horses are sent over the larger obstacles. Perhaps his connections will see this year as being a difficult one for him as it is often this way with five-year-olds.
If Vauban is kept to hurdles he should pick up one or two decent races next season and possibly even at the highest level if his jumping improves and if State Man and Constitution Hill are not in opposition.

I Like To Move It

After sulking when held up in the Relkeel Hurdle I Like To Move It was then very impressive at Wincanton last time out when allowed to bowl along behind the leader.

Consequently, it was on the cards that we would see him being allowed that freedom once again here.

His jockey clearly made a determined effort to get to the front as the keen-going Not So Sleepy did offer the option of tracking the pace on the approach to the first hurdle.
As it turned out he raced in a keen manner and the writing was on the wall from the third last hurdle, after which he was soon left well behind.

I would not use this race as a guide to the quality of his Wincanton run, nor the merits of the runner-up on that occasion, Knappers Hill.

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