Constitution Hill heads 12 confirmations for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.
Nicky Henderson's charge is widely regarded as the pre-eminent star of National Hunt racing and will be a red-hot favourite to extend his unbeaten record under rules to six in the Festival’s day one feature.
The six-year-old won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by 22 lengths on the corresponding card last season and has since proved that was no fluke with similarly devastating displays in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton this season.
There are two previous winners of the race in the mix in the form of Epatante and Honeysuckle, but neither are expected to line up, with the familiar foes instead set clash in the Mares’ Hurdle later in the afternoon.
In their anticipated absence, the biggest threat to Constitution Hill appears to be Irish Champion Hurdle hero State Man.
The Willie Mullins-trained chestnut has established himself as comfortably Ireland’s leading hope this season by winning the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown and both the Matheson and Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown – dethroning Honeysuckle on the latter occasion.
Mullins is also set to be represented by Vauban, who won the Triumph Hurdle at last year’s Festival but has finished behind State Man in his last two races, while the veteran Sharjah also stood his ground.
Henderson could saddle First Street, although like Sharjah he has the option of running in the County Hurdle later in the week.
Gordon Elliott has left in both Zanahiyr and Pied Piper, while Greatwood and Kingwell Hurdle winner I Like To Move It has each-way claims for Nigel Twiston-Davies.
The potential field is completed by Hughie Morrison’s Not So Sleepy and Jason The Militant from Phil Kirby’s yard.
Nicky Henderson has supplemented Epatante and Theatre Glory to take on Honeysuckle in a fascinating renewal of the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle.
Henry de Bromhead’s Honeysuckle beat Benie Des Dieux in an epic running of the Grade One contest in 2020 before going on to claim back-to-back victories against the boys in the Champion Hurdle.
But having suffered defeat for the first time in her bid for a fourth Hatton’s Grace in December, and proved no match for State Man in last month’s Irish Champion Hurdle, the nine-year-old is set to go back against her own sex in an attempt to end her career with a fourth Festival success.
Like Honeysuckle, the 2020 Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante retains a entry in this year’s Champion following Wednesday’s confirmation stage.
However, she has proved no match for stablemate and red-hot Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill in either the Fighting Fifth or the Christmas Hurdle this season and, as expected, she has been added to the Mares’ Hurdle field following an impressive recent victory at Doncaster.
Connections of Theatre Glory have also stumped up following her runaway success in a Listed event at Warwick on her latest outing.
Henderson has a potential third string to his bow in the form of last year’s winner Marie’s Rock, but she also has the option of stepping up in trip for the Stayers’ Hurdle two days later.
Love Envoi is a leading contender for Harry Fry, while Willie Mullins has whittled his Mares’ Hurdle team down to Brandy Love, Echoes In Rain and Shewearsitwell.
Midnight Ginger (Andrew Martin) and Queens Brook (Gordon Elliott) are the other hopefuls.
Twenty horses have stood their ground for the traditional Festival curtain-raiser – the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Ante-post favourite Facile Vega heads a seven-strong Mullins squad that also includes Il Etait Temps, Impaire Et Passe and Gaelic Warrior, although several have alternative engagements during the week.
Backers of Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale and the Joseph O’Brien-trained High Definition will pleased to see that pair also remain in the mix.
El Fabiolo and Jonbon are the top two in the betting for the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy, for which a total of 12 horses are still entered.
Mullins-trained Irish Arkle winner El Fabiolo could be joined by a trio of stablemates in Dysart Dynamo, Ha d’Or and Saint Roi, while Henderson’s Jonbon is very much the pick of the home team.
Fanion D’Estruval heads 37 in the mix for the Ultima Handicap Chase, with Lucinda Russell excited to saddle the defending champion Corach Rambler.
The nine-year-old is only 6lb higher in the weights than when striking Festival gold 12 months ago and has been kept fresh since finishing fourth in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November.
The well-fancied pair of Tekao and Byker are among 37 juveniles going forward for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, but recent Adonis Hurdle winner Nusret is a notable absentee.
The last of seven races on day one is the Wellchild National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase. Gaillard Du Mesnil is a hot favourite for the Mullins team and will face a maximum of 12 rivals, including two fellow Closutton inmates in Ramillies and Tenzing.
