The eagerly-awaited return of Constitution Hill in the rearranged Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle could be in doubt after Sandown called an inspection ahead of their Tingle Creek card on Saturday.
Nicky Henderson's unbeaten Champion Hurdle hero was due to reappear at Newcastle last weekend before the cold snap saw the Grade One contest switched south and delayed seven days – and it is wet weather that could interfere and scupper best laid plans this time around.
The Esher track will hold a 7.30am inspection in anticipation of a deluge hitting overnight, which could worsen conditions on a hurdles course already described as heavy, soft in places – as well as making things testing on the chase track.
It could leave Henderson with a few big decisions to make on Saturday morning and he said: "We’ve got to wait and make our decisions as well and we will wait to see what the morning brings."
It is poised to be a major afternoon for the Seven Barrows handler, who as well as Constitution Hill and King George-bound stablemate Shishkin in the Fighting Fifth, is also set to saddle heavy Betfair Tingle Creek favourite Jonbon in the afternoon’s feature, plus leading novice hope Willmount.
However, when asked if there are also doubts about their participation on Saturday, Henderson added: "There certainly is and at the moment I’m trying to make numerous telephone calls to various owners to discuss what we do; it’s flat out, flat to the boards."
Henderson withdrew the well-fancied Immortal from the final race on Friday’s card, citing unsuitable ground.
Andrew Cooper, Sandown clerk of the course, earlier said: "We are racing today on extremely soft ground and with the potential of a good volume of rain in the early hours, I think it is sensible to take stock and see what happens tomorrow morning.
"It can be hard to be too dogmatic as to what the tipping point is, as sometimes you are surprised how much rain the course will take and sometimes you are disappointed how little the course will take.
"My gut feeling is that we will be OK. It is a marvellous day of racing and we will do everything we can to race."
Whether or not Constitution Hill competes, You Wear It Well is heading back to this venue at the peak of her powers.
Jamie Snowden's six-year-old tasted Grade Two glory at the track last season before showing all her class to follow up at the Festival in March.
She raised her game once again on her Wetherby reappearance to down Luccia in convincing style and tee-up a crack at this Grade One prize for a yard firing on all cylinders.
"She’s in a great place and obviously had a phenomenal season last year in her novice season, winning two Grade Twos and winning at Cheltenham under a penalty," said Snowden.
"She had a good summer holiday, came back and put in a really good performance up at Wetherby and perhaps a career best really, again under a penalty in a Listed race, beating Luccia, who came out and ran well in the Greatwood.
"She’s in the form of her life and she’s in great order. She has a run under her belt, which of course helps when running in a race of this nature.
"Constitution Hill is a champion and we’re under no illusions about what we have to achieve to win a race of this magnitude.
"However, we are in it for sport and she’s a racehorse and fit and well and there is no point giving horses like Constitution Hill a walkover."
It was the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle that You Wear It Well landed at Prestbury Park in March, a race won the previous year by Love Envoi, who chased home Honeysuckle at the latest Festival and is another with smart course form to her name.
She suffered an injury in her most recent outing at Punchestown in April, but Harry Fry’s stable star is fit and ready to make her return, as connections eye another profitable campaign from their consistent performer.
Hughie Morrison’s Not So Sleepy dead-heated with Epatante in this race in 2021 but has a chequered overall record in the race.
Goshen was not in the contest when it was due to take place at Newcastle last Saturday, but with it now staged at a venue where he has won on three of his four visits, trainer Gary Moore was keen to add his enigmatic seven-year-old into the mix when it reopened on Monday.
Soft ground and heading right-handed are both in Goshen’s favour, but Moore is another anticipating the sternest of tests if up against Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten superstar.
The trainer said: "He is a little bit better going round there (Sandown) than anywhere else and it is the first time he has had his ground in God knows how long, really.
"He was fine (after Ascot) and the ground was probably too good for him there.
"I’m well aware he has a near impossible task taking on Constitution Hill and he’s probably running for place money."
At Sandown today, Jane Williams' 10-11 favourite Castelfort was a gutsy winner of the betting.betfair.com "Introductory" Juvenile Hurdle at Sandown under David Noonan.
Dan Skelton’s Mount Tempest appreciated the application of blinkers when landing the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase at 11-2 under Harry Skelton.
Suzy Smith and Gavin Sheehan shared success in the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase as Animal prevailed at 13-2.
Classic Anthem finished strongly to take the concluding Betfair Racing Podcasts Novices’ Handicap Hurdle for Jim Boyle at 100-30.
Winning jockey Robbie Dunne said: "He has had his wind done since his last run and that has worked out well. He has ended up doing that well.
"When the ground was as testing as it is out there today, I just didn’t want to commit too soon – but I felt he was always going to get there."
