All roads leads back to the Champion Hurdle for Constitution Hill after he survived a hair-raising mistake at the final flight to seal victory in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Nicky Henderson's stable star was nothing short of sensational when claiming Champion Hurdle glory in 2023, but was unable to defend his crown last term following well-documented health problems.
However, having proved his ability remains very much intact with a successful defence of the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on his comeback, Henderson decided to turn the eight-year-old out a month later for Festival Trials day and he was a prohibitive 1-12 chance to dispatch of five inferior rivals.
After initially taking a lead off Brentford Hope, Nico de Boinville felt the pace was too sedate for Constitution Hill heading down the back straight and allowed him to stride on jumping the fourth obstacle.
He did not see another horse from there home and while the packed grandstands gasped when he paddled through the final obstacle, it did little to stop his momentum as he cruised up the hill under his motionless rider to score by three lengths.
Brentford Hope boxed on to finish a clear second, with Spirits Bay back in third.
Our face at the last 😲😱😧🫢
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) January 25, 2025
But he's over, and its: 10 RUNS, 10 WINS.
CONSTITUTION HILL wins the @unibetracing Hurdle pic.twitter.com/WNKJSH314l
A relieved De Boinville admitted: "My heart was in my mouth, he was doing everything so easily, but he found a leg and is hardly blowing. I'm delighted with him, just angry at myself more than anything.
"He was just half-asleep. I’d say if I’d woken him up after the second-last you’d be going forward, but he was doing it so easy. I just said to the boss we’re going to have to work him next week because he’s had an easy time of it there.
"He is special, as I’ve always said he’s a horse of a lifetime and everything went to plan bar the last.
"He felt as good as ever. I don’t know if he can be better, but he was good."
Henderson said: "I’m pleased he ran today because Nico said he was so fresh and with no disrespect to the others, he said he hasn’t done anything there and I need to work him tomorrow – so I think he’s coming in to ride him!
"He came out of Kempton so much better and quicker than I thought he would and my first reaction was 'we don’t have to go through all that again until March’. But a week later he was just full of it. I did wait until last week before I dared stick my head up and say we would run because I didn’t want to tempt fate, but he’s just been brilliant all the way through. It’s nearly been too straightforward.
"He deserves this bit of luck, Michael (Buckley, owner) deserves this bit of luck and we all deserve the luck, but we’re here now and we’ve got four or five weeks to play with and apparently I need to keep working him."
East India Dock produced a dominant front-running display to maintain his unbeaten record over obstacles in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.
The high-class Flat performer made a fine start to his jumping career at Wincanton in October and having followed up at Cheltenham in November, he returned to the Cotswolds as the 1-2 favourite to complete his hat-trick in the hands of Sam Twiston-Davies.
Sent straight to the lead, James Owen's charge jumped nimbly throughout and only French raider Stencil was able to go with him from the home turn.
But East India Dock soon stamped his authority on the contest on the run to the final flight and flicked through it to put the seal on comprehensive 10-length victory in the colours of the Gredley family.
Easy as you like 😎
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) January 25, 2025
East India Dock gets it done in the @JCBMachines Triumph Trial Hurdle 👏 pic.twitter.com/Mx7lwm41EB
L'Homme Presse narrowly denied the gallant Stage Star in a thrilling climax to the Betfair Cotswold Chase.
Having finished fourth in the Gold Cup last March, and emerged best of the home team when third on his reappearance in the King George VI Chase, the Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse was sent off at 4-5 to cement his status as Britain’s leading hope for this year’s blue riband.
But in Stage Star, who has largely struggled since winning the 2023 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham for Paul Nicholls, he came up against a worthy adversary.
Stepped up to beyond three miles for the first time, Stage Star was clearly enjoying himself out in front from an early stage under Harry Cobden, with L’Homme Presse and Irish raider Gentlemansgame the only two able to go with him.
L’Homme Presse was upsides Stage Star from the home turn, but the latter refused to bend in front and it was only in the dying strides the market leader managed to get on top in the hands of Charlie Deutsch, with three-quarters of a length the winning margin.
Perennial bridesmaid Gowel Road enjoyed a deserved day in the sun after claiming top honours in the Betfair Cleeve Hurdle.
The nine-year-old has finished second four times at Prestbury Park this season, most recently pushing Lucky Place close in the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year's Day.
Stepping back up in trip for this three-mile Grade Two, Gowel Road was a 5-2 joint-favourite for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies and raced close to pace from start to finish.
After taking over the lead from Botox Has on the approach to the last, Gowel Road stayed on strongly up the hill to score by two and a quarter lengths from Monmiral, with Botox Has third.
The two disappointments of the race were dual Long Walk Hurdle hero Crambo and Grade One winner Strong Leader.
A bad mistake five from home put Crambo on the back foot and he could never recover, while Strong Leader – looking to bounce back from a below-par run when favourite for the Long Walk at Ascot last month – made some late gains to finish fourth but never threatened to land a telling blow.
Sixmilebridge inflicted a shock defeat on the previously unbeaten Potters Charm in the Ais Novices' Hurdle.
Potters Charm had been impressive in winning each of his four previous starts over hurdles, most recently claiming Grade One success in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.
In the immediate aftermath of that top-level triumph, connections suggested they would keep their powder dry for the Festival in March, but decided to turn out again for this Grade Two contest and he was an 8-15 favourite to add another win to his CV.
However, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding travelled well enough for much of the two-and-a-half-mile contest, Sam Twiston-Davies was hard at work from early in the home straight as he attempted to close the gap on Challow Hurdle third Bill Joyce and 9-1 shot Sixmilebridge.
The latter faced a step up in class after successive low-key wins at Leicester and Huntingdon for Fergal O’Brien, but proved more than up to the task – finding plenty for Kielan Woods after jumping the final flight in front to beat the staying-on Potters Charm by eight and a half lengths.
