Constitution Hill is set to compete against six rivals in the Unibet Champion Hurdle, following the announcement that Lossiemouth will instead contest the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle during this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Defending champion State Man, alongside the long-shot Winter Fog, will be represented by trainer Willie Mullins. Gordon Elliott’s standout mare Brighterdaysahead will also take on the male competitors, paired with stablemate King Of Kingsfield, who notably served as her pacemaker during her impressive Neville Hotels Hurdle victory at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Rivalries reignite as Golden Ace, trained by Jeremy Scott, faces Brighterdaysahead again after claiming victory in last year’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. Rounding out the lineup is Burdett Road, a two-time winner at Cheltenham, trained by James Owen.
Mullins is preparing six contenders for the opening Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Tuesday, led by the frontrunner Kopek Des Bordes.
Rider Paul Townend will pilot Kopek Des Bordes, who dazzled at the Dublin Racing Festival while donning a hood for the first time. In this race, Patrick Mullins will ride Salvator Mundi. Other competitive entries include Irancy, ridden by Mark Walsh, Funiculi Funicula under Brian Hayes, and Karniquet, which Danny Mullins will partner, while Sean O’Keeffe heads aboard Karbau.
The challenge includes significant opposition from Gordon Elliott’s Leopardstown Grade One winner Romeo Coolio and Henry de Bromhead’s Workahead, who previously defeated William Munny on Boxing Day. Out of the declared twelve runners, only two hail from Britain, with Fergal O’Brien presenting Tripoli Flyer and Paul Nicholls’ Tutti Quanti.
Mullins also boasts an odds-on favorite for the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase in Majborough, who has remained unbeaten in both of his outings over fences, including a decisive nine-length victory against Elliott’s Touch Me Not in the Irish equivalent at Leopardstown last month.
Completing the Irish brigade is Gavin Cromwell’s Only By Night. Additionally, Dan and Harry Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud, undefeated in four over fences, promises a fierce contender following a successful performance at Sandown.
Nicky Henderson’s Jango Baie represents Britain, looking to bounce back after a narrow defeat over two and a half miles in the Scilly Isles at Sandown.
Lossiemouth’s move to the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle positions her as a significant threat; the accomplished gray has already claimed two wins at the Cheltenham Festival, including a victory in the 2023 Triumph and last year’s Mares’ Hurdle. Mullins will also field other strong contenders in the Mares’ Hurdle, including Punchestown victor Jade De Grugy and Gala Marceau. Adding to the competitive mix, De Bromhead’s July Flower and Henderson’s Joyeuse—the latter having recently secured a valuable win at Newbury—will bolster the British challenge.
