Constitution Hill could meet surprise challenger from Japan at Cheltenham Festival
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Constitution Hill could meet a surprise challenger at Cheltenham. The 2023 winner of the Unibet Champion Hurdle is a 4-7 favourite to reclaim his crown on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival on March 11. The Nicky Henderson star, who is unbeaten over hurdles, was unable to line up at the meeting last year due to illness.
Constitution Hill featured among 16 horses entered in the race on Tuesday which included rivals from Ireland plus an unexpected name from another international jurisdiction. The £450,000 race has attracted a horse from Japan in the form of eight-year-old All The World.
All the World, who is trained by Kazuya Nakatake, was a multiple winner on the Flat before switching disciplines in December 2023. He won three of his first four races over hurdles and finished third in the Grade 2 Tokyo High-Jump in October last year on his sixth start.
His owner Shinji Maeda is best known as the owner of Contrail, winner of Japan’s Triple Crown on the Flat in 2020 and the 2021 Japan Cup. Constitution Hill is joined by stablemate Sir Gino, who is favourite for the Arkle Trophy and has been given the option of the Champion Hurdle having deputised for Constitution Hill in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.
However, the bulk of Constitution Hill's main opposition is set to come from Ireland, with defending champion State Man, Anzadam, Kitzbuhel and Winter Fog among Willie Mullins' six possible runners. Dual Festival winner Lossiemouth - the horse Constitution Hill beat on his return in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton - and last year's Triumph runner-up Kargese are others in the mix from Closutton, although both also featured among the 24 entries for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle.
