Cheltenham Festival: Constitution Hill heads 16 entries in Champion Hurdle

Ante-post favourite and 2023 winner Constitution Hill heads a list of 16 contenders entered in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, while the race could feature a Japanese raider in the form of All The World.

Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten Constitution Hill is used to facing the might of Ireland and will have up to a maximum of nine Irish runners to contend with on the opening day of action in the Cotswolds.

However, he could also now do battle against one of the best from the Far East, with Kazuya Nakatake’s eight-year-old having finished third in the Tokyo High-Jump, one of the country’s leading jump races, in October.

Henderson has given leading Arkle fancy Sir Gino the option of reverting to hurdles, as he did when deputising 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.

Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead is another with a ticket for both Grade One events on day one of March’s showpiece and she has announced herself as a real star this term with two thrilling victories over the aforementioned State Man.

Jeremy Scott’s Golden Ace joins her high-ranking Irish counterparts with an entry in the Champion and Mares’ Hurdle races, as she seeks to follow up last year’s Festival success, while Greatwood Hurdle winner Burdett Road