Constitution Hill canters to Christmas Hurdle success,

National Hunt superstar Constitution Hill made a perfect return to action when strolling to victory in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Winning the race for the second season in succession, Nicky Henderson's charge was sent off the 1-12 favourite taking on just four rivals.

This ended up being his first race of the season after plans to run him in the Fighting Fifth, originally at Newcastle and then in the rearranged version at Sandown, were spoiled by the weather.

While that may have given his rivals some hope he was a little behind schedule, those thoughts were soon banished.

Paul Nicholls’ Rubaud set the pace and Harry Cobden tried to wind it up before the turn for home, but Nico de Boinville was sat in his slipstream.

He pulled Constitution Hill out to challenge on the run to the second-last and the champion hurdler absolutely flew it, taking two lengths out of Rubaud and immediately putting the race to bed.

He was allowed to cruise home for a nine-and-a-half-length win, with Coral subsequently trimming him to 1-3 from 2-5 to retain his Champion Hurdle title in March.

Earlier, Il Est Francais put up a sparkling jumping display to win the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices' Chase.

Part-owned by an Englishman in Richard Kelvin-Hughes, ridden by one in James Reveley and trained jointly by another Englishman in Noel George, he was representing France in no uncertain terms.

Still only five, Il Est Francais had carried almost all before him in France and from an early stage had most of his rivals under pressure with his cruising speed and accurate jumping.

Whether meeting fences on a long or short stride, the 13-8 chance made only one semblance of an error over the three miles and Reveley, son of former trainer Keith and a