Can Ireland's best beat Constitution Hill?

All eyes are going to be on Constitution Hill when he bids to regain the Champion Hurdle crown on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

The Nicky Henderson-trained star is a perfect 10 so far in his career, including winning this race in 2023. He also broke the track record when taking the Supreme Novices' Hurdle the previous year.

After missing a year due to a variety of issues and minor setbacks, Constitution Hill has won the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and the International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Trials Day.

He's the one they all have to beat in the two-mile Championship event, but can the Irish challengers topple the Seven Barrows superstar?

Henderson upbeat on Constitution Hill

He's won both starts since he returned and Constitution Hill completed his Festival preparations with a pleasing racecourse gallop at Kempton in late February.

A year ago, a similar workout saw a disappointing performance which led to him being sidelined for the major spring festivals.

A respiratory infection ended his bid for a Cheltenham defence before a suspected bout of colic curtailed his season.

"Good to watch, isn't he?" Henderson told reporters. "Frightening to watch, actually."

That might be perhaps overselling things after he cruised away from stablemates That's Nice and Aston Martini, but there is no argument that Constitution Hill is the one they all must beat in the Champion Hurdle.

Brighterdaysahead the big threat

The main danger to his unbeaten record looks sure to come from Brighterdaysahead, the Gordon Elliott-trained Gigginstown House Stud mare.

She was surprisingly beaten at Cheltenham last season in a slowly-run Mares' Novices' Hurdle but has done nothing wrong since.

Her Christmas win around Leopardstown was properly frightening, as she went on a relentless gallop with pacemaker King Of Kingsfield and then motored some 30-lengths clear to win, with Champion Hurdler State Man labouring in third.

"I don't think we've had as good a chance in the Champion Hurdle before," was Elliott's assessment ahead of a decision on whether Brighterdaysahead will run in this race or the Mares' Hurdle.

"We've been second and third but Jack Kennedy says Brighterdaysahead is different class."

Mullins duo set to feature

State Man took full advantage last year in Constitution Hill's absence to win but he has twice been beaten by the Elliott mare in Ireland this season.

He did win another Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival, but it was a facile win after stablemate and main rival Lossiemouth crashed out at halfway.

She had disappointed behind Constitution Hill at Kempton over Christmas, and now has the unenviable challenge of bouncing back from a fall to win at the Cheltenham Festival, something that statistically has proved very difficult.

Trainer Willie Mullins is adamant that the Rich Ricci-owned mare has been trained for this very race for two years and he hasn't lost faith. She could yet emerge as the main Closutton contender.

Verdict

Its 'girl power' against Constitution Hill as Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth tackle the champion but it could be King Of Kingsfield that has a leading cameo role as pacemaker.

Henderson is adamant that will not inconvenience his star turn but it is fair to say it will greatly assist Brighterdaysahead to have this race run at a ferocious gallop.

The 7lb mares' allowance has proved invaluable for the likes of Annie Power, Epatante and Honeysuckle in the last decade and it promises to ask Constitution Hill his biggest question to date.

Brighterdaysahead is very well thought of at Cullentra and she could be the one to dethrone Constitution Hill. If she can't, he'll have taken his biggest step to becoming a racing great.

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