Iberico Lord© Photo Healy Racing
Nicky Henderson may be without Constitution Hill in the Unibet Champion Hurdle but is still set to be double-handed after deciding to supplement Iberico Lord for the Cheltenham Festival showpiece.
The reigning champion was ruled out on Monday due to a respiratory infection, which has prompted a rethink from Henderson and owner JP McManus on the Cotswolds target for Iberico Lord.
Winner of the Greatwood and Betfair Hurdles, the six-year-old had been among the leading lights for Friday’s County Hurdle – but Constitution Hill’s absence combined with the possibility of testing ground on the opening day will see him switched to the main event.
McManus has paid the £18,000 supplementary fee and Iberico Lord will now join stablemate Luccia, winner of Ascot’s Betfair Exchange Trophy when last seen, in the Champion Hurdle line-up.
In a statement on X, Henderson said: “We have decided to supplement Iberico Lord this morning for the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
“He is obviously a very progressive young hurdler that keeps improving having won both the Greatwood and the Betfair handicaps. He loves soft ground which it seems that it might well be on Tuesday and therefore possibly not so soft on Friday when he was originally intended to run in the County.
“Obviously with the unfortunate defection of Constitution Hill, the race has a different complexion and so he is due to join Luccia in the line-up.”
In the absence of Constitution Hill, last year’s runner-up State Man is the odds-on favourite for Willie Mullins, having notched three Grade One victories already this term.
The Closutton handler has left in short-priced Mares’ Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth, with Zarak The Brave and Echoes In Rain also possibles.
Gordon Elliott was eager to reroute Irish Point from the Stayers’ Hurdle and he is one of two for the trainer along with Pied Piper, who changed hands for €570,000 last month.
Hughie Morrison’s popular veteran Not So Sleepy is the shortest-priced British contender, with Nemean Lion (Kerry Lee), Love Envoi (Harry Fry) and Colonel Mustard (Lorna Fowler) completing the 12 contenders.
