Constitution Hill lit up day one of the Cheltenham Festival as he took the 2023 Unibet Champion Hurdle crown in sublime style.
This race had been seen as the six-year-old’s date with destiny ever since romping to victory in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 12 months ago – and Nicky Henderson’s charge did not disappoint, much to the delight of a packed Prestbury Park crowd.
Sent off at odds of 4-11, jockey Nico de Boinville was keen to keep things simple and had the Michael Buckley-owned winner tracking I Like To Move It, who was setting the fractions.
Travelling with supreme ease, Constitution Hill’s super-slick hurdling saw him breeze to the front after three out and De Boinville was simply nudging his mount forwards as he drew clear of the chasing back rounding the turn for home.
He was soon sauntering up the hill with victory secured and De Boinville was able to turn to the crowd and milk the applause as Constitution Hill in a canter.
Victory saw De Boinville join an illustrious role of honour to have won the Festival’s three biggest prizes, while Constitution Hill crushed the trends to become the first horse since dual race winner Bula’s first Champion Hurdle triumph in 1971 to follow up victory in the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
#horseracing #cheltenhamfestival
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21 Comments
So many bookies were boosting 10 lengths or more, they called this 9 lengths, a modern day scandal, police have been notified. Still a superb performance by an awesome race horse but I call corruption
Liked the way he scared off the competition for this, hence the 4-11 SP.
looks more than a nine length win
CH has probably done more in a serious piece of work than he did today. After Aintree I doubt if he'll ever jump another hurdle. Nico, Nicky and Michael seem to agree he must go chasing but putting CH over fences worked for fine Altior but it kinda ruined Thistlecrack. I was not alive when Arkle was strutting his stuff but this guy (dare I say) could be as good.
Wonder where all Irish clowns who were saying constitution has beaten nothing blah blah blah 😂😂
This is the most naturally gifted jump horse I've seen, he'd slaughter peak faugheen. Just a bottomless pit of an engine. Frankel of the jumps is spot on. Would be nice to see an ambitious campaign but will likely be a boring novice chase route to the arkle, you could go straight for the champion chase with him, then king George and gold cup the next season.
Constitution hill could be another best mate he was a superstar also
Best mate was the best horse ever won three gold cups brilliant man 😊theres no horse like him to ever do that rip best mate you'll always be the best
The most naturally talented hurdler since the I'll fated Golden Cygnet , in my opinion. A phenomenal racehorse.
Would love to see this horse in the gold Cup, I reckon it would walk any hurdle race no matter what the distance
The British win the first championship race and I'm sure we can win today's championship race, leaving the Irish to scrap over the handicaps and novice race's 👍
To rate this horse behind night nurse and istabraq is mind boggling. I agree with brough Scott, he said yesterday …..I've seen every champion hurdle since 1953……but I've never seen anything like that……says it all
I have won more in a day at Cheltenham but have never backed 4 winners in a day.
TOP TOP TOP TEAM- If the GROUND had been GOOD/SOFT, He would have won by the SAME DISTANCE as last years Supreme Novice Hurdle!!!
He is a TOTAL ''FREAK'' The FRANKLE of Jumps Racing!!!
I always thought See you Then was the greatest champion hurdler I'd ever seen until Constitution Hill. Just wow!!
Playful jump at the last like “watch me”. He’s toying with the opposition. An absolute freak of nature.
after the race i noticed the horse wasn't even breathing heavily.
Rated 7lbs below nightnurse, in the days when nightnurse, sea pigeon, monksfield and birds nest would often race against each other in the champion hurdle, they would likely all have beaten this very very good champion
Wow! Hands & heels, hard held. Powers clear and hardly blowing afterwards! Put some good horses (very good in Statesman's case) to the sword. Hope he stays healthy and sticks around. If so we are in for a treat in the years to come. 🙂
Has the look/build/power of Flyingbolt about him, who won the Champion Chase by 15 lengths, and then came a close third in the following day's Champion Hurdle before rounding off his year by winning the Irish National under 12st 7lbs, giving the highly rated second and third 40lbs and 42lbs respectively. Considering how strongly Constitution Hill finished compared to a very good field would not be surprised if he proved just as versatile.
Suprised wayne Harrison not on here saying he backed CH 11or12 months to win champion hurdle at 10to1 £100 win a week or two after it won supreme hurdle year ago.