Constitution Hill set to get home team off to a flyer
AFTER weeks of speculation, Willie Mullins made the decision on Sunday morning to send Dysart Dynamo to the Festival opener, the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (1.30pm), and to aim stablemate Sir Gerhard at Wednesday’s Ballymore instead.
The news was disappointing for all those holding ante-post slips on last season’s Champion Bumper winner, but it will have been music to the ears of Nicky Henderson who saddles both CONSTITUTION HILL and JONBON.
I’m sure if the team at Seven Barrows had the choice of which one of the two Mullins novices they would like to take on, then preference would have been for the ultra-keen front running Dysart Dynamo over the proven Grade One performer Sir Gerhard.
With a field of only nine declared for the curtain raiser, the almost guaranteed pace is a huge positive for Team Henderson.
Make no mistake, Dysart Dynamo, who has been devastating from the front in his two hurdle starts to date, will be no pushover.
There is every chance he could run the legs out of this field, but those keen front-running tactics are pretty hard to execute at Cheltenham.
The harder he goes, the more likely he is to help Aidan Coleman and Nico de Boinville aboard Jonbon and Constitution Hill respectively settle their mounts.
Most horses that use up as much energy during their race, as he does, will pay for that exuberance later on when stepping up to Grade One level.
Constitution Hill has been simply breath-taking in his two starts over hurdles at Sandown to date, winning the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle when last seen in action back in January.
Now, it wasn’t what he beat, it was the ease with which he did it on terrible ground.
He is held in such high regard by a stable that has handled enough good ones in recent years including Altior and Shishkin.
His work is apparently outstanding and working alongside the likes of former Champion Hurdle winner Epatante is testament to the regard in which he is held from a yard not known to label their geese as swans.
In both of his starts to date, he has been strongest at the finish, and he looks the one they all have to beat at a best-priced 5/2 with William Hill.
In fact, his biggest danger could easily be stablemate Jonbon, who is unbeaten in all five career starts.
Purchased for a staggering £570,000 back in November 2020, Douvan’s brother has answered every question thrown at him this term.
He made his own running at Ascot and really had to dig deep on very soft ground at Haydock last time.
Plenty have questioned whether his temperament will hold out on the big day as he can get very sweaty and agitated, so keep an eye out for him in the preliminaries.
The son of Walk In The Park does have a serious engine, though, and is the most likely in my book to get Constitution Hill off the bridle.
Looking at the rest of the Irish challenge, and Mullins also saddles last season’s Champion Bumper runner-up Kilcruit and the lightly-raced Bring On The Night.
Kilcruit has got better as the season has gone on but may just lack the gears to trouble the Henderson pair.
Bring On The Night only made his hurdling debut a few weeks ago and may not be streetwise enough for an assignment like this.
The pick of the Irish could well be Gordon Elliott’s MIGHTY POTTER, who has not been seen since winning at Grade One level at Leopardstown over Christmas.
He arrives here a fresh horse and stamina will be no issue as he will definitely get further.
I’d expect him to finish strongly and he looks the each-way call to hit the frame at 17/2 with William Hill.
The rest of the home challenge is made up of Shallwehaveonemore, Silent Revolution and Jpr One.
All look slightly out of their depth and it’s hard to envisage any of them finishing in the first three.
Bill Esdaile’s 1-2-3
1st Constitution Hill
2nd Jonbon
3rd Mighty Potter