Constitution Hill has been declared for his eagerly-anticipated Punchestown Festival appearance in the Boodles Champion Hurdle on Friday evenine.
Nicky Henderson had stated his intention to visit Ireland with his hurdling star after he suffered the first loss of his career when falling in this year’s Champion Hurdle.
The Seven Barrows flagbearer also came to grief on his next outing in the Aintree Hurdle and arrives at the Kildare track for what is a mouthwatering clash with Willie Mullins’ State Man – another to fall in the Champion Hurdle – with questions to answer for the first time in his illustrious career.
There is also a change of jockey for Constitution Hill, with James Bowen deputising for the injured Nico de Boinville, while the eight-year-old will face five rivals that include Jeremy Scott’s Champion Hurdle heroine Golden Ace and one of Mullins’ Festival winners in Kargese.