Crack hurdlers poised for eagerly-awaited Punchestown ‘decider’

Constitution Hill, and are all set for what Nicky Henderson is calling a “decider” in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at on Friday evening.

There were gasps aplenty when crashed out four from home in a remarkable Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham – and those in the stands did not get much time to recover before State Man exited at the last with the race looking at his mercy.

Jeremy Scott’s mare Golden Ace took full advantage to triumph at 25-1 in the hands of Lorcan Williams, with Burdett Road second at 66-1.

An upbeat Henderson said after enjoying a one-two with Jeriko Du Reponet and Doddiethegreat at the Kildare track on Thursday: “Constitution Hill arrived last night and with him it wouldn’t matter where he was. It just doesn’t bother him one dot. If he got flustered, I’d be worried!

“He’s in good form and it will be a fascinating race and it is a decider between three of them really, and there’s three others in the race as well.”

Constitution Hill also fell at Aintree, and Henderson went on: “These falls are pretty stupid at the end of the day and I hope we’ve got them out of our vocabulary and we can have a clean fight.”

With Nico de Boinville sidelined, James Bowen will ride Constitution Hill for the first time, and Henderson added: “It’s good for everybody that the two horses (Jeriko Du Reponet and Doddiethegreat) have come and run like that. It’s great for James. He had a good walk around with Barry (Geraghty) and he knows where he is going.”

Bowen said after was a confidence-boosting success with Jeriko Du Reponet: “I’ve never had a winner over in Ireland, so it’s great.

“I’ve worked him (Constitution Hill) and schooled him and hopefully all goes well. I didn’t ride him (this morning), but I saw him out and he looks good.”

Scott, meanwhile, is hopeful Golden Ace can repeat the trick in what is undoubtedly a must-see event.

The Somerset trainer said: “She’s very well. I’m very, very happy with her. She left on Wednesday morning and I’m very happy with the preparation.

“Who knows what would have happened had they stood up, but we’ll get a bit more of an answer. It’s a different track, and from my point of perspective huge expectation, but obviously we’d like her to prove herself a worthy Champion Hurdle winner.

“That was always the plan (a rest) having had a couple of quick runs so she’s going there fresh and well.

“They’re telling me they are aiming for good to soft and if they achieve that then I’ll be very happy on that.”

Following her trip to Ireland the daughter of Golden Horn will have a well-earned summer break before a likely shot at defending her title at the Cheltenham Festival next season.

Scott added: “(She’ll have) a good holiday. I would imagine the Champion Hurdle is the plan again next season. We’ll get through Friday and it slightly depends on how that goes and that guides you where you’ll end up, but all things being equal I think that’s where we’d like to go again.”

Like Constitution Hill, State Man is out for redemption and Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer to his father, Willie, is relishing the opportunity.

The 2024 Champion Hurdle victor looked all set to go back-to-back when his spill at the final obstacle handed victory to Golden Ace on a plate.

He is bidding to win this particular prize for the third year in succession, and Mullins said: “State Man was unlucky and lucky at Cheltenham.

“It was an awful fall. It was great that he got up. He seemed 100 per cent afterwards. It doesn’t seem to have knocked his confidence at all so it’s going to be fascinating to see the two English horses come over and take him on, on home soil.

“I think he was well in the process of redeeming his reputation at Cheltenham and I would be expecting him to redeem it even further at Punchestown, so bring it on!”

Mullins also has Cheltenham Festival winner Kargese in the field, with the six-strong line-up completed by Ian Donoghue’s Break My Soul and Aidan Melia’s Bottler’secret.