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Three Horses to Look Out for At Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is an event many Bristolians look forward to each year. With Cheltenham Racecourse being on the doorstep, making the trip to the biggest National Hunt meeting of the year is very easy. This year’s event is set to be a sell-out once again across the four days. If you are heading to Prestbury Park, or just watching on television at home, here are three horses to look out for at the meeting.
Constitution Hill
The Cheltenham Festival is often the place where superstars are born in the sport. That was the case 12 months ago when Constitution Hill produced a spectacular performance to land the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Nicky Henderson’s star hurdler is back at the meeting where he is looking to claim the Champion Hurdle. For those looking to bet on Cheltenham online, he is as short as 1/3 to win the day one feature.
It has been an excellent campaign for the unbeaten hurdler this season, as you can see in the UK & Ireland racing results. He blew the field away in the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle, beating former Champion Hurdle winner Epatante, while last time out at Kempton, he went unchallenged in the closing stages of the Christmas Hurdle.
Constitution Hill ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/Ngt3IXMOAH
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) January 19, 2023
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With some racing pundits describing Constitution Hill as one of the best hurdlers in history, his appearance in the Championship race early in the week is not to be missed.
Honeysuckle
With victories at the last three Cheltenham Festival meetings, Honeysuckle will go down in history as one of the great mares. Henry De Bromhead’s runner won the Champion Hurdle in 2021 and 2022, beating the opposite sex in that race.
The assignment will be much different for the Irish horse this year. She is set to feature in thire Mares’ Hurdle. The race is much more winnable for her at this stage of her career. After finishing second in the Irish Champion Hurdle behind State Man, her connections made the decision to give their horse the best chance of a fourth Festival success.
At the age of nine, Honeysuckle appears to have declined from her peak. However, expect the parade ring to be packed before her run as racing fans flock to get a glimpse of the Queen of Racing.
Galopin Des Champs
The highlight of the week at the Cheltenham Festival is always the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which features on the final day of the meeting. The best 3m chasers in the sport all line-up, up as they look to scoop the most prestigious prize in jumps racing.
Galopin Des Champs goes into this year’s renewal as the one they all must beat. The Irish horse has excelled on his two appearances this season. He won the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on his first start of the campaign, while more recently, he was too good for his rivals in the Irish Gold Cup.
Galopin Des Champs looking well after his Irish Gold Cup win ? pic.twitter.com/JilY33kSAg
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 6, 2023
This could be the first of many Gold Cup wins for Galopin Des Champs as the exciting chaser looks to have a huge future at the highest level. With 28 races scheduled for the week, it looks set to be another fantastic meeting on the Cotswold. Enjoy all the action across the four days.