FORMER IRISH JOCKEY RUBY WALSH has admitted that he is fully behind a Constitution Hill win in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next week.
The Unibet Champion Hurdle is the feature race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. It is the championship contest for 2m hurdlers and has been won by some of the greatest hurdlers of all time, including Night Nurse, Persian War, Sea Pigeon, and Istabraq.
Last year the Champion Hurdle was won by Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore and trainer Henry de Bromhead.
Many people have backed the trio to win the famous race next Tuesday and at one time Walsh who knows more than most about the horseracing industry was in the same camp.
However, the Kildare native explained that after watching the Nicky Henderson trained horse Constitution Hill over the winter, he's now fully backing the horse to beat Honeysuckle next week.
🚀 Constitution Hill gives me goosebumps!! pic.twitter.com/Oe6kKE7kgJ
— Stephen R Power (@racingblogger) February 27, 2023
“I was fully still in the Honeysuckle camp last November, but as the winter progressed and Constitution Hill was spectacular at Newcastle in the Fighting Fifth, and was just so professional in the Christmas Hurdle, from being on the fence I am now fully converted to the Constitution Hill camp. I think he is a spectacular racehorse," said Walsh to Racing TV
Walsh admitted another horse in State Man impressed him, but went on to say that Constitution Hill has all the tools to win it outright
“State Man has improved all year, from the County to Punchestown, to the Morgiana, then to Leopardstown," he added
"Even his homework since looks like he has improved again.
“It’s just the level that Constitution Hill is setting looks so high that I think it will be very hard. I don’t see how State Man beats him.
“The beauty of Constitution Hill is how straightforward he is as well. There is no right way to ride Constitution Hill but there is no wrong way either. Every option is open.
"You can make the running, you can drop him in, go down the inside, go down the outside, you just don’t go the wrong course. He is a brilliant racehorse.”
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