This years renewal of the fighting fifth is set to be a great one. As three main market rivals try to take each other on. This race should also give us clues to who may have the best chance at winning the champion hurdle.
Three Rivals
ANZADAM
There’s Willie Mullins young star, ANZADAM, who has only raced twice in Ireland but has been impressive. Talk around racing in Ireland is that his work is very impressive and that he has a lot of talent that has yet to be shown. Could this five year old take on his older rivals and prove the rumours to be true?
CONSTITUTION HILL
The old boy has had some trouble in recent times with multiple falls and a tailed off 5th last time out. Since then he’s “looked well and trained well” and has recently done his track gallop where he look 1 million dollars. However, he is yet to jump a hurdle in public this season and so old tricks may come back but so many old habits which has cost him in the past.
I believe he needs to be ridden more prominently and at the front to dictate the race as he has gears on gears. His falls came where it seemed as though he was jumping at the same time those around him where even if they were ahead of him. Therefore, if he makes the running this eliminates all doubt that others around him are having an effect on him.
2/1 is a great price for him and if the race is done in a way in which he can run free then I think he takes all the beating.
The New Lion
Purchased by J.P McManus before the Cheltenham festival, THE NEW LION has looked fantastic is everything he’s done and boasts an unbeaten race record.
However, this will be a fast 2m race and he may prefer more of a stamina test based on his recent runs and also his pedigree. There’s no doubt that he has the ability to win grade 1 hurdle races but is a 2m around Newcastle his ideal race…I think not.
He will be bang there and will be competitive but if he wins it’ll be because the in form Skelton team have made it a stamina test.
Tip
CONSTITUTION HILL to win @ 2/1
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