The Punchestown Champion Hurdle is set to be the main headline-maker of the Punchestown Festival. It will be just the third time Constitution Hill and State Man have met, with both attempting to gain compensation from their falls at Cheltenham. Joe Napier previews who will come out on top this time, or whether one of the outsiders could once again cause an upset.
Can Constitution Hill Complete the Course?
For so long he was one of the slickest and quickest jumpers of a hurdle, but Constitution Hill now has to bounce back from successive falls at Cheltenham and Aintree. Some blamed Nico De Boinville, especially at the latter, but the great champion had always possessed a hurdling extravagance which teetered on the edge of reckless.
He travelled smoothly through the Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle until his spills though, and with De Boinville injured, James Bowen gets a chance to steer him to success. He has never run in Ireland before, but remains 1-0 up on State Man overall and the hints of his return to 100% fitness suggest he will have the edge…if he can remain upright.
State Man Seeks Hat-Trick As Well As Redemption
State Man was on the cusp of confirming himself a true great when coming down at the last in the Champion Hurdle in March. He and Paul Townend surely had the race in the bag when taking off half a stride too soon, presenting the race to Golden Ace.
He had previously looked a shadow of himself this season, twice being defeated by Brighterdaysahead, on one occasion by 31 lengths. Even his Irish Champion Hurdle victory had come against markedly inferior opposition after Lossiemouth’s fall. However, with that return to form at Cheltenham, back-to-back wins in this race, as well as three wins a row at this meeting overall, he stands almost alongside Constitution Hill for the first time in terms of reputation.
And What of the Rest?
Her Champion Hurdle win will always be seen as a freak result, but Golden Ace’s connections thoroughly deserved their day in the un having been brave enough to the the big guns on in Cheltenham’s Tuesday feature. She was in the process of running a huge race regardless of State Man’s fall, having easily taken care of Brighterdaysahead as well as Burdett Road.
Doing that again here feels unlikely, but she might not be too far away, while Kargese is an improving mare in her own right based on her confident County Hurdle success at Cheltenham. Both should prove inferior to the top two, but do not rule out respectable efforts.
On the other hand, Break My Soul and Bottler’secret have significant ground to make up with neither possessing form to challenge.
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Verdict
With both returning from falls, this clash between CONSTITUTION HILL and State Man could not be more fascinating. In terms of what we know of their abilities, the former gets the verdict despite being far from a certain finisher on recent evidence and the latter may be getting closer anyway. Golden Ace and Kargese are talented enough mares to stay with them for a long way, with the British runner preferred for the frame.
- Constitution Hill
- State Man
- Golden Ace
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