The clash between Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth remains on after both featured among eight six-day entries for the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The former won the Grade One last season but hasn’t raced since. He was ruled out of the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle last month following a late setback and his stablemate Sir Gino switched into the race, winning impressively.
It was a performance that catapulted him towards the top of the Unibet Champion Hurdle market and while he also holds an entry in the Christmas Hurdle, Constitution Hill now looks the one to be heading to the race for trainer Nicky Henderson.
Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast he said: “We’ve got a week to go, we’ve got more work to do, but everything’s going well and I couldn’t be happier.
“He recovered very quickly which was very good, so we didn’t lose a lot of time over that, losing time is always inconvenient but I don’t think it’s done any damage.
“We were all but ready for the Fighting Fifth and we had to back off him for a week because he was actually lame, but we could do various things. We have a water treadmill that’s very good and he kept working away on that. He kept moving very well really and has been very good.
“His work is very good. Everything has gone right; he’s schooled and that woke him up. The fire is burning, and I hope it will be burning next Thursday.”
Jack Keane in the Sun reported on Thursday evening that Sir Gino had pleased connections when schooling over fences and was pencilled in for the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at the same meeting where he could face a mouthwatering clash with Ballyburn.
His stablemate Lossiemouth is Willie Mullins’ only entry on the Boxing Day card at Kempton and would arrive at the Sunbury track off the back of an impressive defeat of Teahupoo in the Hatton’s Grace on her reappearance.
Burdett Road, Calico, Golden Ace, Lump Sum and Nemean Lion complete the possible field.
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