John Ingles highlights six significant changes to Timeform’s ratings after some top-class racing at the Cheltenham Festival.
Constitution Hill (Timeform rating h177p from h148P)
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsTimeform’s ‘large P’ symbol denotes a horse considered ‘capable of much better form’. Constitution Hill was awarded one after his impressive debut at Sandown and retained it after a repeat performance back there in the Tolworth, but the improvement he showed on just his third start to thrash stablemate Jonbon, who’d looked very promising in his own right, by 22 lengths in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle went well beyond even what could reasonably be expected of most horses given the ‘large P’ symbol.
Constitution Hill’s two wins at Sandown had come in the mud but under much quicker conditions at Cheltenham he showed plenty of speed, sitting comfortably behind the strong pace set by the other joint-favourite Dysart Dynamo who was still just in front when falling three out. Looming up at the next flight, Constitution Hill led soon after and quickened clear to win in a time more than five seconds faster than that put up by Honeysuckle in winning her second Champion Hurdle later on the card.
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Honeysuckle didn’t need to improve on her existing rating (165) and, even with her 7 lb mares’ allowance, would therefore be facing easily the biggest threat to her unbeaten record in the event of Constitution Hill taking her on at Punchestown.
Putting Constitution Hill’s Supreme performance in a historical context, his rating of 177 – outstanding for any hurdler, let alone a novice who’s run just three times – puts him ahead of Golden Cygnet, winner of the Supreme in 1978, and the 1995 Champion Hurdle winner Alderbrook, as the best novice hurdler in Timeform’s experience. Only a handful of Champion Hurdle winners have earned a higher rating, in fact, so it almost goes without saying that he is the most exciting hurdling prospect for many a year.
Marie’s Rock (h147 from h137)
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsA good opening day of the Festival for Nicky Henderson continued after Constitution Hill’s victory when Marie’s Rock won the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, becoming just the third British-trained winner of the race. The Irish challenge looked a strong one again, but the top-rated Telmesomethinggirl was brought down two out, hampering Mrs Milner who did well to recover to take third.
Avoiding that melee, Marie’s Rock was good value for her improved performance in beating Queens Brook by a length and three quarters and is finally fulfilling the considerable promise she had shown as a novice a couple of seasons ago.
Making smooth progress from mid-division to track the leaders two out, she shrugged off a bump from the runner-up to surge ahead in the last 100 yards and was well on top at the line.
Whilst not an entirely satisfactory contest, with the gallop on the steady side, the form Marie’s Rock showed was just about up to standard and she’s now a smart mare.
Brazil (141p from 133p)
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsWillie Mullins’ French recruit Gaelic Warrior was all the rage for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and duly shaped like the best prospect in the field but, on the day, his relative lack of experience cost him victory by just a short head. Instead, victory went to Brazil for Padraig Roche who had shown useful form in a light career on the Flat for Aidan O’Brien and, improving with each of his starts over hurdles, has now reached a similar level in that sphere too.
Always well placed in a slowly-run race as Gaelic Warrior made the running, Brazil initially struggled to go with the favourite when he quickened on the home turn, but he knuckled down well to get by him well inside the final furlong and then held on in a head-to-head tussle when showing plenty of stamina and determination.
Still an entire, and a full brother to St Leger winner Capri, Brazil should still have some improvement to make even if others in the field, notably the runner-up, have the more long-term potential.
Galopin des Champs (c175p from c167p)
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsMullins had a record-breaking ten winners at this year’s Festival but it really should have been 11, with Galopin des Champs in the Turners Novices’ Chase the one that got away. He had the measure of a lacklustre Bob Olinger – the pair had been hard to split in the betting in a four-runner race – when 11 lengths clear at the last but came up a long way from the fence and knuckled over on landing.
Ironically, Galopin des Champs had put in the better round of jumping of the two principals as he set a gallop which soon had the other pair toiling, though he’d got away with standing off at the eighth fence as well.
In all probability, Galopin des Champs would have pulled further clear still had he stood up as the lucky winner carried his head awkwardly when left clear and looked laboured in the closing stages.
Despite this mishap, Galopin des Champs comes away from Cheltenham confirmed as the best novice chaser in training, as his two impressive wins at Leopardstown had hinted earlier, and he’s sure to go on and gain compensation in other big races.
State Man (h150p from h140p)
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsWhile the gamble on Gaelic Warrior didn’t quite come off, stablemate State Man justified strong support as the 11/4 favourite for the County Hurdle which made him the shortest-priced winning favourite of that race since Blowing Wind for Martin Pipe and Tony McCoy in 1998. It was a cracking renewal, run at a sound pace, and looks sure to prove strong form with State Man chased home by a couple of other unexposed novices, First Street and Colonel Mustard.
State Man had finished second on his debut in France before just two starts for Mullins, falling in the first of those when going best, so was completely unexposed and his opening BHA mark of 141 proved to underestimate him.
With Paul Townend keeping him out of trouble in the big field out wide, he travelled strongly in mid-division before improving to lead before the last and was driven out to beat the Betfair Hurdle third by a length and a quarter.
Taking up his County Hurdle option in preference to Grade 1 entries elsewhere at the Festival, State Man’s flirtation with handicaps is likely to be a brief one before he goes on to better things. In fact, he has a very similar profile to his stable’s 2020 County Hurdle winner Saint Roi who finished fourth in the latest Champion Hurdle.
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The Nice Guy (148p from 139p)
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsThe Nice Guy was another of Mullins’ winners to show plenty of improvement when keeping his unbeaten record in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the expense of shorter-priced stablemate Minella Cocooner.
Having just his second start over hurdles after winning a maiden at Naas (and both bumpers before that), The Nice Guy was bred to be suited by the step up in trip – his dam’s a half-sister to the Ballymore winner Massini’s Maguire – and he clearly appreciated the three-mile test which developed into a real slog.
Patiently ridden, The Nice Guy made headway from three out to loom up after the next and led at the final flight before keeping on well to pull five lengths clear of his stablemate, a Grade 1 winner himself at the Dublin Racing Festival.
The Nice Guy is the type to improve further and he should make into a smart novice chaser next season.
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