MONSTER hurdler Constitution Hill is already on track to beat a Cheltenham Festival record – nine weeks before it begins.
Nicky Henderson’s superstar two miler is 1-4 to win the Champion Hurdle on the first day of the Festival.
Nothing can get close to Constitution Hill and bookies think he could go off the shortest-priced Champion Hurdle runner ever
Nothing has got within 12 lengths of Constitution Hill in his five runs under rules.
And his 17-length demolition job of Epatante in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day showed the day one feature could be little more than a procession.
This despite the entries of Willie Mullins’ State Man and Vauban and Henry de Bromhead’s two-time winner Honeysuckle.
Bookies Coral reckon Constitution Hill’s supremacy is so big that he could go off the shortest-priced favourite ever for the Grade 1 contest.
The previous record was 2-5.
Coral’s David Stevens said: “Hurdling greats such as Sir Ken, Bula, See You Then, Istabraq, and last year’s winner, Honeysuckle, are among the runners to oblige at odds-on in the Champion Hurdle’s long history.
“The shortest of them all was Sir Ken at 2-5 in 1953.
“Constitution Hill would almost certainly break that record should he land the big race in March.”
Punters have been piling Constitution Hill into accas since last year’s Festival, when he hosed up in the Supreme.
The Michael Buckley-owned six-year-old has raced just twice since then.
He practically walked home in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, beating Epatante by 12 lengths.
And the poor mare was put in her place again on Boxing Day.
Even the cream of Mullins’ crop look incapable of seriously landing a blow on Constitution Hill.
And he could form part of a huge favourites acca on day one.
Facile Vega is odds-on to take the Supreme Hurdle, Jonbon is 11-8 to win the Arkle and Gaillard Du Mesnil 6-4 to take the National Hunt Chase.
Champion Hurdle odds via Coral
1-4 Constitution Hill
4 State Man
8 Honeysuckle
10 Vauban
16 Sir Gerhard
20 Epatante
25 Echoes In Rain
33 Bob Olinger, Love Envoi, Sharjah
40 Zanahiyr
50 First Street, I Like To Move It, Knappers Hill, Not So Sleepy, Pied Piper
66 Jason The Militant
