Constitution Hill will clash with Cheltenham Festival heroine Lossiemouth in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle on Thursday.
Nicky Henderson’s star performer is set to face six rivals on Merseyside and the standout name amongst the opposition is Willie Mullins‘ triple Festival winner, who impressed once again at Prestbury Park when successfully defending her Mares’ Hurdle crown just over three weeks ago.
It will be the second time the duo have locked horns, with Constitution Hill coming out on top during his brilliant comeback victory in the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day, but for the first time in his career he perhaps has a question to answer having fallen in the Champion Hurdle.
After deciding against running Brighterdaysahead, Gordon Elliott relies on another high-class mare in Wodhooh, who stretched her unbeaten record to seven in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The Line-Up
Salver (Gary and Josh Moore), Tellherthename (Jonjo and AJ O’Neill), Break My Soul (Ian Donoghue) and Take No Chances (Dan Skelton) complete the line-up.
Seven Barrows inmate and Arkle hero Jango Baie features in a nine-strong field for the opening EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase, with last year’s Aintree Hurdle winner Impaire Et Passe (Mullins), Croke Park (Elliott) and Gidleigh Park (Harry Fry) all taking him on.
Thirteen four-year-olds have been declared for the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, but Henderson’s Lulamba is a notable absentee. The Triumph Hurdle runner-up does have the option of stepping up his trip against the elders in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle on Saturday, however.
In his absence on day one of the Grand National Festival, Skelton’s Live Conti and Joseph O’Brien’s Fred Winter winner Puturhandstogether are two of the leading contenders for Grade One honours.
Star-Studded Field
A star-studded field of eight have assembled for the other Grade One on the card, the Brooklands Golden Miller Chronograph Bowl, where Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior will step up in trip to three miles to take on the likes of fellow Irish raider, the Jimmy Mangan-trained Spillane’s Tower, and Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning.
Lucinda Russell is represented by Ahoy Senor, who is standing dish at this meeting having won novice Grade Ones over hurdles and fences before finishing second in the last two editions of the Bowl behind Shishkin and Gerri Colombe respectively.
The Scottish raider fell in the Cheltenham Gold Cup ahead of his return to Merseyside, while Patrick Wadge takes over in the saddle from sidelined stable jockey Derek Fox.
Peter Scudamore, Russell’s partner and assistant, said: “He’s got a good record round Aintree and he looked to be going well in the Gold Cup until he fell, so we travel with hope I think.
“I’m sorry for Derek as he has done a lot of the work on him, but that’s life as a jockey and Patrick has sat there as second jockey and gets his chance now.
“Every time he has had a chance he’s taken it and he’s done so well – we’re just lucky to have jockeys like Patrick and Derek to call upon.”
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