Racing Ahead

Constitution Hill and nine others that lit up the National Hunt season

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Constitution Hill storms up the Cheltenham hill to Champion Hurdle glory

Unbeaten campaign of Nicky Henderson’s superstar will live long in the memory.Download

Constitution Hill

Constitution Hill ridden by Nico de Boinville (centre) on their way to winning the William Hill Aintree Hurdle
Constitution Hill ridden by Nico de Boinville (centre) on their way to winning the William Hill Aintree Hurdle

The undoubted star of the 2022-23 season, National Hunt racing’s flagship performer did not disappoint with a flawless campaign culminating in victories at both Cheltenham and Aintree. His Fighting Fifth and triumphs ultimately served as a simple appetiser to the main course which came in the Champion Hurdle when he was crowned king in style. Nicky Henderson’s charge then moved on to Liverpool where his all-the-way success in the Aintree Hurdle put the cherry on top of the cake.

Galopin Des Champs

Paul Townend celebrates winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase on Galopin Des Champs
Paul Townend celebrates winning the Boodles Cheltenham Chase on Galopin Des Champs

Heading into the season with unbridled potential but nagging stamina doubts, Willie was adamant in his assertions the Gold Cup was his for the taking. Not for the first time, the master of Closutton was proved 100 per cent correct as having advertised his newly-found patience in the John Durkan and Irish Gold Cup, the seven-year-old bounded up the Cheltenham hill to register an ultra-impressive success in the blue riband.

Marine Nationale

Marine Nationale enjoyed an unbeaten first season over hurdles
Marine Nationale enjoyed an unbeaten first season over hurdles

Having provided Barry Connell and Michael O’Sullivan with the first Grade One success of their respective training and riding careers in the Royal Bond, the six-year-old got the Cheltenham off with a bang when he hunted down Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hotpot Facile Vega to land a deadly blow and remain unbeaten. It remains to be seen whether he goes down the Champion Hurdle route or switches to fences.

Sire Du Berlais

Sire Du Berlais enjoyed the best season of his career at the age of 11
Sire Du Berlais enjoyed the best season of his career at the age of 11

Gordon Elliott’s 11-year-old made a mockery of his advancing years to win both the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and defend his Liverpool Hurdle crown during the spring. It was his third victory at the , while his performance at Aintree proved the Cullentra House veteran is as good as he has ever been.

Bravemansgame

Connections of Bravemansgame celebrate his King George VI Chase win
of Bravemansgame celebrate his VI Chase win

The King George had been Bravemansgame’s ultimate target since his days as a novice hurdler and that long-term objective was complete on Boxing Day as Paul ‘ chaser provided the Ditcheat handler with victory number 13 in Kempton’s Christmas feature. A brave second in the Gold Cup was to follow as he confirmed himself as the number one staying chaser in Britain.

The Real Whacker

Sam Twiston-Davies celebrates winning the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase aboard The Real Whacker
Sam Twiston-Davies celebrates winning the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase aboard The Real Whacker

Trained by Irishman Patrick Neville in North Yorkshire, this seven-year-old made Prestbury Park his playground in 2022-23 and provided one of the feelgood stories of the season when proving best of the staying novices in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival.

Corach Rambler

Corach Rambler ridden by Derek Fox on their way to winning the Randox Grand National
Corach Rambler ridden by Derek Fox on their way to winning the Randox

Having joined the select group of horses to win the Ultima Chase two years on the trot at the Cheltenham Festival, Lucinda Russell’s nine-year-old headed to Merseyside with the hopes of Scotland on his enigmatic shoulders. He duly waltzed around Aintree to provide the Arlary House handler with a second win in the Grand National.

El Fabiolo

Daryl Jacob won the Irish Arkle on El Fabiolo
Daryl Jacob won the Irish Arkle on El Fabiolo

Willie Mullins entered the season with no shortage of top-class novice chasers at his dispersal but El Fabiolo ranked clear number one by the end of the campaign. He backed up an impressive victory in the Irish Arkle by downing Jonbon at the Cheltenham Festival equivalent and is sure to be a Champion Chase contender next term.

A Dream To Share

Jockey John Gleeson celebrates winning the Weatherbys Champion Bumper
Jockey John Gleeson celebrates winning the Weatherbys Champion Bumper

Following a taking success at the Dublin Racing Festival, he went on to provide 85-year-old John Kiely with a first Cheltenham Festival victory when landing the Champion Bumper. Ridden in both races by 18-year-old John Gleeson, there were emotional scenes in the winner’s enclosure at Prestbury Park as Kiely was joined by the jockey’s parents, Brian and Clare, who had bred and previously owned the five-year-old.

Energumene

Energumene was an easy winner of the Champion Chase
Energumene was an easy winner of the Champion Chase

The defending champion headed to the Queen Mother Champion Chase with questions to answer following a below-par performance on trials day, but answered his critics in style with a devastating display to become a two-time winner of the day two feature. He finished off with a second successive victory in ‘s William Hill Champion Chase but was made to work hard by stablemate Chacun Pour Soi, probably showing the signs that his Cheltenham exertions took a fair bit out of him.

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