*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules.
Rory Delargy’s Champion Hurdle Antepost Tips:
Constitution Hill to Win by 8 Lengths
Bob Olinger (each way)
In the first of this year’s Paddy Power Media’s ‘From The Horse’s Mouth’ podcast ‘Cheltenham Countdown’, host Tom Nugent together with former champion jockey turned tv pundit Ruby Walsh and well-known journalist and broadcaster Rory Delargy, look at the Champion Hurdle on day one of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
Rory Delargy
Constitution Hill is very important for the British racing scene. He’s the flagbearer and it’s important that the UK get a winner on the board on Tuesday and he’s their best chance.
You need to have strength either side of the Irish Sea to make Cheltenham competitive and not just an Irish whitewash.
He still looks value to me at the prices as it’s very hard to find one that’s going to beat him. There are other ways to approach it of course and there’s Distance Specials and each-way options on the Champion Hurdle.
There’s no obvious way to beat Constitution Hill but the opposition, like last year’s runner up State Man, couldn’t beat him last year so they may have to try something different to beat him this time.
As Ruby Walsh pointed out, the harder they went in the Supreme Novices Hurdle two seasons ago to try and get Constitution Hill beaten, that was when he was at his most awesome.
So the each-way angle may get set up for someone who comes from off a strong pace and is happy enough to hit the places. That points to Bob Olinger.
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He’s never been in the reckoning for a Champion Hurdle before as he went Novice Chasing – but he’s surely not going to take the Stayers’ Hurdle route. He looked back to his best when winning the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham last time. He looked as good as he did when he won the Ballymore Hurdle a couple of seasons ago.
It showed he still has the speed he had as a novice hurdler and will be suited by a strongly-run Champion Hurdle. He’ll travel on the bridle for a long way and if you’re looking for someone to pick up the pieces he could be the ideal type. You’d still be worried about him getting his head in front in a close-run finish but dropping back in trip to two miles should help him with some of the issues that he’s had.
The Henry de Bromhead yard look to have him in a good place at the moment. Don’t forget he’s unbeaten at Cheltenham in three runs with two wins at the Festival (granted one was after Galopin Des Champs fell at the last in the Turners Novices Chase) and a fortnight ago in the Relkeel Hurdle, when he had to battle to get into a challenging position.
It could make a lot of sense for connections to go for the Champion Hurdle in 10 weeks time after that win, rather than just waiting for Aintree.
Rory Delargy’s Champion Hurdle Antepost Tips:
Constitution Hill to Win by 8 Lengths
Bob Olinger (each way)
*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules.
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