Andy Gibson has taken the time to reflect on Constitution Hill’s dazzling display in the Aintree Hurdle, the running style of I Like To Move It and Epatante’s recent poor form.
CONSTITUITION HILL
This was another top performance and one that we have simply come to expect from the best National Hunt horse in training. He led all the way and jumped beautifully throughout before arguably having to be ridden out in the final 100 yards.
He was going better two out than he was at the final hurdle and also better at the last than he was in the final 20 yards. He was more than a second in front of Sharjah jumping two out and the Mullins horse reduced this advantage to about 0.85 seconds landing over the final hurdle.
At the winning post, the lead had been reduced again despite Nico de Boinville getting busy on the winner. I am not sure how useful this information is as Constitution Hill will probably continue to be a near-impossible horse to oppose in the short term.
That said, he is also likely to be trading as the long odds-on favourite wherever he turns up next irrespective of trip and code. He seems equally likely to stay over hurdles as shift codes to the chasing game as things stand.
Consequently, there is little point in joining in with all of the eulogising as there can be no upside to having him on side as a potential bet.
I prefer to remain open-minded as to whether he will prove to be equally effective over an intermediate trip next season.
His Aintree success gave the slightest of hints, and little more, that he may turn out to be best at the minimum trip. However, if he is held onto a little more next time, he could easily look a very different proposition over this sort of trip and indeed another half a mile.
SHARJAH
Rather like with Zanahiyr in the Champion Hurdle, I would suggest that Sharjah managed to finish runner-up here because he was the only horse to be held up at the back, where he was kept company by non-stayer Sceau Royal, intending to pick up the pieces.
He stayed this trip well whilst being ridden in such an uncompetitive way. Whether he would stay on another day when ridden to win in lesser company is open to debate.
ZANAHIYR
After his success in finishing third at Cheltenham last month, I was rather surprised to see Davy Russell ride more prominently here. After all, he earned his Champion Hurdle third
place finish through not getting competitive in that contest before running past tiring rivals.
EPANTANTE
I think it is plausible that her likely deterioration was disguised in the early part of the season by finishing a well-beaten runner-up to stablemate Constitution Hill on two occasions.
She followed those two comprehensive defeats with a victory against lesser company at Doncaster that she had every right to win.
This performance, plus her poor effort in the Mares Hurdle last month, would strongly suggest that either she is not the force of old or she has not been herself this season.
I LIKE TO MOVE IT
For the second race in a row, I am left thinking that he has been inconvenienced by his running style in a race of this nature.
He enjoys being allowed to bowl along towards the front end and I would suggest that this tactic has not paid dividends in either of his two latest defeats.
His keen going style has resulted in him racing too close to a much better rival in Constitution Hill and, in turn, this has resulted in him dropping away and being overtaken by horses that have been allowed to play their hands late.
SCEAU ROYAL
This is the third time he has been asked to compete over this sort of distance and on each occasion he has failed to convince.
As he is getting older, one can understand his connections stepping him up in hope rather than belief.
He may pick up another race or two along the way; however, I could only see him winning a much lesser race than this one if competing over this sort of trip again.
