Considering the two-mile hurdle division is positively laden with superstar performers, the 2024/25 season has been a little underwhelming. Things began promisingly enough when Constitution Hill returned to master Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. However, since that festive highlight, the headline events have been blighted by blunders, falls, and subpar performances.
The Irish Champion Hurdle turned into a non-event following the fall of Lossiemouth, whilst the Cheltenham equivalent witnessed the early and late departures of Constitution Hill and State Man and a desperately poor effort from Brighterdaysahead. Punters waiting to see the cream of the division do battle for the line following an error-free round are still waiting.
However, the 2024/25 campaign isn’t over with just yet. On Friday, we may finally witness the longed-for spectacle in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival. With only a few days to go until one of the highlights of the five-day fixture, the potential field makes for mouthwatering reading.
Hill Heads to Ireland
Following that impressive comeback win at Kempton, the mighty Constitution Hill overcame a final flight blunder to claim the International Hurdle at Cheltenham and extend his unbeaten record over hurdles to ten. Unfortunately for the Nicky Henderson star, that jumping error in January was a sign of things to come.
Sent off as the 1/2f to reclaim his Champion Hurdle crown, the son of Blue Bresil failed to lift a leg at the fourth last and sent Nico de Boinville crashing to the turf. Next time out in the Aintree Hurdle, he repeated that unwanted feat when taking a heavy fall at the second last.
Despite those recent mishaps, Constitution Hill remains the biggest name in the two-mile division. His presence is essential for any race to truly be considered a championship-level event. With that in mind, fans on both sides of the Irish Sea kept everything crossed that a rumoured trip to Punchestown would come to fruition.
Much depended on how the star fared when put through his paces on Friday morning. Happily, the workout appears to have gone rather well, with Henderson stating:
“He worked this morning, and everything went great. I couldn’t be happier, it all went very well, and I think he looks terrific. I must admit, his work was as good as ever.
“He’ll have a school somewhere over the weekend, and if that goes well, then we’ll be on our way to Ireland”.
Whilst not quite the flashing green light punters may have wished for, it appears increasingly likely that Constitution Hill will take his place in the line-up, with James Bowen set to take the ride in the absence of the injured Nico de Boinville.
Glittering Cast to Take on Star Attraction
Given his recent foibles, the first thing Nicky Henderson will wish for is likely a clear round, and we should remember that jumping has been Constitution Hill’s forte over his career. However, even if clearing his hurdles with aplomb, he will need to be close to his best to fend off the following cast of talented rivals:
- State Man – 11-time Grade 1 winner, with five wins from six outings at Punchestown, including the past two editions of this event. Nine lengths behind Constitution Hill in the 2023 Champion Hurdle, but looked a certain winner before falling at the last in the 2025 edition
- Lossiemouth – Having come up short against Constitution Hill at Kempton, this Susannah Ricci runner shirked the Champion Hurdle challenge to tackle the Mares’ Hurdle. In a different league to the opposition in that event, she followed up in the Aintree Hurdle. We will never know if she would have mastered Constitution Hill had he stayed on his feet, but she appeared to be travelling at least as well as the market leader at the time of his departure
- Brighterdaysahead – Sent off as the second favourite for the Champion Hurdle, the reasons behind the laboured fourth-placed effort of Brighterdaysahead remain a mystery. Being hampered at the last didn’t help, but she was a spent force long before that inconvenience. Perhaps Cheltenham simply isn’t her track. Before that disappointment, this Gigginstown House Stud runner had rattled off a four-timer, headlined by a scarcely believable 30-length rout in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Hurdle. Successful on her only previous visit to this track, the Gordon Elliott representative merits the utmost respect
- Golden Ace – Such is the quality of this event that the reigning Champion Hurdle queen is only the fifth best in the betting market. True, that Cheltenham event rather fell apart, but the fact remains that this Jeremy Scott star arrives on the back of a nine-length win in the biggest two-mile hurdle contest of the year. Having stunned the world once, could she do it again?
The Punchestown Festival is littered with Grade 1 highlights. However, if all of the above stand their ground, the Boodles Champion Hurdle will not only be the race of the meeting but the race of the season!
