Anzadam could hardly have a greater test of his championship credentials than Saturday’s Fighting Fifth at Newcastle where Willie Mullins’s unbeaten star is set to take on the best of British hurdling.
Constitution Hill, one of the highest rated hurdlers in the sport’s history, is set to return to action in the Newcastle race that saw him produce one of his most memorable victories three years ago.
That resulted in a 17-length rout of the then Champion Hurdle winner Epatante on-route to Cheltenham glory a few months later.
On the back of three successive defeats last season, Constitution Hill will bid to redeem his reputation this weekend in a race that sees The New Lion tackle open company for the first time and the reigning Champion Hurdle winner Golden Ace also in the line-up.
READ MORE
Added to the mix is Anzadam, one of a handful of entries left in after Monday’s latest acceptance stage, who is on course to try and give Mullins a first success in the prestigious Grade One.
Unbeaten in four career starts, but yet to line up at the top level, Anzadam was taken out of last weekend’s Morgiana at Punchestown to wait for the cross-channel challenge. Instead, his stable companion Lossiemouth won the Morgiana and now tops most Champion Hurdle betting lists.
Constitution Hill worked well on Monday and his trainer Nicky Henderson is hopeful of adding to his record nine wins in the Fighting Fifth.
“I don’t think there’s any pressure and here we are, it was always the plan and it will be a big test. We’re in a better place than last year, that’s for sure – when I couldn’t even get him to Newcastle.
“He did his last piece of work this morning and it all went well and Nico [de Boinville] was smiling which is always a good sign.
“That’s all the main bits done and now he will have a doodle up there [to Newcastle] on Friday and we’ll try to send something up with him to keep him company,” he said.
“There was only the four of them before Nemean Lion was supplemented and I toyed with the idea and rang Nico at 11.55am to ask if he wanted a pacemaker and was told no,” Henderson added.
Mullins has a victory to his name in Saturday’s big cross-channel handicap, Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup, and has left in four hopefuls among the 27 left in the race formerly known as the Hennessy. They include the Kerry National hero Spanish Harlem. The Irishman won with Total Recall in 2017. He is the only Irish trained winner in the last 45 years.
Despite that statistic, other Irish trainers with chances to score are Henry De Bromhead who has both topweight Monty’s Star and Gorgeous Tom, while Gordon Elliott (Three Card Brag) and Tom Gibney (Intense Raffles) may also take their chance.
Tuesday’s domestic action is in Tramore where the in-form Elliott team look to hold a leading chance in the bumper through Torpille Dagrostis. Aine O’Connor’s mount found only Shadys Lady too good at Navan and last time and may progress for the outing.
