Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

AS it so often does the Cheltenham Festival got off to a stunning start as Constitution Hill dished out a top-notch annihilation of his rivals in a course record time to confirm the long-standing impression that this is a gelding of colossal potential.

Kept under wraps since his hugely impressive Tolworth Hurdle success, the five-year-old son of Blue Bresil faced what was easily his biggest test in a Supreme that looked laden with potential.

Resistance

Ultimately the winner’s stablemate Jonbon provided the stiffest resistance but the Nico de Boinville-ridden winner was simply different class and produced a performance worthy of an expectant crowd who had waited so long to get back to Cheltenham.

In a race run at a relentless tempo set by Dysart Dynamo, there were no hiding places and from some way out it looked as though the outcome here would concern just the pacesetter and the Nicky Henderson-trained pair.

When Dysart Dynamo crashed out with three to jump while still holding the lead, Constitution Hill was left tracking Jonbon and the race was over once the 9/4 joint-favourite was given an inch or two of rein after two out.

The winner surged clear of Jonbon on the run to the last and managed to maintain a tremendous gallop to score by a staggering 22 lengths and make it three wins from as many starts on the track.

Jonbon clung for second place just ahead of Kilcruit with the latter’s stablemate Bring On The Night taking fourth position. Dysart Dynamo looked none the worse for his fall. One of the other big Irish hopes, Mighty Potter dropped out to the back of the field and was eventually pulled up after a shuddering error at the fourth last.

Awesome

“That was awesome. I know what the second horse is and I’m very surprised anything could do that to Jonbon. The winner must be an extraordinary animal,” said Henderson. “Earlier in the season when this horse woke up from his slumbers at home we suddenly realised he was very good.

“The question was what does he know for a race like this. So to go out there at that gallop and travel so easily and pick up is extraordinary.”

“This horse would get two and a half miles easily but he has got an enormous turn of foot and he does his racing two gears below everything else. He’s just remarkable,” he added, indicating that a trip Punchestown as opposed to Aintree could be on the agenda for his charge.