IT was this week last season when the wheels began to fall off the Constitution Hill bandwagon, when he worked poorly in a gallop at Kempton and he was then pulled out of the Champion Hurdle the following week, when tests revealed a respiratory infection.

But the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner emerged from his Tuesday work out at Kempton Park racecourse with flying colours and it looks all systems go for his attempt to win his second Champion title in two weeks’ time.

Working with two of his lesser stable companions, That’s Nice and Aston Martini, Constitution Hill completely erased the memory of last year, as he delighted Nicky Henderson.

The eight-year-old has won all his 10 hurdles starts, with eight of those victories coming at the highest level.

A suspected bout of colic brought about an early end to his 2024 campaign in March and he missed his anticipated seasonal bow in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle after a lack lustre racecourse gallop.

But a delighted Nicky Henderson said on Tuesday: “Nico’s face, my face and Michael’s (owner Michael Buckley) face will probably tell you it’s a different day. That’s him and it’s good to watch really isn’t it – it’s frightening to watch, actually.

“We knew before we actually came here last year that these horses weren’t flying and it was going to be harder to get through, whereas today everything has gone perfect.”

Lulamba and Palladium

Nicky Henderson has no regrets about bypassing the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle with both Lulamba and Palladium, as the duo also made appearances at Kempton Park on Tuesday to complete their JCB Triumph Hurdle preparations. Lulamba worked over two miles with Captain Morgs and Stayers Hurdle hope Lucky Place, while Palladium covered the same distance in company with East India Express and 141-rated Impose Toi, with Henderson more than satisfied by their efforts.

POTTERS Charm had been one of the earlier favourites for the Turners Novice Hurdle, following four early season wins in a row and the Grade 1 Novices at Aintree.

But the Twiston-Davies’ gelding was beaten at the Cheltenham Trials meeting and Final Demand’s impressive Leopardstown win saw him just to the head of the market with the gelding now the forgotten horse at around 12/1.

Speaking this week, Willie Twiston-Davies conceded that running the bay at that Trials day was the wrong choice, as he was not quite at his peak, but he expects the loss to be rectified with a return to form at Prestbury Park for the Festival.

“He worked nicely this morning (Tuesday), we’re very pleased with him. His form stands up well, obviously we were disappointed he got beat last time – he still picked up 16 grand, so it wasn’t too bad,” said Willie Twiston-Davies, assistant to his father, Nigel, at a Cheltenham media event.

“He had two weeks quiet after that, we’ve stacked up his work again and he will have a nice bit on Friday. Of the English, I wouldn’t swap him.

“He obviously acts very well round here, he is very versatile on the ground and Sam (Twiston-Davies) can ride him any way he wants, he falls asleep in his races, and I think he’s got a very good chance.”

Leading hopes

The yard also consider Broadway Boy to be their leading hope of enjoying more Cheltenham Festival glory.

Broadway Boy heads for the Ultima Handicap and has already gone close in a big race this term, when second to Kandoo Kid in the Coral Gold Cup.

Twiston-Davies expects a better round of jumping than January’s fourth-placed Cheltenham effort, after medicating the joints in his knees.

He said: “Broadway Boy, along with Potters Charm, is probably our best hope of the Festival. He’s off 150, was second in the Hennessy (Coral Gold Cup) and you can say if he didn’t smash through four out, he probably could have won it.

“He’s had his knees medicated since his bad run in January, which was completely unlike him when he never jumped a twig or went a yard. I thought he might pull him up after two or three, I was really disappointed with him.

“He’s in the form of his life, I struggle to think what could be better than him really.

“Obviously, he’s rated 150 and this time last year he was a Brown Advisory and Gold Cup horse, so off 150 you’d like to think he’s well-treated still.”

Ryanair challenge

Master Chewy was something of an unexpected winner with Matat third in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury, and a step up in trip for the Ryanair could now beckon.

“Matata probably won’t go to Cheltenham at all and Master Chewy looks like he could step up for the Ryanair, depending on the ground,” Twiston Davies explained.

“We all think he got outpaced in the Game Spirit and landed on the bridle a furlong out.

“He ran very well over three miles in point-to-points and I think he’s been crying out for a step up in trip.”

Gowel Road will fly the flag in the Stayers’ Hurdle, having run his last five races at the track.

The most recent of those was a Cleeve Hurdle victory, prior to which he was the runner-up in four successive contests.

“Gowel Road has been underrated. He was second to The Wallpark and then twice in handicaps giving 25lb away, second to Lucky Place over an inadequate trip,” said Twiston-Davies.

“He’ll run his race, whether he is good enough to win, I don’t know, but he deserves a shot at a good race.”

LUCY Wadham’s Telepathique looks the main British prospect to end Ireland’s dominance of the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

On offer at around 10/1, she had five Irish challengers ahead of her in the betting and Irish raiders have come out on top in all four renewals of the two-and-a-half-mile contest.

The race is now the third contest on Gold Cup Friday card and Telepathique will head the home challenge after winning four of her five races over fences so far.

The seven-year-old has progressed rapidly through the ranks and made all to see off the Gavin Cromwell-trained odds-on favourite Brides Hill in a Huntingdon listed event last time out.

Wadham was positive this week, saying: “She’s been incredible, she’s gone from 103 to 148 in five runs. Hopefully, she will run at Cheltenham in the Mares’ Chase on the Friday. She definitely deserves her chance. Obviously, she hasn’t run at Cheltenham before, so we don’t know how she will handle the track, but she demonstrated last time at Huntingdon that she probably is better to go left-handed than right-handed. All being well, we’ll hopefully have a good day out at Cheltenham.”

Bumper entries

The Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper entries were revealed this week, with 19 of the 33 entries coming from Irish stables.

Willie Mullins is responsible for eight, which include the recent acquisition Aqua Force, an impressive Gowran Park winner for Michael Gunn and who will now carry the J.P. McManus colours, supported by the 2023 winner A Dream To Share. Gordon Elliott has five of those 19 Irish-trained.