IT will be good to see Constitution Hill again today in the Grade 1 Unibet Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown. The performance that he put up in winning his novices’ hurdle over the Tolworth course and distance on Tingle Creek Chase day in early December saw him catapulted to the top end of the market for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, up there with Jonbon.

Another impressive performance today could see him challenge his stable companion for favouritism.

Over-priced

The Tolworth Hurdle is not really a betting heat though, unlike the two-mile handicap chase 35 minutes earlier, in which Moonlighter looks over-priced at 6/1.

Nick Williams’ horse only finished fifth in a good two-mile handicap chase at Cheltenham’s December meeting last time, but he ran much better than that. Weak in the market beforehand, he travelled really well through his race, behind a good pace that Editeur Du Gite set, and his jumping was good.

He moved up on the outside of the leader on the run down the hill, and he travelled at least as well as the ultimate winner as they raced to the home turn, but he weakened from there, and he tired on the run up the hill.

Wind operation

That was Moonlighter’s second run of the season, his first since he was pulled up in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter in early November. His weakness in the market and the manner in which he travelled through his race before fading suggested that he still needed that run.

It was his second run back after a wind operation too, there is a chance that he will progress significantly for it. As well as that, he ran disappointingly on his only other run at Cheltenham, he was pulled up in the Grand Annual last March.

By contrast, we know that he goes well at Sandown. Fifth in this race last year, he went back to Sandown in February last year and won a competitive handicap chase back over today’s course and distance, and that was after he made a bad mistake at the first fence, from which he did well to recover.

He raced off a handicap rating of 144 that day, but a 3lb drop for his latest run at Cheltenham takes him down to a mark of 141, 3lb lower than the mark off which he won over today’s course and distance 11 months ago. It is a mark that should be well within range.

Favourite

You can see why Gunsight Ridge has been put in as favourite, Olly Murphy’s horse ran L’Homme Presse to six lengths last time at Exeter, and L’Homme Presse has since won at Ascot and won the Dipper Chase at Cheltenham, and is now 26lb higher than he was then.

Progress

Gunsight Ridge gets to race off a mark of 130, just 3lb higher than his Exeter mark, and he has raced just twice over fences, so he has the potential to progress.

But that is all factored into his short odds, and his best form over hurdles was over further than the minimum trip.

Numitor is also a player, he ran well at Newbury last time when he finished second to Il Ridoto, who ran disappointingly in the Henry VIII Chase at Sandown next time.

But Numitor can tend to jump to his left, his best form is on left-handed tracks, and he was a well beaten third when sent off as favourite for a handicap chase over today’s course and distance last February on his only run to date at Sandown.

Wandrin veteran

Wandrin Star is one for one at Sandown, and he looks a little over-priced in the final of the veterans’ series later on the day.

Kim Bailey’s horse was good in winning that day at Sandown in early November. He stayed on well to get the better of Dancing Shadow, with Gwencily Berbas back in third, and Gwencily Berbas enhanced the form of that race by springing a 25/1 surprise at Exeter next time out.

Wandrin Star was raised by just 3lb for that win, which was more than fair. Gwencily Berbas was raised by 8lb for his Exeter win, which means that Wandrin Star meets him on 4lb better terms compared to their meeting in early November, despite the fact that he beat him by over six lengths then.

Positive

Wandrin Star hasn’t run since then, but that is a positive. He goes well fresh. He has won four of the eight races that he has contested after a break of 60 days or more. The soft ground today should suit him better than the good to soft ground in November, and he could out-run his odds by a fair way.

Recommended

Moonlighter, 1pt win, 1.50 Sandown, (6/1generally)

Wandrin Star, 1pt win, 3.00 Sandown, (8/1generally)