14 Dec Horses to watch this jumps season
Whether it be the Cheltenham Festival or the Grand National, both avid and casual fans of jumps racing watch on with great interest at the beginning of each season to see which thoroughbred could be in for a strong campaign. Although we’re just weeks in to the jumps season proper, there are already a number of horses who appear as though they will be hard to beat when the sport’s preeminent fixtures roll around in 2023.
With that in mind, read as we take a look at two horses whose performances have impressed recently.
Constitution Hill
This horse was exceptional in his win in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle in Newcastle, blitzing the field to triumph by 12 lengths from Epatante and Not So Sleepy. It marks Constitution Hill’s fourth consecutive win in less than 12 months, with the Nicky Henderson-trained horse securing incredibly dominant victories at Sandown and in the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham prior to his run at the Newcastle Racecourse.
Although Constitution Hill’s career is still somewhat in its infancy, he is already making waves – with the five-year-old now the sixth highest rated two-miler in Timeform’s history.
Naturally, after such an impressive outing, attention immediately turns to Cheltenham’s Champion Hurdle. He has opened as the red-hot 4/6 favourite in the horse racing betting odds – with many of the belief that he could dethrone two-time Champion Hurdle victor Honeysuckle if the two were to meet in the famed race in March next year. Conversely, the previously undefeated Honeysuckle has drifted out to 8/1 to win her third Champion Hurdle after being beaten in her last time out at Fairyhouse.
However, before we look ahead to the Cheltenham meeting, we are set to see Constitution Hill in action in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day – and if he can replicate the performance he put forth in late November – expect him to shorten even further in the betting lines in the lead-up to March’s meeting.
Whether you want to see Honeysuckle maintain her dominance at Cheltenham or you’d rather see the new kid on the block end her reign – fans of the sport can begin to prepare themselves for one of the biggest clashes in recent memory.
The Big Dog
After what was an inconsistent 2021/22 jumps season, nine-year-old The Big Dog has kicked off his 2022/23 campaign remarkably well. Returning from a 252-day break in October of this year, the Peter Fahey-trained thoroughbred reigned supreme in the Grade A National Handicap Chase at Limerick by a head from Ain’t That A Shame.
He followed that up with yet another strong showing at Navan, winning the Grade B Handicap Chase by three and a half lengths. As a result of his form – at the time of writing – The Big Dog sits as the third favourite at 25/1 to take out the Grand National – behind Capodanno and Corach Rambler.
If The Big Dog can maintain the staying ability he has shown in his opening two fixtures of the season – he very well may be the horse to secure Fahey his first Grand National triumph.
