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There’s a nice mix of flat and jumps this weekend, with both elements distilled into the flat debut of leading hurdler Constitution Hill (19:30 Southwell; Friday). The 2023 Champion Hurdle winner has failed to complete in 3 of this last 4 starts, suffering a trio of brutal falls which sandwiched a terrible effort at Punchestown on his penultimate start. It’s a long time now since he was at his brilliant best – late December 2024 – but he retains his star quality and the switch to the flat is a fascinating Hail Mary that may salvage the 9-year-old’s career. He faces some other good jumps horses in this 12 furlong Novice, as well as Square Necker, who has already won on the flat and is bred to be a Group race performer.
There are a pair of Grade 2 Novice hurdles at Kempton on Saturday that may see the next Constitution Hill emerge. The Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (15:00 Kempton) features a host of last-time-out winners, including Mustang Du Breuil who comes with a tall reputation and gets plenty of weight from the older horses.
It’s interesting he runs in that contest, as the 4-year-old is eligible to run in the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (13:45 Kempton). This looks a match between old rivals Precious Man and One Horse Town, who met in mid-November with the latter-named coming out on top by 3.75 lengths. Precious Man has had a wind operation since, however, and has improved to win over course and distance since, with the market strongly suggesting he will reverse the form here. The duo dominate the market, but it wouldn’t surprise me if La Luna Artista goes well at bigger odds on this better ground.
Wind-ops are a bit of a theme this weekend, as the favourite for the Pendil Novices’ Chase (14:25 Kempton) had had two in his career. The most recent of these came prior to his last start and seemed to have worked the oracle, as he jumped and galloped some experienced older horses into submission. This Stakes-placed hurdler still has potential to go higher over the bigger obstacles and has strong claims of notching another win at this track.
Race Of The Weekend
Group 3 Winter Derby (14:00 Lingfield) favourite Chancellor has also been the recipient of a wind operation and that, as well as being gelded, has got this talented performer’s career back on track. The son of Kingman got the job done at Listed level last time out but, like many Kingman progeny, he looked very quirky again, hanging all over the track. This idiosyncratic course may help keep his mind on things, but he’ll need to put it all in to pass the very game Nebras, who has won his last two, including over this course and distance last time out.
Boiling Point returns to Group company following a win in the Cambridgeshire last time out but might be using this as a stepping stone and has to prove his ability on synthetics. There’s no concerns for progressive mare Sky Safari in that regard and this likeable sort might be able to cause an upset.
Horse To Watch
Leovanni looked the latest superstar juvenile off the Karl Burke production line when landing her first two starts in 2024, including scoring at Royal Ascot in the Queen Mary Stakes. She didn’t really fire her best shot in three runs subsequently, but it’s interesting that she’s been kept in training. She returns in the Listed Hever Sprint (14:25 Lingfield), which looks sure to be a rapid affair over this sharp five furlongs.
The pace will be slightly more pedestrian in the Eider Handicap Chase (14:23 Newcastle), which is run over a lung-busting 4 miles and 1 furlong, making it one of the longest races in the British calendar. The weak of heart need not apply for this extreme test.
Timeform’s 2025 Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising runs in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (08:35 Sunday) and should extend his winning run to 18. He’s got plenty in hand at the weights and has already beaten his main market rivals on multiple occasions.
