Morrison eyeing Ascot options for Not So Sleepy

Trainer eager to avoid Constitution Hill rematch.

Connections of Not So Sleepy are keen to swerve another clash with exciting prospect Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle and could instead head to the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.

Attempting to land the Fighting Fifth Hurdle for a second successive year after dead-heating last term, Not So Sleepy was third to Nicky Henderson’s Champion Hurdle favourite, some 14 and a half lengths behind.

Trainer Hughie Morrison was satisfied with the 10-year-old’s display, although questioned the wisdom of taking on the impressive winner again.

“I think he ran near his best and we know that when the ground is near good, they can get away from him,” said Morrison.

“It happened in the Champion Hurdle and it happens when it is good to soft, bordering on sticky. He doesn’t have that kick, but he stayed on well.

“If Constitution Hill had not been there, we would have ridden the race differently and would have gone very close. We just needed the ground to be a bit softer.

“This time we were happy to take a lead, as if he (Constitution Hill) was as good as everybody said he was going to be – which he was – we didn’t want to take him on head-to-head and give the horse a very hard time.”

Epatante shared the laurels with Not So Sleepy in the race last year, yet was beaten 12 lengths by her stablemate this time.

Morrison feels Constitution Hill, who was making a belated seasonal bow, having not run since trouncing Jonbon in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, is the real deal.

He added: “He does look very impressive. It was a quick enough time, perhaps only two or three seconds quicker than last year on soft ground. Visually he was very impressive. He did the same thing at Cheltenham.

“In a big field, against other horses who’ll take him on earlier, will he be found out? That is the only ‘if’ at the moment. He looked very fit on Saturday.”

With Henderson’s star set to run in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, the East Ilsley handler will head elsewhere with Not So Sleepy, with a trip to Ascot on December 17 a potential destination.

“I think probably the Christmas Hurdle is out of the question,” he added. “Who will take on Constitution Hill?

Hughie Morrison will hand Not So Sleepy a Long Walk Hurdle entry
Hughie Morrison will hand Not So Sleepy a Long Walk Hurdle entry (Adam Davy/PA)

“The only reason to take him on is to get second or third-place prize money. If you have a very good horse and you want to win a race, you don’t take him on, do you?

“Not So Sleepy didn’t run very well there last year for some reason. He doesn’t like the sticky, soft ground. We might look a bit outside the box with him, so he has an entry for the Long Walk Hurdle.

“Both the jockey (Jonathan Burke) and I came to that view independently. We might change our minds, but we are going to think about it over the next three weeks.

“That might tell us a lot. That will mean he only has a month between races, and I tend to like them having a bit longer between races.

“We will put him in the Betfair Hurdle (at Newbury in February) as well and, if we are happy with him, we will take a view. The owners are keen to have a go.”

Champ was a narrow winner at Newbury
Champ was a narrow winner at Newbury (John Walton/PA)

Not So Sleepy is one of nine entries for the Howden Long Walk, with the Henderson-trained Champ and Emma Lavelle’s Paisley Park leading the way after being separated by just a neck in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last week.

Gary Moore has both Goshen and Botox Has in contention with Dashel Drasher, Wholestone, Miranda and possible Irish challenger Queens Brook completing the entries.

Morrison has also entered Not So Sleepy for the Betfair Exchange Trophy, the handicap highlight on the same Ascot card.

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