Champion Hurdle enters Elliott’s Irish Point reckoning

PA Sport Reporters
March 4, 2024 4:57 pm

With Constitution Hill out, trainer would be ‘keen’ to reconsider Festival plan.

Gordon Elliott is eager to let Irish Point take his chance in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after Constitution Hill was ruled out.

The trainer was planning to run the grey in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle after a taking performance in the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle over nearly three miles just after Christmas.

Constitution Hill was at the head of the Champion Hurdle market following a dominant display last year and Elliott was therefore going to avoid that contest and tap into Irish Point’s stamina in the Stayers’ Hurdle instead.

However, confirmation that Constitution Hill will not make the Cheltenham Festival came on Monday, leaving Elliott to rethink his decision and consider taking on the Willie Mullins-trained State Man, who is the new odds-on favourite for the Champion Hurdle.

Irish Point and jockey Jack Kennedy after winning the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle (Brian Lawless/PA)

“I’m keen to run him,” Elliott told Racing TV.

“State Man is going to be very hard to beat, but I’d prefer to take him on around Cheltenham rather than going round Punchestown or Leopardstown.

“He’s the horse everyone has to beat and he looks a good thing, but I’d like to take him on with Irish Point.

“We’re going to be second favourite if Lossiemouth doesn’t run, I’ll have a chat with Brian (Acheson of owners Robcour) in the morning and we’ll go through the horses, but I’d be keen to run him.

“He’s a classy horse, I think he’ll run a big race. The track will suit him and the ground, being a bit soft, I think will suit him.

“The favourite’s going to be very hard to beat but you should never be afraid of one horse. He hasn’t many miles on the clock and I think the race could suit him, I’m keen to run him.”

Elliott has his own woes with Festival hope Firm Footings out for the remainder of the season and was able to empathise with Nicky Henderson in the disappointment felt when a horse misses the meeting.

He said: “It’s heartbreaking, this time of year, for owners and the staff in the yards. Nicky is going to feel a lot worse than I am, he had the favourite for the Champion Hurdle.”