Sir Gino a warm favourite for the Unibet Champion Hurdle – is he one you’re for or against?
David Ord: I’m increasingly for. There’s no real strength in depth to the race is there and providing there’s no major Lazarus-like recovery elsewhere, he looks the class act in the field.
He was good in the Christmas Hurdle and if he improves from it and dispatches The New Lion on Trials Day then you’ll potentially be looking at a very warm order. He has an aura about him, and providing the wheels stay on, he looks ready to rule.
Tony McFadden: He doesn't hold outstanding claims on ratings as he's only a few pounds ahead of The New Lion, while Lossiemouth comes out with a similar chance to Sir Gino at the weights once her sex allowance is taken into account.
But you get the feeling that Sir Gino has yet to show the limit of his ability. His wellbeing was a big question having sustained a serious infection that curtailed his campaign last season, but he showed that all ability remains intact when easily brushing aside the Champion Hurdle winner, Golden Ace, on his reappearance in the Christmas Hurdle. That's a platform on which he can build.
John Ingles: He’s not the only one with the potential to step forward and win a Champion Hurdle – The New Lion is unbeaten in completed starts too – and with only 3 lb separating them on Timeform ratings, Sir Gino looks plenty short enough at 5/4 in most places. He obviously made a much more satisfactory return to action in the Christmas Hurdle than The New Lion did in the Fighting Fifth, but hopefully if the pair of them meet at Cheltenham on Saturday week we’ll get a clearer picture of how they measure up.
Is there any way you can see Constitution Hill lining up and regaining the crown?
TM: The fact he's been given an entry for the race suggests it's still under consideration by connections. His run on the Flat at Southwell next month won't answer any questions around his hurdling, which has gone from an asset to his major flaw, but it will offer an indication of how much enthusiasm he retains. It's unlikely he will be forced to pull out a high-class performance, though, so even if he wins there will still probably be doubts around whether he's anywhere near as good as he was in his pomp.
JI: Realistically, no. His only run between now and the Festival looks likely to be in this valuable novice on the Flat at Southwell next month and, win or lose, what would it really tell us about whether he’s fit to be risked again back over hurdles? If he did win well at Southwell, that might encourage connections to stick with the Flat for the time being, but would he really go for the Champion Hurdle if he finished well beaten there?
DO: I thought Graham Cunningham summed it up perfectly on Monday. Now we find out they’ve manufactured a novice stakes at Southwell in February for the horse and all roads lead there.
You do fear for his beleaguered team that he’ll refuse to enter the stalls or get stuck in them the way it’s gone of late but even if he wins on the snaff, it can’t be a launchpad back to the Champion.
Were this race to be a serious consideration they’d surely be looking at the Kingwell at Wincanton for a clear round to potentially tee-up a Champion bid. Project Southwell just doesn’t do that.
Who is the bigger player for you in this – Lossiemouth or Brighterdaysahead?
DO: Lossiemouth. And I think with an even pace to aim at in the Irish Champion she’ll confirm Christmas form with her rival for all Gordon Elliott’s charge is entitled to come forward for her return.
But Lossiemouth is very effective at Cheltenham and with a strong gallop, has a finishing kick and stamina too which are two key factors. I hope they stay strong and run here. With the mares’ allowance she’s definitely a leading contender.
JI: Brighterdaysahead missed her golden chance to win last year’s Champion Hurdle when she couldn’t capitalise on the falls of Constitution Hill and State Man, but her run when just a length behind Lossiemouth in the December Hurdle was more like it. Preference is still for Lossiemouth, though, and if she can beat Brighterdaysahead again in the Irish Champion Hurdle, hopefully connections will let her take her chance in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham as she’s overdue a crack at it and her mare’s allowance would put her in with a shout against Sir Gino and The New Lion as things stand.
TM: Lossiemouth had the benefit of a run under her belt while Brighterdaysahead was making her seasonal reappearance when the pair clashed at Leopardstown, but I'd still expect Lossiemouth to come out on top again when the pair next meet. Who knows whether that will be in the Champion Hurdle given Lossiemouth has sidestepped the race for the past two seasons when she would have had strong claims.
Anything else on your radar?
JI: It’s hard to see much else getting involved, unless Alexei can find further improvement and give a beating to Golden Ace if they were to meet beforehand in the Kingwell Hurdle. Golden Ace might have been lucky in the Champion Hurdle last year, but she’s a good yardstick given how she’s run against both The New Lion and Sir Gino this season, so it would be interesting to see how Alexei gets on against her.
TM: Poniros has plenty to find on form with the leading players, but he won the Triumph Hurdle on his jumping debut last season and then wasn't disgraced at Punchestown where the potentially high-class Lulamba turned the form around. He looks more interesting than most of the outsiders and could pick up some pieces if the race falls apart like last year when Golden Ace capitalised.
DO: Well The New Lion of course who is completely unexposed at this trip and could blow the race apart in two weeks’ time. At a bigger price I’ve seen people going for Hail Marys with El Fabiolo and Ballyburn.
I’m struggling with those two, particularly the latter, and while Anzadam has in the space of two races gone from unbeaten contender to a 20/1 chance and a seemingly hard ride, I do think there’s a real engine there.
They’ll look to ride him cold at Leopardstown next time and it will be fascinating to see how he goes.
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