William Hill Aintree Hurdle
Grade 1, Aintree 15:30
£250,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus,
2m 4f, Class 1   
Thursday 13th April 2023

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1 Constitution Hill 2/15F
2 Sharjah 20/1
3 Zanahiyr 14/1
6 ran Distances: 3l, ½l, 9l
Time: 5m 3.09s (slow by 18.09s)

So impressive in winning last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham by 22 lengths, Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill has taken the step up into the big league this year with consummate ease.

Having left his top-class stablemate Epatante trailing in his wake in both the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle, he produced another spectacular display in last month’s Champion Hurdle and was unsurprisingly cramped odds to make it seven from seven over hurdles on Merseyside.

What followed was another exhibition round, with jockey Nico de Boinville sending him to the front from the drop of the flag before upping the ante in the back straight.

The chasing pack had closed the gap by the time he turned for home, but De Boinville was still motionless in the saddle and only had push his mount out on the run-in to score by three lengths.

Sharjah came from the rear of the field to beat Zanahiyr to the runner-up spot, with last year’s winner Epatante only fourth this time around as her remarkable stable companion again stole the show.

Questions will now inevitably turn to what the future holds for Constitution Hill, with Henderson already stating his intention to give the sport’s pre-eminent star a spring schooling session over fences before a decision is made on what route he will pursue next term.

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Betway Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1)
£250,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Good in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Constitution Hill 6 11-10 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 2/15F
2 3 Sharjah 10 11-10 W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins 20/1
3 ½ Zanahiyr 6 11-10 Gordon Elliott Davy Russell 14/1
4 9 Epatante 9 11-3 Nicky Henderson Aidan Coleman 14/1
5 2 I Like To Move It 6 11-10 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 22/1
6 5 Sceau Royal 11 11-10 Alan King Daryl Jacob 50/1

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