Newcastle’s loss is Sandown’s gain with the Gr1 Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle rerouted to the Surrey track on Saturday at 15h15.
There are now three Gr1 events on the card, with the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (15h50) and the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase (17h00) forming a trio of high-class races with reputations for Cheltenham very much on the line.
Constitution Hill to take on five rivals (Pic – Racing TV)
Champion hurdler Constitution Hill makes his belated seasonal return in the Fighting Fifth, taking on five rivals, including the surprise addition of stable-companion Shishkin.
The former 2-mile champion chaser, Shishkin refused to jump away in a Gr2 at Ascot last month, and hopefully he will complete this contest over the ‘smaller’ obstacles.
Stable jockey Nico de Boinville rides Constitution Hill, who will go off a very short-priced favourite to defend his title, although trainer Nicky Henderson has issued a weather watch for his stable star as the track is already soft, heavy in places.
The Henry VIII Chase for novices has only attracted a field of six, but finding the winner looks tough. All of JPR One (7/4), Colonel Harry (7/2), Iceo (7/2) and Unexpected Party (7/2) bring strong form to the race.
Arguably JPR One trained by Joe Tizzard could be the most progressive. He was very unlucky not to win a Gr2 at Cheltenham last month when three lengths clear at the last before stumbling on landing and unseating jockey Brendan Powell.
Colonel Harry with an inform Gavin Sheehan aboard also catches the eye.
Nicky Henderson saddles Jonbon, another hotpot in the Tingle Creek. The John McManus owned seven-year-old is 6 from 7 chasing and had the re-opposing Edwardstone and Nube Negro well behind him at Cheltenham last month.
He looks hard to beat and fellow course and distance winner Edwardstone is selected to follow him home once more.
The only horse to beat Jonbon over fences is the Willie Mullins trained El Fabiolo. He makes his seasonal return in the Gr2 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase (16h15) at Cork on Sunday.
The likely soft ground will be a positive for this unbeaten chaser, and even though he concedes a Gr1 penalty to his rivals, he should take this on his way to a rematch with Jonbon at the Cheltenham Festival next March.
