International Hurdle Tips: The One To Chase Home Constitution Hill

With Lossiemouth not declared, the 2025 International Hurdle should be a walk in the park for Constitution Hill. Nevertheless, there ca be value even in races like this and Billy Grimshaw thinks one in the without market is overpriced...

Those who read my preview of the Christmas Hurdle at Cheltenham will know how keen I was to back CONSTITUTION HILL on his return to action both financially and emotionally, and it was a wonderful sight to see him back on a racetrack strutting his stuff to victory at Kempton. Unsurprisingly he looked to be taking a bit of a blow at the final strides but the race was won by that stage and I'm expecting him to strip fitter here. The truth is, this is a poor field for a Grade 2 but I suppose the prospect of clashing with either the favourite here, Lossiemouth were she to come over or even both was enough to scare off most other trainers. Fair enough.

I could put no one off backing Constitution Hill to win by a wide margin in this race as there is nothing fit to lace his boots in the field however if we take him out of the race there is an intriguing battle for who will get minor honours. Of course, analysing a race by solely removing the favourite would be farcical as his presence will make them all go faster than they're accustomed to and could, for pace makers, be a massive disadvantage as opposed to if this race did simply have three participants. With this in mind, I'm taking Brentford Hope on in the without market with the thinking being he will attempt to be prominent which could put him in a position to blow a gasket attempting to keep up with the best hurdler in the business.

Of course, there is a risk Harry Derham - who is no mug - will acknowledge his horse stands next to no chance of laying up with the favourite and changes tactics, however this can often lead a horse who likes to be on the pace to sulk so I'll take him on with third favourite (around 20/1 win only) FILS D'OUDAIRIES. This horse was once a prospect I thought a great deal of having run a peak form Langer Dan very close at Aintree, and he has some good wins on his resume but has seemingly gone off the boil of late.

There's a chance he's just gone at the game, but at the prices he rates fair value to my eye to run his usual race in here and be good enough for second provided Brentford Hope is taken out of his comfort zone. In most cases when I tip in the without markets I will recommend also backing the horse outright for small stakes, however in here it's going to take a fall or a pulled up for Constitution Hill to not be victorious so I'll avoid that.

Fils D'oudairies had almost a year off before running behind the mightily impressive Brighterdaysahead on his penultimate start, and that day although State Man clearly wasn't himself our pick here was only a length or so off him at the line. Considering that was his first run in nearly 365 days, it can be marked up a tad I feel and for the purposes of finding a bet in this race, I'm also willing to forgive his atrocious effort over fences on New Years Day when pulled up at Fairyhouse. He should be kept to the smaller obstacles moving forward and in here, he has the tools to nick second place.

The field is completed by two at wild prices in Joyeux Machin and Spiritz Bay and there probably is a universe where both finish ahead of the sole Irish raider that I am backing, however on all known form they have no chance. Fils D'oudairies has at least in the past shown himself to be smart and while he hardly set the world alight in his return run at Leopardstown, there was enough there for me to think a patient ride here can be rewarded with second place.