Constitution Hill leads the way as big guns stand ground for Cheltenham Festival

Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill and Galopin Des Champs, who threatens to light up the Cheltenham Gold Cup, featured among a mouthwatering list of stellar names on course for next month's festival following Tuesday's scratchings stage.

Trained by Nicky Henderson, Constitution Hill was an exceptional winner of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last season, but is unlikely to have things all his own way in the Unibet-sponsored Champion Hurdle following the emergence of State Man.

The pair figured among 14 horses left in the race and that number includes Honeysuckle, Epatante and Love Envoi, who are instead set to contest the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle when the festival starts on March 14.

The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase takes place a day later and last year's winner Energumene was one of 11 left in that.

Blue Lord, Edwardstone and Editeur Du Gite are among his potential rivals, while 20 – including two-time winner Allaho – feature in the Ryanair Chase.

Flooring Porter, another duel festival hero, recently had a setback, but remains in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle and connections of those in opposition to Galopin Des Champs do not seem to have been scared away from the Boodles-backed Gold Cup following his Irish Gold Cup success on Saturday.

Contenders include A Plus Tard, who bolted up last year, King George VI Chase hero Bravemansgame, Grand National winner Noble Yeats and Protektorat, who impressed in the Betfair Chase.

Stattler, second to Galopin Des Champs at the weekend, was also among the 23 left in.

Horses scratched from the major Cheltenham Festival contests

Champion Hurdle
Bob Olinger
Knappers Hill
Sir Gerhard

Mares’ Hurdle
Braganza
Gauloise
Get A Tonic
Lady Adare
Marada
Santa Rossa

Stayers’ Hurdle
Gelino Bello
Monkfish
Sams Profile

Champion Chase
Amarillo Sky
Dunvegan
Sceau Royal

Ryanair Chase
Brave Seasca
Darasso
Eldorado Allen
Galopin Des Champs
Royal Rendezvous
Stattler
War Lord

Gold Cup
Frodon
L’Homme Presse
Monkfish
The Big Breakaway

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How the markets look

Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30, March 14)

Unibet: 1-3 Constitution Hill, 11-4 State Man, 10 Vauban, 20 Honeysuckle, 33 Epatante, 40 bar

Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (4.10, March 14)

Coral: 2-1 Honeysuckle, 7-2 Marie's Rock, 4, Love Envoi, Brandy Love, Epatante, 5 Echoes In Rain, 10 Telmesomethinggirl, 12 Queens Brook, Shewearsitwell, 16 bar

Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.30, March 15)

William Hill: 6-4 Energumene, Edwardstone, 5-1 Editeur Du Gite, 6 Blue Lord, 8 Gentleman De Mee, 14-1 Greaneteen, 20 Chacun Pour Soi, 25 Nube Negra, 33 bar

Ryanair Chase (2.50, March 16)

Paddy Power: Evs Allaho, 4 Blue Lord, 5 Fakir D'Oudairies, 6 Shishkin, 7 Stattler, 8 Fury Road, Conflated, 12 Envoi Allen, Pic D'Orhy, 14 Eldorado Allen, 16 bar 

Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30, March 17)

Sky Bet: 13-8 Galopin Des Champs, 5-1 A Plus Tard, 7 Bravemansgame, Noble Yeats, Stattler, 10 Ahoy Senor, 12 Conflated, 14 Minello Indo,16 Protektorat, 20 bar

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