Constitution Hill v State Man and the other possible runners for day one of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival

Constitution Hill remains on course for his mouthwatering clash with State Man in Tuesday's Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30) – the highlight of day one of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.

Fields for the first day of the prestigious meeting began to take shape on Wednesday following the six-day forfeit stage.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Constitution Hill, unbeaten in five starts and arguably the sport's most exciting talent, was left in the Champion Hurdle, for which he is odds-on favourite.

His potential rivals include the Willie Mullins-trained State Man, who has blossomed since winning the County Hurdle at last year's festival.

Honeysuckle, the winner of the last two Champion Hurdles, remains in the field, along with Epatante, who landed the race in 2020.

That pair, however, have the option of running in Tuesday's Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (4.10), for which Epatante has been supplemented along with her Henderson-trained stablemate Theatre Glory.

Henderson also has a leading player in the same afternoon's Sporting Life Arkle (2.10) in Jonbon, who is set to face fellow quality contender El Fabiolo, trained by Mullins.

The much-hyped Facile Vega – ante-post favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1.30) – also features among Tuesday's possible runners.

Luccia, who was around 8-1 for the Supreme, will not run in that, but still has the option of next week's Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle, while Nusret was taken out of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.50) having been prominent in the betting.

Cheltenham Tuesday: day one racecards

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