'The dream is very much alive' - Sam Twiston-Davies looking forward to Champion Hurdle tilt

Constitution Hill is such an intimidating presence in the Unibet Champion Hurdle, the rider of one of his most credible rivals views the race as a battle to be best of the rest.

Honeysuckle, Echoes In Rain, Epatante and Love Envoi are all bound for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle, leaving only four likely runners priced shorter than 66-1 for the feature race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival: the Willie Mullins duo of State Man and Vauban, and Nigel Twiston-Davies's I Like To Move It.

The six-year-old has had a fine season so far, winning the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle off top weight over course and distance by five and a half lengths in November, and routing his Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle rivals by upwards of 17 lengths last month.

His big-race partner Sam Twiston-Davies believes in any other year he would be a strong contender, but this is not any other year. This is the year of Constitution Hill.

"It's funny, he's going for it in a year when Constitution Hill looks incredibly strong, as does State Man, but Dad's never afraid to have a go; we'll do our very best," he said.

Asked if he could win the race to be best of the rest, he added: "You'd imagine there'd be a few more runners if Constitution Hill wasn't there, the mares would probably come back for it. But he's incredibly likeable – in his home work, his schooling, everything we've asked of him. The only day he hasn't been brilliant is when we asked him to go against everything we've trained him to do, and go further in the Relkeel."

I Like To Move It's only defeat this season came when upped to an extended two and a half miles for the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year's Day, finishing sixth more than 23 lengths behind Marie's Rock, but he bounced back at Wincanton to give Twiston-Davies fresh hope.

"It was fantastic to see a performance like that at Wincanton and the dream is very much alive," he said. "He's a lovely horse, his Greatwood win off top weight was very impressive.

Nigel Twiston-Davies and son Sam: "Dad's never afraid to have a go," says SamCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We're very lucky to have a horse of his calibre to target at a Champion Hurdle. The race deserves supporting as there's a lot of prize-money and I'm really looking forward to him jumping fences next season."

Another horse Twiston-Davies is looking forward to is novice chaser The Real Whacker, who has the twin options of the Brown Advisory and Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. Twiston-Davies does not know if he will keep the ride after guiding the seven-year-old to a career best in the Dipper, also on New Year's Day, but believes the lightly raced Mahler gelding has a massive chance in the three-mile novice chase.

He said: "I don't actually know if I'll get the ride on The Real Whacker, it was a spare ride, but it was a massive buzz to win on him and Gavin [Sheehan] has won on him as well, so I'll leave it to Paddy Neville and see. Whatever way he goes, I'll be cheering him on if I'm not on him and if I am I'll be buzzing for it. I'd love the chance though, he's a hell of a spin around Cheltenham.

"He's incredibly unexposed. He's gone to Cheltenham twice this season and won both times. His jumping is phenomenal and he'll be having his third run of the season after putting up two massive displays.

"You never know quite how they compare to the Irish horses, but of the British, he's beaten some incredibly classy rivals. Monmiral is a Grade 1 winner and Olly Murphy's horse Thunder Rock had a lot of experience, and it was almost like he went out and gave them a jumping lesson."

Twiston-Davies also provided a positive update on Weveallbeencaught, who was the second part of a New Year's Day Cheltenham double for him but who subsequently disappointed when last in the Nathaniel Lacy at the Dublin Racing Festival.

"He'll run in the Albert Bartlett," he said. "Nothing really turned up after Leopardstown, but by finishing last you knew something wasn't right, that wasn't his running, so whether he didn't travel or what, we're not sure, but he's actually bounced out of it really well.

"He seems a hell of a lot fresher and his work has been remarkable. We're hoping to see a much better performance from him."

The rider said his best chance in a handicap could be the Sam Thomas-trained Our Power, who is two from two this season having won the London Gold Cup at Ascot and Coral Trophy at Kempton last month.

"He runs in the Ultima. It was a hell of a performance at Kempton and he's gone up the handicap, but hopefully he can run another nice race; he ran well in it last year."

Unibet Champion Hurdle, March 14

Unibet: 1-3 Constitution Hill, 11-4 State Man, 10 Vauban, 14 Honeysuckle, 16 I Like To Move It, 20 Epatante, 25 Echoes In Rain, 33 bar

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