'We can't back away from Constitution Hill' - I Like To Move It camp up for Champion Hurdle

Do not let connections of I Like To Move It, who bolted up in the Kingwell, hear the Champion Hurdle trophy is all wrapped up and destined for Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows stable.

Constitution Hill dominates the betting for the Unibet-backed championship, but I Like To Move It's camp are up for the fight after seeing him tear away from classy duo Knappers Hill and First Street.

Ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, whose father Nigel does the training, the six-year-old travelled in style and picked up powerfully to win by an impressive 17 lengths.

He had finished behind his rivals in Cheltenham's Relkeel Hurdle last time, but that was over two miles and four and a half furlongs.

The trainer said: "That was good, wasn't it? He's always been a brilliant horse and we hoped he could do that back over two miles. I know we can't get anywhere near Constitution Hill, but we'll give him something to think about. We can't back away from it because there is nowhere else to go.

"He's near the top of the best hurdlers I've trained with Khyber Kim and The New One, who were placed in Champion Hurdles. He's right in that conversation."

I Like To Move It, a general 33-1 for the Champion Hurdle, runs in the colours of the Oxfordshire-based Anne-Marie Shepperd and her husband Jamie, who had a slightly different view of the Relkeel to his trainer.

"We got the tactics wrong," he said. "He had a point to prove today and we knew he had it in him. He's stormed home and the Champion Hurdle dream is alive. Constitution Hill is an amazing horse, but it's so exciting to be involved and anything can happen in horseracing."

Secret success sweet

Owner Matt Hoskins was close to tears after Universal Secret provided small-scale trainer Helen Nelmes with her first winner for nearly two years.

Itsaboutime at Exeter in April 2021 was the last time Nelmes, who trains just six horses in Dorset, set foot in the winner's enclosure, so she was understandably thrilled.

"We've not got many so it means a hell of a lot," she said. "It is hard to keep going, but nice owners and horses help. He's one of those and I have two other lovely babies at home. I foal mares too and you've got to have a side interest as you wouldn't live off the racing, but it's good fun and I doubt the owners will be able to walk tonight!"

Hoskins, who supplies products to the equine industry, owns Universal Secret with Julie Roche and he said: "This is our local track and I've always wanted to have a winner here. We lost Arc Of Bubbles here in December 2021 when he probably would have won, so this is our first ever winner."

Explaining his link with Nelmes, he added: "She's a great friend and she was going to give up. I said I'd buy her a horse and convinced her to carry on, and that horse was poor old Arc Of Bubbles. Helen is a lovely lady, who doesn't get the horses she deserves. She gets good results and her horse knowledge is incredible."

Flash Gordon

An up-and-down week for Chris Gordon ended on a high when Press Your Luck returned to form in the 2m5½f hurdle.

Gordon enjoyed a memorable double at Newbury last Saturday when his haul included the Betfair Hurdle with Aucunrisque, but he quickly got a reality check when that horse and others in the yard suffered a bout of colic.

On course for his best campaign, the trainer said: "That's our 40th winner of the season, so that's fantastic and I'm thrilled, apart from my little boy Freddie being unseated from Paul's [Nicholls] horse in the race, but he's okay."

Nicholls brace

Paul Nicholls was at Ascot so his father Brian oversaw victories for Flic Ou Voyou and Switch Hitter in the 2m4f and 3m1f handicap chases.

Always happy to see the press, Nicholls snr said: "It's been a brilliant day and it's great to be here with good racing and good people, but a couple of winners makes it even nicer." 

Read these next:

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Trainer ends 1,443-day wait for a winner as in-form Probert fires in a treble 

Ascot Chase: 'Today was everything' - Shishkin back to his brilliant best

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