The annual battle between Great Britain and Ireland to win the Prestbury Cup at the Cheltenham Festival has become a one-side affair in recent years.
Awarded to the nation responsible for training the most winners at the meeting, the trophy has spent the bulk of its time in Ireland since the competition was launched in 2014.
Last year’s 18-9 rout was the fifth year in a row that Ireland have claimed the cup outright and the latest Cheltenham odds rate them as hot favourites to retain the crown.
However, top British trainer Nick Henderson is hoping to stem the tide this year. He has got fancied runners in several big races including the Champion Hurdle.
Constitution Hill won the race in 2023, but a series of niggling issues prevented him from defending the crown last year. He has returned to action this year with two impressive victories.
Speaking after his latest success on Cheltenham Trials Day, Henderson said the unbeaten eight-year-old has never been in better shape.
“He suddenly realised he is quite important – he really believes that now,” Henderson said. “Kempton (the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day) was amazing and the crowd actually gets him going.
“He’s such a placid laid-back horse, everything he does is unexciting but it’s as if he’s suddenly got himself into a new frame of mind.
“He’s a much happier horse than he ever was before and he likes the new house we built him. I just think he’s enjoying life an awful lot. He’s well, that’s the key thing.”
While Henderson is happy with Constitution Hill’s wellbeing, he faces an anxious wait to find out if Sir Gino will be fit enough to run in the Arkle Novices’ Chase.
He jumped to the head of the betting after a stunning chasing debut victory at Kempton over the festive period, and was scheduled to run again in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
Henderson has confirmed on social media that the horse has sustained a small wound on one of his hind legs and will not recover in time to run at the Berkshire track.
“This will leave us with a dilemma where to go in order to get another run before the Arkle,” said Henderson. “The Pendle at Kempton would be an option although it is over two-and-a-half miles which is not ideal.
“There are very few alternatives except for a newly created two-mile novice at Bangor on February 26, but that is getting horribly close to Cheltenham.”
Henderson has also got the favourite for the Champion Chase on the second day of the meeting, with Jonbon expected to be odds-on for the race.
He had Solness behind him in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in December, and that horse has subsequently won two Grade 1 races in Ireland.
While there are several other talented Irish challengers in the field, Jonbon is a banker bet to put another Cheltenham win on the board for Henderson.
Lulamba became another well-touted Cheltenham contender for the Henderson stable after running out an easy winner on his British debut at Ascot last month.
He is rated as a 6/4 shot to win the Triumph Hurdle on the final day of the meeting and could give Henderson a record-extending eighth success in the race.
Jockey Nico Boinville described Lulamba as a ‘very classy’ horse after the win at Ascot and he could be another potential superstar for the Seven Barrows operation.