Ginger Joe's Notable Entries featuring Constitution Hill

This week’s edition of Notable Entries is absolutely stacked with quality and the races ahead could have a major impact on the Cheltenham Festival markets.

We kick things off in Ireland on Thursday with a hugely exciting novice chaser who could shake up the division, before turning our attention to England on Friday for the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase, where the leading staying prospects will begin to separate themselves from the pack. And that’s just the build up.

Come the weekend, we’re also treated to a huge clash in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle, and also Grade 1 racing at Fairyhouse on Sunday. The jumps season is really starting to ignite now and this weekend could be one of those that shapes the season ahead. So check out my notable runners for the racing this week!

SALVATOR MUNDI - Willie Mullins

(5yo g) No Risk At All x Stacicaya

Form: 1151-2

Thurles, Thursday 27th November - Beginners Chase 2m2f+

I’m hugely excited to see Salvator Mundi make his chasing debut at Thurles on Thursday, as he’s a horse with enormous potential.

We know he began his career in France and brings that solid form line through Sir Gino, but he has really come into his own since going hurdling for Willie Mullins.

His standout performance to date was undoubtedly his impressive win at Aintree over two miles, where he brushed aside Romeo Coolio by seven lengths. With that form in the book, he has to be taken seriously as a potential Arkle contender, provided he jumps well on debut here.

Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Mullins has been notably patient with him, which suggests there’s plenty more to come this season, and he could emerge as a genuine danger to Kopek Des Bordes if everything goes to plan at Thurles.

He’s currently available at double-figure odds for the Arkle, but if he gets off the mark on debut, you can expect that price to collapse significantly.

We should learn plenty about him here, even if he is short in today’s market, hopefully he jumps slickly and gets the job done without fuss, because he could be a major player in March.

WENDIGO - Jamie Snowden

(6yo g) Great Pretender x Biche D’Oo

Form: 21215-2

Newbury, Friday 28th November - John Francome Novice Chase 2m4f

If you’ve been following the Notable Entries series, you’ll already know that I own a piece of Wendigo through the Racing Club. He’s done exceptionally well so far, enjoying a very solid hurdling career that saw him finish second to The New Lion in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle before running a creditable fifth in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.

He made his chasing debut this season at Worcester over 2m4f and ran a huge race. Although he was caught late on and finished second to Wade Out, that form already looks strong as Wade Out went on to win impressively at Cheltenham next time out. What makes the performance even more encouraging is that Wendigo shapes like a future three miler, so to run so well over a shorter trip was a big positive.

We run again over 2m4f here with the intention of stepping up to three miles at Christmas and following a similar route to The Jukebox Man. So once more, this trip is on the short side for him, but he’s got more than enough class to make a big impact regardless.

I’ll be honest, over this distance, horses like Regents Stroll, No Questions Asked and Kingston Pride may be better suited on paper. But when we move up to three miles and beyond, I’m confident we’ll see Wendigo emerge as the best stayer of the group.

This race is very much a stepping stone toward bigger targets later in the season, but we head to Newbury this week with every chance nonetheless.

CONSTITUTION HILL - Nicky Henderson

(8yo g) Blue Bresil x Queen Of The Stage

Form: 11FF-5

Newcastle, Saturday 29th - Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2m

Constitution Hill is back in action this weekend in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle. He takes on the young pretenders The New Lion and Anzadam here and they will make sure this is a proper test for the former champions comeback run.

Now, we know Constitution Hill is far better than his main two rivals when he is in peak form, but that has been missing for a long time now, and the longer it goes on, the less likely it seems that he will recapture that form. That being said, he takes on two rivals here that are rated 159 and 157 so even if Constitution Hill wasn’t aat his best, you’d expect him to beat the pair with those ratings. The issue is, The New Lion and Anzadam could still be improving, but for Constitution Hill it is more of a recovery mission.

His jumping has of course been an issue for the past season and that has cost him any chance of winning a race, however perhaps if you are going to back him, then first time out is the time to do it. The reason i say this, is because Nicky wouldn’t run him unless everything has been spot on at home. That’s not to say he will run to peak form, but it suggests he is at least in good working order and with the yards confidence behind him, you have to take note.

I don’t think we will ever see a peak Constitution HIll again, but he may not need to be at that peak level to beat his rivals here. We will learn plenty with regards to the season ahead following the Fighting Fifth this weekend.

ROMEO COOLIO - Gordon Elliott

(6yo g) Kayf Tara x Miss Bailly

Form: 2132-1

Fairyhouse, Sunday 30th November - Grade 1 Royal Drinmore Novice Chase 2m4f

Romeo Coolio is back for his second start of the season as he looks set to line up in the Grade 1 Royal Drinmore. He was a really good novice hurdler, but better was always going to be expected when he started jumping fences and so far he is one for one this season.

Seb Daly/Getty Images

His debut win came at Down Royal where they had about half of the fences omitted, but I really liked the way he jumped what was there and he looks like he has a really high cruising speed. It’s interesting with a horse like Romeo Coolio. The fact that he has that high cruising speed makes him a strong candidate for a race like the Arkle, however you would think he could be just as effective over 2 miles also, and perhaps this is the race that may help connectionns decide which route to go for the rest of the season.

He comes up against some fair horses here with Slade Steel, Gold Dancer and Ol Man Dingle in the field, but I would be expecting him to win this comfortably enough and enhance his Cheltenham credentials, whatever route they decide to go down. A really likeable horse.

BALLYBURN - Willie Mullins

(7yo g) Flemensfirth x Old Moon

Form: 12152-

Fairyhouse, Sunday 30th November - Grade 1 Hattons Grace 2m4f

This season is very much a rejuvenation mission for Ballyburn after a chasing campaign that didn’t go to plan.

As a novice hurdler, he showed he possesses a serious engine, but over fences it quickly became clear that he’s far from a natural jumper, and his connections have now sensibly reverted him back to hurdles.

The target has been made clear, with the Stayers’ Hurdle in March the long-term aim. However, he’ll need to show far more enthusiasm and fluency if he’s going to take his place among the elite in that division.

He takes on former Stayers’ Hurdle winner Teahupoo this weekend, which makes this a proper test for his first run back over hurdles, but at least it will give us a good guide as to how much ability he still retains. Teahupoo is likely to run here and then be put away until March, so there’s every reason to expect him to be fully fit.

If Ballyburn were able to beat him this weekend, you’d have no choice but to start talking seriously about his Stayers’ Hurdle credentials. That said, he still has plenty to prove.