Strong Constitution is star of sparkling day one

Standard Sport | Cheltenham Festival

- Johnny Ward

AS OPENING days of the Cheltenham Festival go, this gets little or no better.

Could we see the performance of the greatest of all time, Constitution Hill, in the feature or will the hype-train derail?

Despite a dry February, they likely kick off on soft ground, a welcome situation for the track staff, the recent snow and cold snap ensuring limited drying in recent weeks. High winds are expected today, some rain due later in the week.

The Festival gets underway with the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (1.30), the picture for which got rather murky at the Dublin Racing Festival, where the previously unbeaten Facile Vega bombed out behind stablemate Il Etait Temps. Willie Mullins’s criticism of Paul Townend’s ride was somewhat out of the blue, but it is no surprise that Townend (right) stays loyal to the son of Quevega.

He cannot be a confident pick, yet i f Faci le Vega bounces back, he ought to have enough class. Marine Nationale remains unbeaten, but likely would have preferred better ground.