Grade One Christmas Hurdle Guide 2022

Trainer Nicky Henderson is well represented in this year’s renewal of the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton as he declares two of his stable stars in the unbeaten Constitution Hill and last year’s winner Epatante.

Nico de Boinville’s mount is 4-4 and this looks somewhat of a walk in the park for him to make it an even more impressive 5-5.

In all four of his career starts so far he has won so easily so the sky's the limit for this lad, he can win what he wants. After romping home in the Supreme beating stablemate Jonbon by 22 lengths, he then made his seasonal reappearance 30 days ago in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle beating another stablemate of his and a rival he faces again here in Epatante by 12 lengths.

Constitution Hill is an absolute freak of a horse and it is scary to think what he can go onto achieve considering he is only 5 years of age. Will be long odds on for this and is bound to win easily again, impossible to oppose.

This 8 year old mare won the race last year where she beat Glory And Fortune by 2 ¼ lengths, but she faces a very hard task here as she meets stablemate Constitution Hill for the second time in 30 days.

She is such a top horse as Grade 1 success has come easy to her in the past and she owes nobody anything. It is just unfortunate that the favourite has come onto the scene otherwise she would be well fancied to make it 2-2 in this race.

In what is only a five runner field, she is the most likely to chase home Constitution Hill in second and will find it near impossible to reverse any kind of form with him. Respected as she always is, but another second in this race may have to do for Epatante this year.

Has a lot to find on ratings just like the other outsider in the field Highway One O Two, but trainer Harry Fry has been in decent form with his last few runners.

He has had nearly 300 days off the track when it comes to hurdling, but was seen 51 days ago on the flat at Doncaster over 2 miles.

He won a 21 runner Class 2 handicap, but will find this ridiculously hard now reverting back to the smaller obstacles in Grade 1 company.

Impossible to fancy, but one to keep an eye on in flat races.

Trainer Alan King’s stable star Sceau Royal has won 17 races over hurdles and fences combined, but clearly has a lot to do here in this company.

His two runs so far this campaign have been good ones as he won on seasonal reappearance over this course and distance beating Sebastopol by an impressive 9 ½ lengths.

More was expected stepping up in grade next time out as he went off joint favourite (11/8) with Knappers Hill, but the latter just got the better of him on that occasion.

Jumped left a few times so heading back to Kempton for this will suit him and he will not disgrace himself here.A couple just look a bit too good for him this time round so one to ignore for win purposes.

Highway One O Two will potentially go off as the big priced outsider here along with Metier, but he does have some stats to backup why he is worthy of being in this small field for the Christmas Hurdle.

He is a course and distance winner albeit that victory came in 2020 where he beat the Skelton trained West Cork by 4 ¾ lengths.

Since then he has not progressed as well as many would have thought, but got back to winning ways last time out in a competitive looking Class 2 hurdle at Ascot.

Stronger challenges await including this race, therefore he has a very difficult assignment here if he wants to threaten rivals. Looks to be making up the numbers in what is only a five runner contest.