Is Impaire Et Passe a genuine Champion Hurdle threat to Constitution Hill? The lowdown on the Hatton's Grace
There's little doubt that Impaire Et Passe's stunning Ballymore success at last season's Cheltenham Festival was one of the week's most impressive performances, but he will have to contend with a proven high-class Grade 1 performer in Teahupoo on his first foray outside of novice company in the Hatton's Grace.
The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old has landed his first four hurdle starts with consummate ease, bursting 18 lengths clear on his stable debut at Naas before taking the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer with the minimum of fuss.
Hermes Allen wrestled favouritism off him prior to the off in the Ballymore but Impaire Et Passe swatted him and the rest of the field away with an electrifying turn of foot. Watching him fly up the inside as they turned in with the minimal of urging from Paul Townend marked him out as something out of the ordinary and he duly opened up in the straight to put six and a half lengths between him and high-class stablemate Gaelic Warrior.
He didn't seem to have the same verve about him at Punchestown but he still powered seven and a half lengths clear of a smart horse in High Definition. That Ballymore form looks top-drawer but he will have to be every bit as good as he looked last season to fend off Teahupoo. Last year's winner was one of a blizzard of stars on this card 12 months ago and, while he added the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle, a further 12 runners went on to win 14 Grade 1 races before the end of the season.
The Gordon Elliott-trained six-year-old ensured Honeysuckle suffered a first defeat in this race last season and progressed into a real force in the Stayers' Hurdle division, landing the Galmoy before a gallant effort at Cheltenham where he was a touch unlucky to only finish third given Dashel Drasher cut across him at a vital time.
He goes well fresh and the softer the ground, the better chance he has of turning over Impaire Et Passe.
Mullins also saddles Ashroe Diamond, who is a very talented mare and a Grade 1 winner over course and distance, but she has a bit to find at the ratings.
Paul Gilligan's Buddy One hasn't stopped improving in the last year and carried a big weight to victory in a Cheltenham handicap last month. He can't be ruled out to make the frame given his progressive profile, albeit this is a massive step up.
Elliott's other runner Zanahiyr is consistent at this level and is race-fit after two recent starts so he is no back number.
Impaire Et Passe out to solidify sky-high reputation in open company
Impaire Et Passe will bid to give Mullins his first victory in the race since 2015 when the champion trainer saddled Arctic Fire to victory.
Paul Townend, who has partnered the dual Grade 1 winner to all four victories for Mullins, is excited to reunite with the son of Diamond Boy but believes this is no straightforward assignment on his return.
Townend said: "It won’t be a stroll in the park, with last year’s winner Teahupoo setting a very good standard. He has been running in the big races at the top level and we are coming out of novice company.
"I guess we will find out if he is the horse we are hoping he is. Everything is positive, although he’s not the best work horse at home so it's hard to get a handle on him but what he shows on the racecourse looks to be very special."
Buddy One: step up in grade for Paul Gilligan hurdler
Galway trainer Paul Gilligan takes on the big guns with progressive handicapper Buddy One. This is the six-year-old's first crack at open Graded company and Gilligan is hoping his charge can find more improvement.
He said: "It's a major step up but he has come out of Cheltenham so well. That was his first go over three miles and he got the trip easily, while he has the speed for this distance as well.
"He's a course winner but he's taking on the second favourite for the Champion Hurdle. He's improving but he's coming out of handicaps straight into Grade 1 level so this will make a man of him. He's running against four very good horses but we'll give it a shot."
What they say
James Fenton, manager of the Blue Blood Racing syndicate, owners of Ashroe Diamond
She had a good campaign last season, including when running very well at this meeting when third in the Royal Bond behind Marine Nationale, and four horses came out of that race to win Grade 1s. She's a bit better than her rating of 140, and this is a good starting point. We don't expect her to go and beat Impaire Et Passe, but if she was in the first three we'd be thrilled.
Gordon Elliott, trainer of Teahupoo and Zanahiyr
Teahupoo is a very good horse on his day and showed that in this race last year. He was probably a little unlucky in the Stayers' Hurdle, things just didn't go his way there, but he's still a young horse at six so hopefully there is more improvement to come from him. He seems in good form and it was always the intention to start back in this, like he did last season. Zanahiyr is not the easiest horse to place, but it's worth having a go at this with him. He was just touched off at Navan and still ran a big race in defeat. He has seemed well in himself since then.
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