CONSTITUTION HILL can announce himself as a hurdler of outstanding championship quality when he lines up for the Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30) on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday afternoon.

His success 12 months ago in the Supreme Novices Hurdle remains fresh in the memory and since then he has simply cantered over his stablemate Epatante in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle by 12 lengths and then extended that superiority by a further five lengths in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park.

The recent rains won’t be a problem for him and I expect him to beat Vauban as I expect second favourite State Man to get into an early tussle with him and pay for that up the final climb.

JONBON is my pick in the Arkle Chase (2.10) to beat El Fabiolo. The last named was impressive when winning at Leopardstown, while Nicky Henderson’s charge was workmanlike at Warwick. But let’s qualify those runs: the Irish raider is not as slick at his obstacles as the selection, who was always vulnerable to not looking a world beater in a tactical battle. And by the way, the sole horse he did beat that day has gone on to confirm the form.

The Seven Barrows trainer will supply the favourite in Marie’s Rock in the Mares Hurdle, arguably the race of the week at 4.10. I would have fancied her to beat the boys in the Stayers Hurdle later in the week but because of ground conditions, connections deemed it unwise for her to have a slog in the mud on Thursday when the weather forecast is so bad. Still, she will have to fight to retain her crown against two former Champion Hurdlers in Honeysuckle and Epatante. But the biggest player against her is BRANDY LOVE, a mare that has a supreme engine and will have come on leaps and bounds for her belated comeback run at Punchestown some three weeks ago.

I think there could be a real boil-over in the finale, when Gaillard Du Mesnil (5.10) is likely to go off at around even money for the National Hunt Chase. But the wholesale value here lies with 20/1 shot and stablemate TENZING, who has been crying out for this trip and I think will hit the frame at the very least.

As far as the big handicap of the day is concerned, THE BIG BREAKAWAY can cement his Grand National claims by landing the Ultima Handicap Chase from the progressive Monbeg Genius at 2.50, while SAMUEL SPADE will be my each-way play in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at 4.50.

The meeting starts with the Supreme Novices Hurdle at 1.30 and while I think Facile Vega can put his Leopardstown failure behind him, I am again playing each way, this time on the Henry de Bromhead INTHEPOCKET, who is sure to be firing up the hill when plenty of his rivals have cried enough.