With Constitution Hill now absent, Paul Nicholls is mulling over sending impressive recent winner Tutti Quanti to the Champion Hurdle.
Tutti Quanti was sent off a big price when sixth in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but the Champion is now on the agenda. He came on from a poor display at Chepstow when a three-length winner of the Gerry Feilden. Tutti Quanti landed something of a gamble there, beating Indevaar Blue by three lengths. The second has since franked that form now rated 12lbs higher, as did the winner himself.
Despite carrying top-weight on heavy ground, Tutti Quanti then bolted up 15 lengths in the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury. He made all under Harry Cobden, who only came off the bridle after the last to run the field ragged.
He received an RPR of 155 and a revised OR of 151, suggesting he still needs to improve once more.
Post race reaction
Speaking post race via Sporting Life, Nicholls said: “He is the first horse to ever do that with that weight.
“He has been one of those big backward horses that has been physically improving and getting better all the time. Colm and I have both said we could supplement him for the Champion Hurdle if we wanted to.
“The great thing about supplementing him is you haven’t got to do that until five or six days before hand. If the ground was testing we might look at it. If the ground was good we wouldn’t.”
Owner Colm Donlon is famed for his festival victories with Langer Dan, who sadly passed earlier this year.
Donlon noted: “The Champion Hurdle is dreaming for another day. It is possible. I would like to watch it again and see if I’m not dreaming.”
No envy shown for Seven Barrows
The decision to supplement Tutti Quanti is not entirely different to that of Constitution Hill’s, however.
Speaking to the Press Association via Racing TV, Nicholls noted how: “Nicky knows more about training Champion Hurdle winners than any of us.
“But I think Friday probably muddied the waters even more.”
Tutti Quanti appeared to work well alongside No Drama This end at Kempton on Tuesday. Connections will be doing a rain dance prior to the six-day declaration stage to confirm his participation.