THE demise of reigning champion Constitution Hill makes the Champion Hurdle (3.30 Cheltenham) look an absolute shoo-in for last year’s distant second State Man, but I am very happy to let him win at odds of around 1/3 and the huge value each-way call here has to be the rapidly improving IBERICO LORD, ironically trained by the Hill’s handler Nicky Henderson.

Winner of the Greatwood Hurdle over this course and distance and the hurdle at Newbury, he still has about some 21lbs to find with the favourite on my private ratings, but I think this is more his track and a double figure price makes him a profit-maker even if he just hits the first three.

We are sure to have another odds-on favourite in Lossiemouth in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at 4.10, but she still has to prove that she stays two-and-a-half miles, and I am sure a few of these will try to test that stamina to the full.