3/29/2023 0 Comments V. unbeatableSwan recalls: “I thought he had a great chance. ![]() Istabraq won the Royal Sunalliance Novices’ Hurdle (now the Ballymore) in 1997 and hopes were high going into the 1998 Champion Hurdle. He had such a great technique to get away from the back of a hurdle. He didn't run around at his hurdles, he just took them on. ![]() “From day one he was just a very natural jumper, he loved it. Reflecting on that special time, Swan said: “The first time I sat on Istabraq was one day Aidan said that he had a horse which Jimmy Hide had bought that was meant to go to John Durkan – he was sick at the time so Aidan got him. The son of Sadler’s Wells is still going strong at JP McManus’ Martinstown Stud at the grand old age of 30. Retired after being pulled-up in the 2002 renewal, Istabraq remains the joint most successful horse in the race’s history along with Hatton’s Grace, Sir Ken, Persian War and See You Then. Lara and Thomas have some great stories about ISTABRAQ □ /VH7GjkNw5z- CheltenhamRacecourse March 5, 2023 The pair lit up Prestbury Park with three successive victories in the two-mile hurdling championship between 19 and were denied a tilt at a fourth consecutive win when the 2001 Cheltenham Festival was abandoned owing to a foot and mouth outbreak. The highlights amongst those included a Royal Bond, an Aintree Hurdle, a Punchestown Champion Hurdle, two Hatton’s Grace victories, four Irish Champion Hurdle wins and most notably, three Champion Hurdle successes. Formerly trained by John Gosden before making the switch to Ballydoyle, Swan rode Istabraq on all 29 of his starts over hurdles which yielded 23 victories. Swan and Istabraq were the stars of National Hunt racing at the turn of the century. There’s no reason why he can't, he has all the ability as long as he stays sound.” He is trained by a good man, owned by a good man and ridden by a good fella too. Swan added: “He has got the potential though to be one of the greats. Anything can happen and that's why we need to always need to take on each other because horses are not robots.” “I think the only way he can get beat is if he's not right on the day. He didn’t beat a bad horse in Jonbon, he's a very good horse and Epatante is a good mare, yet he’s making her look average. The way he won that Supreme last year, he took something like five seconds off the track record. “I do like State Man, but I think Constitution Hill is going to be very, very hard to beat. He does have an unbelievable amount of ability. He jumps double quick and that’s what you need to win a Champion Hurdle. You can ride him anywhere and you know, he'd remind you of Istabraq who you could also ride in front or in behind. He has speed, he settles well he jumps well. “Constitution Hill is an amazing, amazing horse,” Swan told Boylesports. Swan partnered the legendary Istabraq to three wins in the showpiece and sees similartiries between him and Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten five-year-old, who is a general 1-3 to win the big race on the opening day of the meeting. ![]() Charlie Swan believes Constitution Hill is almost “unbeatable” in next week’s Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
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