Snowden not afraid of tackling sport's newest superstar in Tolworth

Jamie Snowden is well aware of the task at hand in challenging Constitution Hill in the Tolworth Novices' Hurdle on Saturday but is ready to take on the Supreme second favourite in his bid for a first top-level success with Datsalrightgino.

The six-year-old was placed in four bumpers last season and is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles this term, defeating Jpr One and Washington when a neck winner at Cheltenham last time.

Constitution Hill is 2-5 for the Unibet-sponsored Grade 1 at Sandown but Snowden has plenty of belief in his 10-1 shot.

2.25 Sandown: Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle entries

Snowden, who landed two Grade 2s last season, said: "I couldn't really understand how Datsalrightgino didn't win a bumper as he's always been a very nice horse. We did his wind over the summer and that has done him the world of good.

"He won very nicely at Fontwell and followed up at Cheltenham, where not everything went our way but he still managed to beat some nice horses. He's got to step up and improve again in this company, but he's done nothing wrong and is definitely going the right way.

"We go there with plenty of hope and you can't shy away from one horse, but we're well aware what Constitution Hill showed on his debut was pretty impressive. He looked very good and the fact he is second favourite for the Supreme says everything.

"To win at the top level is what it's all about. We've been lucky enough to have festival winners and Grade 2 winners and the team are in good form, but Grade 1s are the pinnacle."

Jamie Snowden: also runs Anythingforlove in the Listed mares' hurdle at SandownCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Snowden will also be represented in the Listed mares' hurdle (12.40) on the Tolworth card with Anythingforlove, who landed the Grade 2 Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle over course and distance last season.

"She needs pretty deep ground and we didn't have it when we went chasing with her in the autumn, but we dropped her back over hurdles at Ffos Las in her favoured conditions and she won very nicely," said Snowden.

"It's a competitive race but she might have a chance if she can reproduce the kind of effort that saw her win the Grade 2."

The McNeill Family-owned Kiltealy Briggs finished an encouraging third behind Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and is set to be aimed at the Ultima Handicap Chase, which his connections sponsor.

Snowden said: "He ran a lovely race at Kempton and the form of his Haydock win the time before has worked out well. He'll have an easy time in January, have one run in February and then is likely go for the Ultima. He's out of a sister to Ballabriggs, so it would be nice to look at the Becher Chase next season."

Sandown remained predominantly soft on both courses on Wednesday, with the hurdles track also featuring some heavy in the description while the chase track has some good to soft in the mix.

"There's a lot of fresh ground for this meeting, especially over hurdles, and the way it walks, I'd call it a wet soft," said clerk of the course Andrew Cooper.

"The chase course has its usual better section from the ditch halfway down the back straight until the turn and I don't think it walks worse than good to soft."

Cooper has no worries in terms of ground frost with temperatures set to rise after potentially dipping below freezing from Wednesday into Thursday.

There could be a couple of millimetres of rainfall on Thursday before drier weather until raceday on Saturday, when the forecast turns to intermittent showers that could yield up to 6mm.

Read more:

Options open for top novices L'Homme and Galopin – plus a 2pt Saturday selection

Examining the veterans ready to shine in Sandown's big betting race this weekend

'He's got gears' – Constitution Hill set for Tolworth test before Jonbon date

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