A media circus has surrounded Nicky Henderson’s Champion Hurdler, Constitution Hill, since a series of crashing falls dented his unbeaten record and threw into doubt his continued career over obstacles.
Flat racing is well used to managing talking horses. After all, any two year old winning the Dewhurst or Futurity inevitably takes on favouritism at least for the following year’s Guineas, if not Derby as well, 6 and 7 months hence. Talk of catching pigeons on the gallops is the stuff of blogs, insider columns and so on throughout the winter.
Already A Champion
But unlike the young entrants to the sport on the Flat that do most of the talking, Constitution Hill is already a success in the highest rank. A glittering career in the UK started as a novice, graduating to devastating displays in the Tolworth then Supreme Novices in the first quarter of 2022, and an unbeaten sequence of 10 victories through the 2022-23 season saw victories in the Fighting Fifth, Christmas Hurdle, Champion then William Hill Hurdle at Aintree.
His appearances were sparing in the 23-24 season, with a 1/12 9 1/2l victory in the Christmas Hurdle before a very public withdrawal of almost Henderson’s entire string from the Festival with a virus.
Prepped for the 2024 Christmas Hurdle as a return to action, Constitution Hill cemented his place in public affection with a 2 1/2l beating of Lossiemouth before taking in the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham’s Trials meeting.
And then it began to go wrong.
FF5F – A Propensity To Take Chances With Jumping
An incredulous crowd at Cheltenham sent Constitution Hill off the 1/2 favourite to regain his crown, only for the horse to sensationally misjudge the fourth last hurdle. It was the beginning of a sequence of falls that belied the quality of the horse, rated 175 over hurdles.
Further falls at Aintree, then earlier this winter, at Newcastle, had connections scratching their heads, and jumping guru Yogi Breisner, brought in to apply his magic.
But such is the esteem in which this horse in how held, Henderson has been faced with a rare problem: is it worth risking this celebrated equine over obstacles again?
Southwell – An Unlikely Venue
Credit to the team at Arena Racing, but the creation of a specific race to appeal as a comeback for Constitution Hill was feted for the unlikely venue of Southwell, more used to run-of-the-mill flat handicappers. A £40,000 Novice event was programmed, which drew the attention of plenty of other handlers under both codes.
it looked for a short while as if our hero might be balloted out, but the 14 strong field included him on the end, and Southwell’s biggest ever Winter crowd turned out to see him.
If the doubters had considered he might not adapt to the Flat, they were proved wrong and then some. A devasting turn of foot left his rivals toiling in his wake, and presented a dilemma. With a rating of 105, it would be quite feasible to carry on with a Flat campaign. races like the Ormonde or the John Porter, or a Cup run, look credible.
It’s not impossible that a venue like Ripon could even stage a race to snare him. And why not? On the basis of what we saw on Friday, he is more of a crowd draw than most of the horses in training on the Flat!
Jump or Flat: It’s in the melting pot
His trainer says a decision on this year’s Champion Hurdle will be taken this week. Flat enthusiasts must hope for a negative decision, as he would have star appeal over middle distances on the level. There hasn’t been a horse with this sort of charisma since Sea Pigeon.
Jumps fans also have their hearts in their mouths. They’d hate to lose him to the Flat, but the style of his falls has you wondering if he might not get up from the next one.
All will be revealed this week. It’s a story you couldn’t make up.
