In a performance that has sent waves of excitement through the horse racing world, the mighty Constitution Hill has roared back to form, putting him on a direct collision course with his great rival, The New Lion. The electrifying gallop at Newbury's Coral-sponsored event has set the stage for a mouth-watering early season showdown that promises to be one of the most anticipated clashes of the racing calendar.
A Triumphant Return to Form
The last time the public saw Constitution Hill was at Punchestown at the beginning of May, where he suffered a disappointing defeat by State Man. This came after two shocking and unexpected falls in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Aintree Hurdle, leaving fans and pundits concerned for the gelding's future.
His trainer, the legendary Nicky Henderson, has spent the entire summer working to restore the confidence of the country's most popular horse and nurse him back to his full physical potential. The critical workout over a mile-and-a-half early on Tuesday morning was a pivotal moment in this journey.
This was a stark contrast to the same event twelve months prior, where Constitution Hill was lacklustre behind his galloping companion Sir Gino, an outing that led to him being ruled out of a trip to Newcastle for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. This time, however, the story was dramatically different.
"On We Go!": Relief and Revelation at Newbury
Partnered by his regular jockey, Nico de Boinville, Constitution Hill scooted clear of his stablemates, Therapist and Act Of Innocence, to the sheer delight of more than 400 hardy souls who had braved the elements to witness his return.
‘On we go!’ declared a clearly relieved Henderson. ‘That went according to plan and everything has been very straightforward with him. He has got slinkier; he has strengthened up. I always thought he was a very square, very solid horse but he looks very handsome and very happy now.’
Henderson offered a candid reflection on the brutal experience at Punchestown, taking full responsibility. ‘It was entirely my fault,’ he confessed. ‘It was over that day when the tapes went up. He turned around, away from the tapes, and looked up at the stands. It was almost like he was saying to me: “Dad, I can’t do this again!” He had never turned his head away from anything, I can assure you.’
Secret Gallops and a Near-Miss with The New Lion
The trainer provided a fascinating insight into the extensive work done behind the scenes at his Seven Barrows yard to revive his star. This included a secret gallop at Worcester Racecourse, where an incredible near-miss occurred.
‘I have no idea what he worked with that morning,’ Henderson revealed. ‘Nobody knew. It’s lucky that he didn’t run 30 minutes earlier because he would have been with The New Lion! They wouldn’t have known it was us because he went under the name ‘Harry’!’
Explaining the alias, Henderson said, ‘He’s always lived under that name. We had to send him to the vets a couple of times and I didn’t want anyone to know, so we called him ‘Harry’ to stop the interns saying: “Gosh, Constitution Hill has been here!” But Worcester was terrific. Nico held him up then he passed 10 horses in 10 strides.’
The Road to Newcastle and Beyond
With his confidence visibly restored, a trip to Newcastle for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle is now firmly on the agenda. Henderson acknowledges the challenge that lies ahead, particularly from Dan Skelton's in-form The New Lion.
‘I accept it is going to be very interesting at Newcastle,’ Henderson stated. ‘There will be improvement and Dan’s horses are running very well. He has got to have a school over hurdles and he will work again next Monday but we are ready to go. We just want his jumping to be polished. Let’s see what happens.’
On an informative morning that also saw 30 horses from stables including Paul Nicholls, Olly Murphy, and Harry Derham, another of Henderson's charges caught the eye. His powerful grey, Hyland, ridden by James Bowen, looked a serious contender for the Coral Gold Cup in just ten days' time.
