Leading National Hunt trainer Nicky Henderson has confessed he remains completely baffled by the alarming run of falls plaguing his former champion hurdler, Constitution Hill. The once-unbeaten star, who soared to glory in the 2023 Champion Hurdle, has now hit the deck in three of his last four races, leaving connections searching for answers.
A Champion's Sudden Descent
Constitution Hill's career trajectory seemed unstoppable. After a flawless ten-race winning streak under rules, he lined up as the overwhelming 1-2 favourite to defend his crown at last year's Cheltenham Festival. Yet, in a shocking turn, he fell early with four hurdles still to jump. This pattern has persisted, with further falls in two of his subsequent three starts, including a dramatic exit at the second hurdle in November's Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
An Unorthodox Path Forward
In a highly unusual strategic move, Henderson has revealed plans to run Constitution Hill on the Flat before making any firm decisions about his future over hurdles. The gelding is set to contest a newly created £40,000, mile-and-a-half novices' race for horses aged four and above at Southwell on February 20th.
"We've got to be terribly happy with the way the schooling and everything has gone," Henderson stated in an update with yard sponsor Unibet. "At the moment we have this issue. There's no getting away from it. It's not that I need to get a race into him. I just think it's going to be good for him to go to the races and, let's say, have a nice time."
He emphasised the different challenge, noting, "A mile and a half round Southwell is a very different ball game to going two miles around Cheltenham, but let's just see how it goes and then we'll make a few decisions. We're still concentrating on the jumping angle but not quite sure where we could still go."
Seeking Expert Advice
Frustrated by the mystery, Henderson has even enlisted the help of renowned jumps guru Yogi Breisner to scrutinise Constitution Hill's technique. However, the trainer remains pessimistic about finding a simple solution.
"We've tried everything so far and we've had a lot of advice from a lot of people and I thank them for it," Henderson explained. "Nothing's going wrong. He's brilliant at home but I can't find a reason for what's going wrong on the racecourse."
Despite the setbacks, Constitution Hill holds an entry for the 2026 Unibet Champion Hurdle, for which he is currently quoted at 8-1. The planned Flat outing at Southwell next month now represents a critical crossroads, determining whether this fallen star can rediscover his spark and mount a challenge for racing's top honours once again.
