Trainer Nicky Henderson believes star hurdler Constitution Hill is ready to bounce back to form after two eye-catching gallops at Worcester and Newbury.
After enduring a roller-coaster ride on and off the course over the past couple of years, the eight-year-old’s time at the top appeared to be over.
However, Henderson has never given up hope that he can cajole Constitution Hill back to his brilliant best and regain the two-mile hurdling crown.
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Constitution Hill suffered shock falls at Cheltenham and Aintree earlier this year, before running well below par on his most recent outing at Punchestown.
He put those mishaps firmly behind him at Newbury, lengthening his stride under jockey Nico de Boinville to leave his two galloping companions trailing.
“He’s been in good form all the way through, it’s nice to be able to get out there,” Henderson said.
“I know I’ve been saying it for the last two months, but it’s nice to be able to come out and show the world.
“If that was a race I’d have been as confident as you can ever be in a horse – I really was pretty certain that this would go according to plan.”
Henderson took the blame for Constitution Hill’s flop at Punchestown, saying that he failed to read the signs that the horse wanted to take a break.
He has left no stone unturned in his bid to bring the horse back to his best ahead of his upcoming seasonal reappearance in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
Constitution Hill recently blew away the cobwebs with racecourse gallop at Worcester, where he almost crossed swords with the current Champion Hurdle favourite.
“Whether we go right or left (handed), whether they want soft or fast ground, that’s the easy part, there are lots of other things we have to unravel,” Henderson added.
“Hopefully we have, he did go to Worcester as well. I’ve no idea what he was going round with, nobody knew.
“Half an hour earlier The New Lion was going round so it’s lucky they didn’t get drawn in the same heat! We wouldn’t have known, they wouldn’t have known. He went to Worcester called ‘Harry’ that day!
“He was terrific – Nico had him at the back and then let him go and he passed ten horses in ten strides and galloped off.”
Henderson now plans to school Constitution Hill over hurdles ahead of what promises to be an informative clash with The New Lion in the north-east.
The Dan Skelton-trained horse won the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, but is set to be campaigned over two miles this season.
Skelton said the feedback from The New Lion’s gallop at Worcester was ‘positive’ and he is looking forward to the clash with Constitution Hill on November 29.
The five-year-old is unbeaten in five career outings, but faces a difficult task against a horse who has already proven his worth in the two-mile hurdling ranks.
“We’re going in at a really deep level, but I think there’s less pressure weirdly on us, because we’re going into this division dotted with all these superstars,” Skelton said.
“Unfortunately, there will be no State Man this season, but there are others with big reputations or who have been there and done it and Constitution Hill is the case in point in that regard.
“All eyes will be drawn to him and The New Lion and we are stepping into uncharted territory in terms of grade and trip. We’ve got to go out there and do it.”
Written by Michael Cage
