Constitution Hill Next Race
Constitution Hill is described as an outstanding hurdler that is head and shoulders above the rest by the Racing Post. And it’s hard to disagree with that, as he’s won seven out of seven over hurdles and counting. This record, the pedigree of the horse, and the potential for it to become an all-time great often leaves fans salivating ahead of Constitution Hill’s next appearance.
After success at Cheltenham 2023, where horse racing odds had him pegged as the 2/15 favourite, the only other appearance made by Constitution Hill this year was at Aintree in April, where he again was odds-on favourite and delivered in style. At the Cheltenham Festival, he finished nine lengths ahead of State Man, and at Aintree, he finished three lengths clear of another Willie Mullins charge in Sharjah, once again proving he’s the real deal.
The next time Constitution Hill could make an appearance is at Cheltenham 2024. According to entries, he’s currently in the mix for the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy, and early Cheltenham Festival odds suggest he will be the horse to beat if this is the race he’s to run at the festival. However, odds are always subject to change between now and March, and so are entries.
If recent comments by Constitution Hill’s trainer Nicky Henderson are anything to go by, there was the potential for a switch to chasing to take on the Gold Cup eventually. But the school of thought is that staying over smaller obstacles, especially because of how dominant the horse is, will be the way to go. So, Constitution Hill could renew his rivalry with State Man at Cheltenham, a battle that the former has so far won.
Constitution Hill Recent Form
Constitution Hill has impressive form ahead of its next race. After a debut over hurdles at Sandown in December 2021, where he finished an incredible fourteen lengths clear, there’s been no let-up. Success at Sandown was followed up by a further convincing triumph at the same track, winning by twelve lengths in January 2022.
Next was the big test at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, where Constitution Hill went off as joint-favourite but won by an extraordinary twenty-two lengths clear of Jonbon. His class was confirmed, and in the same year, he went on to finish twelve lengths and then seventeen lengths ahead of Epitante, first at Newcastle in December and then at Kempton on Boxing Day.
It was a case of start as you mean to go on in 2023, with a dominant performance at Cheltenham in the Champion Hurdle where nine lengths separated him and State Man. That was in March, and at Aintree in April, his last outing, he won by three lengths ahead of Sharjah. Right now, and according to recent form, Constitution Hill looks unstoppable over hurdles.
Who trains Constitution Hill?
Nicky Henderson, a six-time Champion Trainer, trains Constitutional Hill. One of Henderson’s most notable successes was with See You Then after it won the Champion Hurdle in 1985, 1986 and 1987. Constitution Hill is primed to eventually equal the record set by See You Then in the Champion Hurdle and could even go on to eclipse it.
Henderson, who trains out of Seven Barrows, also had success with Remittance Man, which won the 1992 Queen Mother Champion Chase. Punjabi, a 2009 Champion Hurdle winner. Binocular, who won the Champion Hurdle the year after in 2010. Long Run, a Gold Cup winner in 2011, and Bobs Worth, winner of the same race in 2013.
The seventy-two-year-old will be hoping that Constitution Hill can eclipse the success he’s enjoyed previously. And on current form and how he’s dominating races over hurdles with relative ease, this could well end up being the case.
