Constitution Hill, one of racing’s most celebrated horses, will not compete in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 10, trainer Nicky Henderson and owner Michael Buckley have confirmed.
The decision follows days of intense deliberation, particularly after the nine-year-old’s impressive debut on the Flat at Southwell.
The choice ultimately came down to whether to ask the former champion to return to jumping, a discipline in which he has fallen in three of his last four outings, or to allow him to pursue a career exclusively on the level.
Henderson had indicated on Tuesday that Constitution Hill would undergo a schooling session on Wednesday, after which connections reached their conclusion.
In a statement, Henderson explained the gravity of the decision: “Michael Buckley and I have not surprisingly spent a lot of time soul searching and thinking over Constitution Hill’s future and have sadly concluded that he will not be running in the Unibet Champion Hurdle the week after next.”
He reflected on the horse’s recent flat performance, adding: “Last Friday night was for us all a magical occasion and we so appreciated his popularity and the love and admiration everybody showed to Conrad, as he is fondly called here.
“It was a terrific night for both him, us, and I believe British horse racing and we are very aware of the public perception and the possible consequences of running over hurdles and feel it is not fair to ask him and Nico (de Boinville) to do it again.”
Henderson suggested a new chapter for the horse, stating: “He showed on Friday night that he has another career in front of him that could possibly take us all to new playing fields.”
He also acknowledged the public’s divided opinion, noting: “I would like to thank the thousands of Constitution Hills supporters and admirers that have shared their sentiments with us and advice on how we should proceed, and I would have to say the poll was as near 50-50 as you could get.”
The trainer admitted it was a poignant moment for many: “This is a sad day for a lot of us, particularly the National Hunt fraternity that would have liked to have seen Constitution Hill try to regain his crown and sad for all here, especially Nico who has spent so much time trying to iron out our jumping issues.”
Despite the disappointment, Henderson affirmed the horse’s well-being: “However he leaves the jumping world sound and happy and ready for the next chapter.
“It has been a staggering journey so far and Michael has had to endure some dark days but of course enjoyed the enormous highs and thrills of an extraordinary horse.”
Cheltenham Racecourse has extended an invitation for Constitution Hill to parade on Champion Hurdle day, offering his National Hunt supporters a final opportunity to bid farewell.
