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They’ve cocked it up with this horse. As I said could be the case before the race, the lack of experience of the jockey was a contributory factor yesterday. Who knows if he would have ballooned the first if he had got a good start, the jockey should have been on his mettle at the start and Townend took full advantage at the lack of it.
I feel the horse would have been better served by Nicholls/Cobden throughout his career.He cannot be mentioned in the same breadth as the likes of Persian War, Night Nurse, Sea Pigeon on what he has done so far. I can’t see them having a flat campaign after yesterday and the only way I can see him redeeming himself is by making Michael Buckleys dream come true and winning the Gold Cup. De Boinville will have to do a “Coneygree” on him next season!
Mike, it is to do with Constitution Hill’s claim to greatness. In an era when National Hunt racing is dominated by Ireland, it is an omission on Constitution Hill’s CV that he has not beaten Irish horses in Ireland. Especially when he had the opportunity to do so and connections swerved it.
It looks bizarre that Henderson consistently ducked out of running the horse in Ireland since his novice season but then sent him over there a month after a heavy fall.
If he had run there in 2022 or 2023, he would have won easily. Instead Henderson played it safe. I think that needs to be taken into account when it comes to considering greatness.
It was pointed out by some commentators at the time that it was unusual for a top class racehorse to not race outside its own country in the modern era. Some people did argue Frankel had been campaigned safely.
However, there were entirely understandable circumstances. Those circumstances do not apply with Constitution Hill.
They are obviously two entirely different horses running in completely different races, so any direct comparison is meaningless. But Frankel was unquestionably an all time great at what he did and proved it time and time again. His performances in the Guineas, the Queen Anne and the International were sublime.
Constitution Hill was not that good, even within the sphere of hurdling.
Rather than continually sneering at other people’s opinions, perhaps Glad might like to explain to us:
a) what went wrong with Constitution Hill yesterday?
b) why he thinks the horse is going to achieve what no other horse has ever done, i.e. win a second Champion Hurdle three years after winning his first?a) No idea – I’m not the horse’s vet.
b) His innate ability is way above that of any of his rivals.“Mike, it is to do with Constitution Hill’s claim to greatness. In an era when National Hunt racing is dominated by Ireland, it is an omission on Constitution Hill’s CV that he has not beaten Irish horses in Ireland. Especially when he had the opportunity to do so and connections swerved it.
It looks bizarre that Henderson consistently ducked out of running the horse in Ireland since his novice season but then sent him over there a month after a heavy fall.”Kauto Star stayed at home in Feb, Denman stayed at home in Feb, Buveur Dair stayed at home in Feb, Best Mate stayed at home in Feb, the list goes on and on. Just coz an English trained horse doesn’t run at the DRF it doesn’t lessen his status if it works out at Cheltenham and they beat the Irish anyway. Before the respiratory illness op and colic, CH was top of the tree but since then he’s not been the same. We’ve been seeing this for decades, i.e. good horses not being the same after health issues.
I, for one, am not criticising the trainer’s campaign of CH. Two British grade one 2 mile hurdles in November and December to take in, no British grade one 2 mile hurdles in early February so on to Cheltenham. Tried 2 miles 4 at Aintree a couple of times which he did not look too great at so this stuff about being another Dawn Run – not realistic, a 2 miler all day long. Punchestown Festival an option but few British Cheltenham champions go over there, they usually just get put away for the following season. They went this year to try and get the horse to jump better than the previous twice, didn’t work, but they gave it a try. If he doesn’t bounce back next season, I feel it was the respiratory illness and colic that done it for CH as far as potential greatness goes, not his racing campaign.
“His innate ability is way above that of any of his rivals.”
That ability was two years ago. Is he really going to run to that level again as a 9 year old and after having issues? There has to be a serious doubt about him lining up.
I know he beat Lossiemouth as recently as Boxing Day but would even that form have won him a Champion Hurdle? She finished quite close to him and Townend seems adamant about State Man being far superior to her.
I suppose the doubt about him even turning up is factored into his price now but I would much rather have 12/1 against him not winning another Champion Hurdle than 14/1 against him doing something no other horse has done.
Of course there’s a chance he’ll never recapture his best form. But that’s a chance I’m willing to take at 14-1.
“Kauto Star stayed at home in Feb, Denman stayed at home in Feb, Buveur Dair stayed at home in Feb, Best Mate stayed at home in Feb, the list goes on and on. Just coz an English trained horse doesn’t run at the DRF it doesn’t lessen his status if it works out at Cheltenham and they beat the Irish anyway.”
With the exception of Buever D’Air, they were all in an era before Irish trained horses dominated and the DRF did not exist anyway.
I agree Constitution Hill has not been the same horse since the gallop at Kempton in 2024. But it is disappointing he did not run at Leopardstown or Punchestown when he was at his peak in 2022 and 2023.
“I agree Constitution Hill has not been the same horse since the gallop at Kempton in 2024. But it is disappointing he did not run at Leopardstown or Punchestown when he was at his peak in 2022 and 2023.”
If I owned CH I would definitely not have gone to the DRF with a hot fav for Cheltenham, I just wouldn’t want to risk it. The travelling over, the risk of injury, having a hard race, the travelling back.
As for Punchestown, I just don’t know if I would, hardly any one goes over with the champs, they would rather start afresh for the new season with them, and I can’t blame them for wanting to do that.Here are the Timeform ratings again, for what they are worth:
182 Night Nurse
180 Istabraq, Monksfield
179 Persian War
178 Comedy of Errors
177 Lanzarote, Limestone Lad, Constitution Hill
176 Bird’s Nest, Bula, Faugheen, Golden Cygnet
175 Baracouda, Gaye Brief, Salmon Spray, Sea PigeonBy this metric, Constitution Hill is an all time great because only 5 horses in the entire history of hurdling are rated superior to him.
I think Timeform is right to rate those horses above him. Personally I can’t have Sea Pigeon rated below him but I am sure Timeform could argue their case.
But to put this into context, we are now up to page 118 about a horse Timeform rates the equal of Lanzarote and Limestone Lad, only 1lb superior to Faugheen and 2lbs superior to Baracouda.
I am not suggesting any of those horses do not deserve their ratings but very few people go starry eyed about them.
It is frustrating because I think this horse could have been the best – but his issues and the way he was campaigned scuppered it.
“If I owned CH I would definitely not have gone to the DRF with a hot fav for Cheltenham, I just wouldn’t want to risk it”.
Why not? If “his innate ability is way above that of any of his rivals”, he would have hacked up on the bridle.
Some horses last a couple of seasons as very top class beasts, others can do ‘it’ regularly season after season, though, often in between poor runs.
Simple way of looking at it, i know, but hey, maybe, CH just falls into ‘my’ 1st category
The way he jumped yesterday surely they will opt for fences next season, even if he has to stay at 2 miles and go for the Champion Chase?
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