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The hypè train is ready to leave the station early this year , first bit of pressure horse and trainer will crack , he wont go through pain barrier ever again .
Sorry for bothering you with an CH update.
There is a 15 sec clip on X from a recent workout at Newbury. The horse is just cantering ahead of two stablemates. No idea why this made the news again. It really is nothing specisl and once again sorry for the waste of time!Henderson does himself no favours with all this social media, remember the circus last year? Say little and let the horse do the talking in an actual race.
The more I know the less I understand.
I really hope Constitution Hill dots up again in all his races this season.
Not just because I have backed him for the Champion Hurdle (and the Fighting Fifth), but also because true champions are so important to racing.
You’ll still get the naysayers – some people just can’t admit that they’re wrong – but a top-form Constitution Hill ranks among the finest two-mile hurdlers we have ever seen.
If he were mine, he’d be sent out to make all in the Fighting Fifth, just as he did in 2022. Nobody to obscure his view of the hurdles; nothing (on all known form) capable of getting him off the bridle. He’d hose up if they rode him from the front again.
In fact, if Nico, Nicky or Mr Buckley read this forum, that is my plea to them: make the running on Saturday week. It just makes sense.
Act Of Innocence (a former Paul Nicholls 3 raced bumper 5 yr old with no current BHA rating) and Therapist (a 5yr old mare with a BHA Hurdle rating of 119) were the two horses he worked with…..clearly learnt to not work him with anything of Sir Geno’s ability this time around.
Given Hendo’s comment about his horses in general being two weeks behind where they should be, one would have to wonder even more what type of performance we will get from him at Newcastle especially given how ‘ready’ a lot of the Skelton horses have looked.
I very much doubt the ‘monster’ CH will ever be seen again and the real question we don’t have an answer for yet (given the issues of last season) is just how much of that ability does he retain.
If we are talking about a 10-15lbs inferior horse then he is very vunerable come March time but you could easily see him picking up G1/2 races over here given the distinct lack of top 2m hurdles around on this side of the Irish Sea.Plus the fact is that The New Lion has to prove he is capable of stepping down in trip at Championship level, especially when you consider he comes from a family that has a lot of 2½-3m performers in it.
If they all show up at Newcastle somewhere near their best then we could have a much clearly idea of where they stand after the race.
When I saw hendos other horses down to gallop today and one named Therapist
thought CH got a therapist lolVf x
Absolutely nothing you can take from that gallop considering the opposition. I just wish the media and connections could shut up now and let the horse do the talking.
Only three 9yo’s have won a Champion Hurdle in the last 33 years so history is against the horse and it’ll be even tougher considering all the issues he’s had.While I do still believe he could possibly win another Champion, it is unlikely and we’ll certainly never see the same Constitution Hill from 3/4 years ago again.
I think going straight from Boxing Day to The Festival will give him his best chance but he really has to be winning the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle first and foremost.
I’d agree with Gladders in that he should make the running. Obviously if anyone goes tearing off he’d have to leave it but otherwise set out to make all
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
Please RETIRE HIM! He can’t jump and the trainer keeps telling lies over lies over lies……..
I hope he is okay!!!!!I’m rarely part of the chorus calling for a horse to be retired – such demands often seem to be made prematurely, and fail to recognise that all horses go in and out of form. However, four dismal performances in a row including three falls suggest Constitution Hill has a significant physical or mental issue. It was sad to see such a brilliant horse on the floor again today. I’m not sure I want to see him risked over Jumps again.
If he were mine, I’d give him a try on the Flat, and retire him if that didn’t work.
He’ll be nine by the time the next turf season rolls around, so very much in the veteran stage for flat racing. I’d just retire him now – he doesn’t owe anyone anything and nobody wants to see him fail to get up from his next fall.
I doubt he could win anything on the Flat now. And as I said before, seeing him running in Flat handicaps would be something of anti anti-climax for a horse which his owner was boasting was going to win the Champion Hurdle, the Gold Cup and the Horse of the Year show.
Agree he’d be in the veteran stage for Flat racing Gladiateur, but older horses doing well on the Flat is not that uncommon. He’s such a good horse at his best that I’d like to see it given a try at least, and Henderson has achieved considerable success with older Flat horses. Seeing Constitution Hill turned out over Jumps again would be an uneasy watch though.
“I’m rarely part of the chorus calling for a horse to be retired”. Same, but I agree, I would retire. Even if he won at Kempton, or the International if they skipped Christmas, the mistake is always going to be lying in wait in the spring.
Also- I’m not normally to advocate doing things for the sake of optics, and pandering to antis….but still…if he breaks his neck the next time it will be a case of what were they thinking.
Plus- it might not be the horse’s neck. If I was a jockey I wouldn’t get on him. I know jockeys are free to choose to take the risk but…if I was a trainer, I don’t think I’d want to leg a jockey up on him now and send them out over obstacles.I wouldn’t bother with the flat. Just retire. Dressage, maybe. Perhaps the newfound quality “slinkiness” would help
if his body isn’t too bashed up from the falls.At Constitution Hill’s best, he was able to put up absolutely outstanding ratings. Not just Champion Hurdle winning form but ratings rarely seen of Champion Hurdle winners (and one of those performances as a novice).
However, one of the major reasons he was capable of achieving such exceptional ratings was his exceptional jumping. I say “Exceptional” because it was so spot on every time; not leaving much margin for error. Even at his very best there was a feeling that at some point he’ll get one wrong…
And he has got one wrong… And that has led to a losing of confidence… Which in turn has led to both a worse style of jumping (no longer exceptional)… AND – because previously exceptional jumping has meant he’s not used to altering (shortening etc) – more errors.
Truth is Constitution Hill is no longer capable of his best and is now in danger every time he goes onto a racecourse.
I too hope Constitution Hill is retired and we can remember him as a brilliant hurdler.
Value Is Everything“previously exceptional jumping has meant he’s not used to altering (shortening etc) – more errors.”
True. He got so used to just taking off wherever he felt like it and being able to fly over uninterrupted, it’s an ingrained habit now that I suppose he tries then only realises at the last second that he can’t. Perhaps some wily old dogs learn new tricks and coping strategies to compensate for their loss of physical and mental superiority, but he hasn’t.
Okay, there is only one way to find out what’s left in the engine. In case of a frozen spell during the upcoming winter months there might be some Jumpers’ Bumpers meetings coming up. Put him in one of those races just to see what is left. Those Newbury racecourse workouts are pathetic….. Just as the 15-20 second clips attached on X.
thought CH got a therapist 
if his body isn’t too bashed up from the falls.
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