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That’s Lossiemouth’s record against Constitution Hill when they have both completed.
As I’m getting tired of stating: Constitution Hill should be retired, as he has lost all confidence over hurdles. But, on all known form, he’s different league to Lossiemouth.
Constitution Hill has no chance whatsoever of running to his 2022/23 form. I doubt he is even capable of replicating his 2024 Christmas Hurdle form.
The horse can’t jump and he has mentally gone to pieces. I reckon he is more likely to be retired than to run at Kempton.
“I doubt he is even capable of replicating his 2024 Christmas Hurdle form.”
Which was still good enough to beat a race-fit Lossiemouth.
(Cue all the excuses about how the greatest trainer of the day didn’t train her properly)
I still think CH retains a lot of his firepower. A change of jockey and losing those bloody white hurdles would make a huge difference IMO.
I said years ago they should have tried him on the Flat; it’s the pinnacle, and only NH stubborness stopping him from trying then. I’m sure Willie would have tried years ago…..too many of the NH world are insular towards the Flat…….
As for Lossiemouth – and admirable mare, but if she’s the main contender, then 2m hurdling isn’t in a great place……..I even think State Man is the best of an average bunch…..the least slowest of them. Why hasn’t Willie tried him on the Flat? I think we know why…….
Regardless of his recent dismal record, Constitution Hill is a star racehorse. As someone who enjoys the sport of horseracing, I don’t understand why so many people are in a rush to sweep him off the stage entirely into retirement.
I’m uneasy about the horse continuing his career over Jumps in any capacity now though. It would be bordering on irresponsible to continue in my view, and would be terrible publicity for the sport if he fell again, let alone worse happening.
But I still think the Flat is worth exploring. Yes, the horse is old for such a venture, and realistically I would not expect anything too fantastic to happen, but it is worth a try if he is still showing something at home. He is still quite lightly raced, and Henderson has enjoyed plenty of success with older horses on the Flat. Even if Constitution Hill ends up finishing down the field in a couple of maidens or handicaps, I think that would be a better end to his career than crashing out over hurdles.
I do agree that he could be given a go on the flat but to what purpose. What is the most he could achieve?
Heartbreaking to ay but its all just feeling so tedious now. The constant talk and focus is actually detracting away from the action taking place that we should be focusing on.
If CH were to go on the flat now, would it be on the AW at Wolverhampton in December?
Whatever they decide to do, its going to promote weeks/months of worthless speculation and debate.
We are going to quickly forget him for the champion he was. Like great boxers who just go on too long.
Any thought of running him on the flat should be abandoned after a look at his pedigree. The sire has never produced a flat winner, other than in bumpers or French AQPS races. The dam never ran on the flat and was well beaten in three mares bumpers in the UK.
And the entire female line going back four generations, none of the mares ever ran on the flat, nor did they produce winners on the flat.
Desert Orchid was once tried on the flat, running in the 1985 Sagaro Stakes – beaten a long way by horses that would only have seen his tail over hurdles.
And just a thought, that maybe Henderson and his team did well to get the performances they did from CH, as the jumping issues were there from his first race. This is from the comment on his Irish point debut, after which he was sold:
“Showing a really likeable resolution to pull out a two-length advantage coming to the final fence, only to make a serious error which came close to unshipping his rider”
The only way to see what he could achieve on the Flat is to try. As I say, I’d not be expecting much, but I’m in no rush to retire him off.
The fact that the horse has generated a 126-page thread when many posts on here struggle to receive any replies at all speaks for itself. The sport needs its stars, and I’d be interested to see Constitution Hill given the opportunity to race without any hurdles to get in his way.
I wouldn’t view whatever happened in such a venture as tarnishing his legacy any more than it already has been. His early hurdling achievements cannot be taken away.
It was mentioned on a podcast last night that connections should run him in some 1m 4f races on the Flat to get him a handicap mark.
Personally, I believe that seeing the horse running (and probably getting beaten) in Flat handicaps would be an undignified end to the horse’s career. As AP has explained, the horse’s pedigree gives no indication he could be successful on the Flat.
I would prefer to see him retired and we can remember the great horse he was in 2022/23.
Do we think if it were Willie Mullins he may well continue running him again? After Saturday he might’ve said something along the lines ‘it’s disappointing, we will see where we go next’. On the other hand, Nicky Henderson has said ‘can we go on asking him to do it?’ By saying that, he has opened it up for criticism should they decide to carry on and we have had lots of comments on here about it since Saturday already.
No fences, no retirement and Sir Gino probably for the Christmas Hurdle:
If they run Sir Gino in the Christmas Hurdle and he wins, it will make no sense to put him back over fences. If they did, he would only have time for one run and would be going into the Champion Chase after just two starts over fences.
I cannot see that happening, so get on Sir Gino for the Champion Hurdle now.
So He do says why give up when horse is 8yrsnin his prime 9yrs in month. Yes he may be in prime age for national hunt horses, but he can’t jump the hurdles.
He talks about a flat race again but the horse wouldn’t be in his prime for flat racing, most flat racers being younger legs with few exceptions to rules. It’s downgrading
And if they run over hurdles again I will not be watching as there only so many times you can bounce back, hr been lucky. The horse is reported stiff after Saturday’s fallRegarding Sir Gino is definitely get on for the champion hurdle
Vf xWhy does the Hendo/RP mafia post a riderless Constitution Hill jumping an obstacle or just running loose?
Is this trustworthy proof that horses are okay after falling without having been checked by a vet or scanned afterwards?What are the pictures supposed to tell us? “Oh, look…. he’s just fine. He can take another fall. LOL”
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