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You got the names mixed up HDLG.
It’s Constitution Hills confidence that’s on the floor currently lol.
You make some good points GM23 , Henderson has overhyped the horse way OTT and now the truck is jammed down the cul de sac and reversing ain’t gonna be easy .
I think Majborough just looks a bit fiddly , but the other two you mention look real dangers , why you would keep putting AS round baffles me .It’s not just don’t the falling issue , at Punchestown he went out like a light …. That was with another jockey , you can’t force a horse do do something it can’t , years ago we had friends who had a horse , it ran for around 5 seasons , very genuine and won plenty races , at 11 it started taking risks at fences as it struggled for pace , they discussed with the trainer who advised they’d had loads of fun with it , why risk injury , retire it and let it enjoy retirement ….. The hill can’t do it anymore , if he was to get injured Henderson is in a pickle , he knows that
I don’t think it’s his connections that over hyped Constitution Hill ( well, I suppose they did a bit). I seem to recall racecourses having cardboard cut outs of the horse etc ( might be my dodgy memory) and I thought at the time this could end up really badly ( I am a terrible pessimist though). I did think that the new white fences were the problem but watching the horses jump them over the past few days has made me realise that all the other horses seem to be fine with them.
If they do stick with hurdles, they are very limited to where they can go with him with the most obvious option being the International Hurdle or at a push the Kingwell Hurdle (although thats a G2 in mid February which he would have to give limited weight away in) as Hendo would never run him in the Betfair Hurdle under top weight or send him to Ireland for the Irish Champion Hurdle.
I think it is likely that he will either go straight to the Champion Hurdle or they will wait for the flat and maybe go for something like the 1m6f Yorkshire Cup or 2m Sagaro Stakes which are run in April/May.
I know many will poo poo a flat campaign with him but it would certainly be an interesting option and slightly harken back to the days of the mighty Sea Pigeon, who was made of considerably sterner stuff as he mixed jumping and flat racing for many years. Interestingly, CH would need to run another 7 times over hurdles just to equal the number of total jump races (21 of 40) that Sea Pigeon won!!!.
Sporting life racing source
Nicky Henderson is refusing to rule out running Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle this year, but would like a spin on the Flat first 👀
Speaking to Matt Chapman in Monday’s edition of The Sun, the trainer said:
“Constitution Hill is fine, although he missed a couple of weeks when he banged a knee and was in his box. It didn’t really hold us up, though, he just had a fat knee. We have a few ideas of what to do. He was ridden this morning.
“There is still chance he will run in the Champion Hurdle, but I’d love to run him on the Flat in early February. If anyone wants to put on a Flat mile and a half maiden then please let us know.
“There are a couple of novice races he can go in but they are over 1m2f and for winners which might be tricky.”
VF x
Now they’re playing down a “fat” knee. Nothing to worry about, it was just a fat knee.
I was just wondering a few days ago, if he was still in “full” NH training or having some time off.
A 1m4f AW Maiden would be quite interesting, let’s see what happens until then.This’ll be the same Henderson who wasn’t going to be answering any more questions about the horse.
The more I know the less I understand.
So he could run in the Champion hurdle , against his own horse which is fav , a horse which could run have in the Champion Chase , anyone wondering why Henderson has won nowt at the last 2 festivals …. You neednt wonder anymore
Constitution Hill & Sir Gino are different owners, they shouldn’t be running in different races just to benefit the trainer. One benefit of CH running in the Champion Hurdle, is that he more than likely would require a new jockey, I believe Cobden could be available.
Get him in the Champion Hurdle, that’s what he was bred for.Yeats did you watch Sir Ginos novice chase , the one were everyone was saying they’d never seen a novice performance like it , again I’ll point out he had a new jockey in Ireland …. I’ll be so glad when this circus is over
Why don’t they change trainer , Cobden can ride if trained by Nicholls , maybe he can be trained to jump properly ..
I’m with Yeats on this.
Get him in the Champion Hurdle but running on the flat beforehand is absolute nonsense.
Put him in the Kingwell Hurdle with Cobden onboard and throw a set of cheekpieces on him also. Needs to prove himself before March and hopefully get some confidence built over obstacles.
A flat run will achieve nothing.HDLG. The horse clearly wasn’t right at Punchestown but he still didn’t fall. I’m not for putting James Bowen on again though. He’s a very average jockey.
Cobden has the perfect confident style for this horse imo.
There’s nearly as many excuses as Fs against this horse , he can’t jump hurdles anymore , if they keep trying then he’s going to get injured or worse …
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