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It’s fortunate CH didn’t slip up at Punchestown otherwise he would be going into his next jump race with form figures of FFSF which would adequately sum up risking him over jumps when he clearly has enough retained class to give it a go on the flat.
Well, the farther he went without seeing a hurdle the happier he was. Reading between the lines on Buckley’s words – how much he loves him and how much he cries, but, significantly, I think, this: “He is a little older than most horses that start out on the flat but he is something special” He didn’t say ‘run on the falt’ or ‘appear on the flat’ etc.
I’m fairly confident he won’t run again over hurdles.
He did it extremely well. Those of us who said 4/6 was a crazy price are on a diet of humble pie for the foreseeable future!
As Glad posted:
“There are two questions: firstly, how much of that ability does he retain and, secondly, can he still jump? This evening’s performance goes some way towards answering the first of those questions but does nothing to address the second.”
As I think I posted on some thread or another, Henderson and Buckley must have been tearing their hair out. Because when you consider how weak the Champion Hurdle is this year, the horse would absolutely hack up in it if he could jump.
But can he? We are still none the wiser.
Watching Buckley’s interview on SSR afterwards, I got the impression he favours a Flat campaign.
“Maybe it’s just me, but i thought Nico just looked nervous on him the last couple of races; that prob transfers to the horse.”
Agree. I remember seeing Richard Dunwoody walking into the paddock to ride Florida Pearl in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He looked like a bag of nerves and the horse’s connections looked nervous as well (this was the pre Mullins dominance era). I am sure that nervy atmosphere transmitted itself to the horse somehow.
“Maybe OM should take the CH ride”.
Not a bad idea, if they go down that route. He has had a ride over hurdles before, so I assume he has a dual licence?
“How many novice winners bolt up and dont turn out to be anything special? Lots.”
“Talk of Melbourne Cups, Ebors, Group 1s at the age of 9 is wild”.
Yes, visually impressive though he undeniably was, I think a sense of perspective would be wise here. He has beaten trees.
I like the suggestion of going for something like the Ormonde, though.
“If Willie trained this horse, he’d have won multiple Group 1’s on the flat.”
Despite my above comment, you do have to wonder if Mullins could win a Breeders Cup Turf with Ethical Diamond…
If connections stick to a Flat campaign, given Henderson’s affinity with Newbury, might the John Porter be on the agenda?
I agree with GM23’s comparison with CH and the Haggas’s campaign with 9yo Hamish.
I presume Nicky saying he’s not a summer horse means he prefers a bit of cut in the ground…well this is the UK and it hasn’t stopped raining since last Christmas.
Haggas has found races on Good to Soft going for Hamish over the years April-October and he’s the same age as CH what race that would be if they met up and there are so many good quality races to aim him at.Relieved to read Steeplechasing’s post that he thinks ‘he won’t run again over hurdles’.. I hope he never does.
Constitution Hill proved to all of us tonight (myself included), in the only way he could, that this is what he wants to be doing.
Let him!
Jac ✨️Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Even if Constitution Hill achieves nothing further after tonight, it was a joy to see him back to his imperious self. I am so glad connections gave this route a try rather than just giving up and retiring him.
It would have been awful if his career had ended with that series of falls. Let’s hope they stick to the Flat.
I thought his engine had gone , i know he beat average field , but ive watched it three times and it was a joy to watch , i suspect i will watch it a few more , it was so smooth .
He is worth a good go on flat , stay clear of hurdles .
Not a lot is unforgiveable , killing him over hurdles would get close to that line imho .
Well done to yard for producing him so well .
Miles v low in those legs so 9 only a number .He wont go , would have scans to pass , ground likely too firm but he would lap most of Melbourne Cup field with bit of give in ground .
His whole demeanour seemed happier without eight flights of hurdles to jump. He doesn’t seem to enjoy doing that anymore.
“…the farther he went without seeing a hurdle the happier he was.”
“His whole demeanour seemed happier without eight flights of hurdles to jump.”
So Constitution Hill arrived at Southwell yesterday, knew he was racing – which means a horse has to understand the concept of a race – and also was aware that he would not be jumping any obstacles: he must have read one of the many articles about him last week.
Not only that, but a couple of random people on an internet forum were able to read his mind at the same time.
Truly a miracle!
“So Constitution Hill arrived at Southwell..aware that he would not be jumping any obstacles”.
He became aware of that as the race unfolded, given that he sort of hadn’t had to jump any of those hurdle things.
How do you know he wasn’t scurrying around eagerly looking for a flight of hurdles to jump?
Spoiler alert: you don’t.
Constitution Hill clearly went through yesterday’s race better than he did in his last completed start at Punchestown.
Maybe that was due to pace and tempo of the race suiting him better. Maybe it was because his rhythm was not being broken up by hurdles he doesn’t jump well anymore. Maybe the Henderson camp have sorted out a physical issue with the horse.
He looked like a better and more effective racehorse than he has for a long time.
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