Nicky Henderson’s nine-year-old returns to the track where he has won the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day on three occasions
Constitution Hill made a stunning debut on the flat at Southwell(Image: PA)
Officials at Kempton are keenly awaiting the return of Constitution Hill for his second Flat outing on Wednesday. Nicky Henderson’s nine-year-old has been a familiar face at the Sunbury venue throughout his career, capturing the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day three times.
With his hurdling days now behind him following three falls in his last four races, Constitution Hill will now concentrate entirely on the Flat and he could scarcely have made a more impressive start when stealing the show at Southwell last month with a stunning triumph. Ryan Moore takes the reins from the suspended Oisin Murphy as he attempts to secure another victory against seven opponents in the Virgin Bet Novice Stakes.
READ MORE: Ex-jockey caught on CCTV carrying out petrol station smash and grab jailed for six yearsREAD MORE: Staff left shocked after racehorse wanders into Newmarket hotel
Clerk of the course Barney Clifford said: “What he did at Southwell was sensational, he really impressed me and I was giving him a Group Three figure straight away. Obviously he’s got to build on that and it’s nice that this race has slotted into his programme to get him a handicap mark.
“If he runs to a similar mark to what he did at Southwell it will be great and he has been here before. He obviously worked here on the gallops morning before the Cheltenham Festival and Nico (de Boinville) always said it was a bit slow for him, so he obviously copes with the surface.
“It’s nice people are taking him on – it’s not a two-runner race or anything. I know there were only nine initial entries, but eight of those have been confirmed which is great.”
Constitution Hill storming to victory at Southwell(Image: PA)
Clifford is optimistic that Constitution Hill’s army of fans will ensure Kempton is busier than usual for a midweek evening all-weather meeting, adding: “I think pre-bookings have increased since the news came out that he was coming. I’m sure there will be an enhanced attendance.”
Constitution Hill, who has been installed 1-4 favourite, will compete in the sixth race on an eight-race card, with a planned start time of 7.30pm.
In a video shared on Kempton’s social media platforms, Henderson said: “He’s in great form and I think and hope that he’s looking forward to an outing at Kempton on Wednesday.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
“He knows Kempton very, very well, not only from the Christmas Hurdles that he’s won there in the past, but he knows the all-weather well there as well as we’ve galloped him there several times in our pre-Cheltenham gallops morning there.
“He likes going there, he’s in good shape and Ryan Moore is going to ride him which is good, as he can hopefully tell us what we need to know.
“We’re very much looking forward to a night out and I’m sure he is. It’s all systems go, I hope it will be a fun evening for him and it will be for us if he can come home in front.”