Henderson relieved ‘brave’ early call on Constitution Hill proved right one

Nicky Henderson felt he was “a bit brave” stating his plan to run Constitution Hill at Cheltenham on Trials day before he had undergone a crucial gallop.

The Seven Barrows trainer announced on Thursday he intended to give his unbeaten 2023 Champion Hurdle winner a run in the Unibet Hurdle at Prestbury Park next Saturday.

However, he made clear his schedule before the eight-year-old worked on Friday morning, although happily all was well in that spin and Constitution Hill remains on course for what will be an eagerly-awaited outing, having made a stylish return to action from a long lay-off in winning the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day.

“We said after Kempton we would see how he is in a couple of weeks’ time and he has answered that in no uncertain terms,” said Henderson.

“We sort of had an idea after a week he had come out of Kempton really well and he was bright. It was a bit brave of me announcing he was going to run and then having to gallop him – I should have done it the other way round – so I rather nervously had to gallop him, but Nico (de Boinville) rode him and said he was in great form. You can ask Nico, he worked beautifully.”

Constitution Hill has yet to be topped in nine career starts but last season proved trying, with weather scuppering an initial target before he won the Christmas Hurdle.

Health woes then intervened, with Constitution Hill ruled out of Cheltenham due to a respiratory infection before a suspected colic brought a premature end to his campaign at the end of March.

Constitution Hill then missed his first target this year, the Fighting Fifth, due to lameness and Henderson admitted he had pushed hard to get his charge in shape for a Christmas run.

He added: “He looks really well and I’m actually surprised how well he has come out of Kempton. We had to be quite hard on him to get him to Kempton at the time and I was scared it might just show on him, but it doesn’t appear to and he’s a very happy boy.”