Constitution Hill lame after Newbury gallop

Nicky Henderson said on Friday afternoon that Constitution Hill was “lame” and unlikely to run in the MGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle next weekend.

Henderson tweeted a 70-second video on X explaining his star has an issue after he had been a marked drifter in the ante-post betting for the  Newcastle feature. The trainer said that he and his team said  had been unable to identify the cause of the lameness.

The setback has come to light after the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner had a racecourse gallop in the company of stablemate Sir Gino at Newbury on Tuesday.

Constitution Hill's after it appeared that Sir Gino, three years his junior and officially rated 23lb inferior to him, finished the gallop much stronger.

Henderson's announcement on Friday came after Constitution Hill had drifted out to 4-1 to win the Fighting Fifth on the Betfair betting exchange. By contrast, Sir Gino's price for the race had contracted to about 5-4.  

Constitution Hill has won all eight races he has contested, being hailed as one of the greats after runaway wins at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 and 2023.

However, he has run just once since signing off his 2022-23 campaign with victory at Aintree, when easily landing the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton at the end of last year.

If, as seems highly likely, he does not run at Newcastle, then the Kempton race is likely to be his next target.

But, first, Henderson will have to resolve the latest problem that has presented itself.

More to follow . . .