Constitution Hill leaves connections in cuddly mood

You cannot win a Champion Hurdle in a racecourse gallop, but you can lose one. We found that out a year ago when Constitution Hill, having masked illness, floundered in a workout at Kempton a fortnight before the intended defence of his crown.

On Tuesday morning, 12 months later, the unbeaten titan was back at the Sunbury venue for another tune up before Cheltenham a fortnight from now. This time there was no dejection, merely delight, as he radiated good health by cruising clear of two stablemates under regular rider Nico de Boinville.

If we didn’t know it already, Constitution Hill is back in the groove and primed to try and become only the third horse to regain the Champion Hurdle crown after Comedy Of Errors and Hurricane Fly.

The relief was palpable for Nicky Henderson and Michael Buckley, his respective trainer and owner. They shared a lingering cuddle by the winning post as De Boinville was trying to convince his willing partner to slow down. The septuagenarians had won nothing, of course, but somehow this felt like a pivotal moment in the build-up to the feature race on day one of the Festival.

Constitution Hill will have had far more vigorous workouts at home and his two galloping companions – That’s Nice and Aston Martini – are hardly household names, but this away day was more about getting the blood pumping and escaping the routine of home.

“Nico’s face, my face and Michael’s face will probably tell you it’s a different day,” Henderson said: “That’s him and it’s good to watch, isn’t it? It’s frightening to watch. It’s pure, raw, natural pace. One minute he’s upsides you, the next he is gone.

“We’ve been so happy [with him] and you’ve just got to blank out last year. We knew before we came here last year that the horses weren’t flying and it was going to be harder to get through, whereas today everything has gone perfect.

“It was great that you’re (press) all here (to watch) and you can make your own minds up.”

Trainers are creatures of habit and Henderson has used Kempton as a stepping stone to the Cotswolds going back to 2010. In total, he worked 11 horses this time, including other leading fancies for the meeting in Lulamba, Palladium, Lucky Place, Mister Coffey and Impose Toi.

He had given warning beforehand that the gallops would be of a leisurely nature and that we should not expevct any fireworks. Altior’s record time in these workouts over about two miles (every one of them has been logged over time) was never going to come under threat.

This squad, Henderson insisted, were all “ready” before being loaded into two Lambourn lorries at 7am. They were merely having a pleasant day out.

Henderson is seeking a record-extending tenth triumph in the Champion Hurdle, 40 years after See You Then gave him his first. His focus will be on his own horse, rather than potentially three high-class Irish-trained runners in  State Man, Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth.

 “We’ve got a fortnight to finish our job off. He did a good bit [of work] on Friday, and that was to decide whether to come here,” he said. “I was in two minds but Nico said I think he’ll enjoy it, and it will be fun. 

“He won’t do much more this week. He will jump some hurdles Monday or Tuesday of next week, and I’d say he will probably have one more gallop on our grass. Then our job will be done, and it will be over to Nico.” 

April 24: Beaten a head in his sole point-to-point appearance 

May 19: Purchased for £120,000 at the Goffs UK Spring sale. 

December 4: Wins impressively on his hurdling debut at Sandown 

January 8: Comfortably wins his first Grade One in the Tolworth by 12 lengths. 

March 15: Achieves Cheltenham Festival success in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, beating stablemate Jonbon by 22 lengths. 

November 19: Due to make his seasonal return in the Ascot Hurdle but is withdrawn on account of the quick ground conditions. 

November 26: Beats Epatante by 12 lengths in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle to win a third consecutive Grade One - his first in open company. 

December 26: Wins the Christmas Hurdle at a canter, beating Epatante by 17 lengths. 

March 14: Sent off as 4/11 favourite for the Champion Hurdle and beats State Man by nine lengths. 

April 13: A less emphatic performance sees him win the Aintree Hurdle by three lengths to Sharjah in his first attempt at 2m4f. 

December 2: The Fighting Fifth meeting at Newcastle is abandoned due to frozen ground. Constitution Hill, along with stablemate Shishkin, spends the night at Doncaster Racecourse after being stranded on the way up north. 

December 9: Withdrawn on account of heavy going when due to defend his title in the rescheduled Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown. 

December 26: Becomes the first horse since Faugheen to successfully defend his title in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, beating Rubaud by 9½ lengths. 

January 15: Constitution Hill is ruled out of the Unibet Hurdle on Trials Day after an unsatisfactory scope. 

February 27: A disappointing gallop at Kempton puts Champion Hurdle plans in doubt as the star is found to have mucus in his lungs. 

February 29: Blood tests confirm he has a “significant degree” of inflammation. 

March 4: Unsatisfactory blood tests rule Constitution Hill out of the Cheltenham Festival as it’s confirmed he will not defend his Champion Hurdle title. 

March 27: Admitted to veterinary hospital with suspected colic. 

April 1: Constitution Hill returns to Seven Barrows after a spell in hospital. 

September 12: Nicky Henderson reveals Constitution Hill has undergone wind surgery during the summer. 

November 19: Drifts in the market for the Fighting Fifth after a gallop with Sir Gino at Newbury. Team insists they are pleased with his performance and that he will come on for the outing. 

November 22:  Henderson announces his star is lame and that his team have been unable to identify where the problem is. 

November 25: MRI scan identifies an inflammation in his pastern which was touching the nerve as the cause for his lameness. Henderson gives Nick Luck an upbeat bulletin at Kempton and says he is cautiously optimistic he will be able to return in the Christmas Hurdle. 

December 26: Becomes the first horse to win three editions of the Christmas Hurdle, winning at the main expense of star Irish mare Lossiemouth. 

January 25: Wins the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham with any amount at hand at 1/12, although he gives his Fan Club a scare when bungling the final flight. 

February 17: paraded before the media at Seven Barrows. 

February 25: has a workout at Kempton ahead of attempting to regain his Champion Hurdle crown. Satisfies all his connections.