Constitution Hill removed from Gold Cup reckoning

There will be no Gold Cup bid at Royal Ascot for Hill after he was scratched from the race on Friday.

Nicky Henderson teased the exciting prospect of his hurdling star switching codes when handing the eight-year-old an entry for the Group One staying showpiece.

However, after a disappointing spring, which has included falls at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree, he will now head for a summer break after a lacklustre performance at the Punchestown Festival.

Speaking at Newbury, Henderson told Sky Sports Racing: “He’s good and he’s actually been having various tests throughout the week. He had a body and bone scan which actually told us very little and there is nothing chronically bad about it at all at the moment.

“We did actually take him out of the Gold Cup at Ascot this morning and he will very shortly be going to Charlie Vigors (of Hillwood Stud) for his summer holiday. I think some R and R is the best thing for him.”

may have left Seven Barrows for the summer, but Sir Gino is still under the watchful eye of his handler as he continues to recover from the leg injury which became infected and left him in hospital.

Henderson continued: “He’s good and he’s still at Seven Barrows. Gradually we are getting there and he’s walking further and further. Hopefully we’ll get him out in a field before too long.”