Henderson to check Newbury ground for Constitution Hill

Nicky Henderson will walk the track at Newbury on Wednesday before making a decision on Constitution Hill’s participation in Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes.

The former superstar hurdler has been impressive in winning his first two Flat starts on the all-weather at Southwell and Kempton and Henderson hopes to see his charge switch to the turf for a Group Three contest better known as the John Porter Stakes.

The Seven Barrows handler is well aware his nine-year-old faces a tough test against significantly higher rated horses, but he is keen to take his chance providing underfoot conditions at Newbury are deemed suitable.

“I’d love to go to Newbury because it’s just a lovely track and a mile and five (furlongs) is the perfect distance,” said Henderson.

“We’re just trying to get some easier ground. If I trained this fella through the summer, that is going to be the worry.

“I do have reservations because it’s been a long dry spell and we’re having a lot of trouble on the jumps tracks, but let’s hope we can run. I spoke to Michael (Buckley, owner) and I’ll pop over on Wednesday and have a look to see what the ground is like before declarations on Thursday.

“He needs a third run and some of these horses are rated a lot above him, but I’d still love to see him run well and tell us where we are on turf now, which I would have thought would be a much more suitable surface for him.”