Nicky Henderson has provided an insight to the angst Constitution Hill is causing him – as he vowed to make the biggest decision of his career by the weekend.
Constitution Hill has become the most talked about racehorse since Frankel and his legion of followers has mushroomed since a spellbinding performance at Southwell last Friday, a swaggering victory that his legendary trainer described as being ‘one of my greatest experiences’.
But the style of that victory, over a mile-and-a-half on the flat, has muddied the waters considerably over whether the nine-year-old should try to reclaim the Unibet Champion Hurdle on March 10 or move away from jump racing completely.
Henderson is well versed in being the custodian of a horse that is almost public property – he lived through this with the mighty Sprinter Sacre 10 years ago – but even he has been taken aback by the level of interest that has developed since his trip to Southwell.
He is genuinely torn about what to do; Constitution Hill has fallen on three of his last four starts over hurdles and the consequences of another tumble could be catastrophic. But the Michael Buckley-owned gelding has the capacity to provide one of Cheltenham’s greatest days if he was to win.
Constitution Hill, ridden by Oisin Murphy, cruises to victory on his flat debut at Southwell
‘It’s been staggering,’ said Henderson. ‘That was one of the most extraordinary nights. It was surreal. It was followed up the next day by press and television and I think it’s wonderful.
‘It really has been unbelievable what a horse can create; if that’s what racing can do, then we are very lucky.
‘I’m sitting on this guy that is now causing the biggest headache of my life – but he also created one of the great days of my whole term in this office.
‘It was extraordinary. It’s not straightforward. If he was dead dull and plain and just won another Champion Hurdle then another it be would boring.
‘In a funny way, he is the most boring horse in the world. He’s entertaining, yes, but if you lived with him, you would say he is be a very boring life because it would be so predictable. He’s now predictable at falling over! He’s a crazy animal.’
Nicky Henderson will now decide whether his star will go back to Cheltenham and jump racing
Henderson was at Kempton on Tuesday, overseeing the work of several Cheltenham contenders such as the outstanding Supreme Novices Hurdle favourite Old Park Star; there will be a key workout at his Seven Barrows yard on Wednesday for Constitution Hill when things will become clearer.
‘We’ll do something (with Constitution Hill) and then Michael and I have got to sit down, it’s as simple as that,’ said Henderson.
‘Because of the interest, we have to make a decision. It’s impossible (at the moment). Everybody has an opinion. I have two great piles of paper.
‘I’ve got four actually, the ones telling me how to school him over the years, what to jump and what not to jump. The post boxes are rammed full! I promise you it’s 50-50.
‘Every day I change my mind, but we have to say one way or the other. Will it be by the weekend? Yes.
‘The one thing he did do the other night is open up some sort of Flat career. The only thing that’s stupid about it is why did the idiotic trainer not realise this five years ago? Then it would be simple.’