After a “super” performance on Friday, Constitution Hill is scheduled to try his hand in the Punchestown Boodles Champion Hurdle. Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten hero will go to Ireland following defeats in the Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle. After Constitution Hill lost in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, the Seven Barrows handler suggested that he run in Ireland. However, he decided to send Constitution Hill to the Aintree Hurdle earlier this month, where he was once more defeated at the penultimate obstacle. James Bowen rode Constitution Hill in a gallop on Friday morning as regular companion Nico de Boinville was out. The eight-year-old is expected to compete in the Boodles Champion Hurdle on May 2 after a satisfying schooling spin.
Henderson wrote on his Unibet blog, “The news is good, and I’m delighted to say that we will give the green light for Constitution Hill to run at Punchestown next Friday.” Ironically, James Bowen rode him—the last time he sat on him was when we finally learned he had an engine, a few years ago! “He was the first to realize that he was good at all!” We call it ‘the back of the hill’. They worked on the Jockey Club Estates All-Weather gallop, and everything went just as I had hoped; it was fantastic, he is in excellent form, and I couldn’t have asked for more.” He will attend school on Saturday or Sunday, depending on any hiccups he’ll be heading off to the emerald isle.”
