If you were among the fortunate thousands who witnessed the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival earlier in March, you were treated to a truly memorable experience.

Even from the comfort of your own home, you had the opportunity to witness Constitution Hill solidify his status as one of the most exceptional jump horses in history. Living up to the high expectations, he emerged victorious in the Champion Hurdle on the festival's first day; despite having raced only seven times -twice since Cheltenham- Constitution Hill has consistently dominated the competition.

Constitution Hill Lifetime Record

(Record as of October 20, 2023)

 Constitution Hill suffered a defeat in his only point-to-point race in Ireland. Still, he has emerged victorious in every race he has participated in under official regulations, winning by a significant margin of lengths. This includes a remarkable triumph in last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, where he crossed the finish line a staggering 22 lengths ahead of his competitors.

He broke the course record and finished the competition in an impressive 5.78 seconds, which is approximately 23 lengths faster than Honeysuckle's victory in the 2022 Champion Hurdle on the same track. Despite being relatively new in his career, the prestigious Timeform organisation, known for evaluating racehorse performances, has already ranked Constitution Hill as one of the top seven hurdlers of all time.

The novice hurdler has the highest rating since the classifications were implemented in the 1999-2000 season. This rating surpassed the previous record of 168 given to Iris's Gift, who finished second in the 2003 Stayers' Hurdle behind Baracouda. Furthermore, it also marked the highest rating for a two-mile hurdler since the victory of Espoir D'Allen in the 2019 Champion Hurdle.

Constitution Hill Form

(Form as of October 20, 2023

At The Bookies  

From a horse race betting perspective, bookmakers have been savvy to Constitution Hill’s potential since the horse's initial dominant outing at Cheltenham in 2022. This hurdle event marked the last time we received opening underdog odds (9/4) on the Henderson-trained star. In his four most recent outings, starting prices of 1/4, 1/7, 4/11, and 2/15 were the best available.

The 2024 Cheltenham Festival is still four months away, but we eagerly anticipate next year's March event. Our focus has shifted to what lies ahead for Constitution Hill, who impressed everyone with a remarkable display at the event in 2023. In fact, Constitution Hill's achievement of winning both the Supreme and Champion Hurdle races is the first of its kind in over half a century.

As we scour the Cheltenham betting offers for the 2024 Festival, the only question remains: “Of the five Cheltenham races, which one will he be competing in.”?

Nicky Henderson: In The Trainer's Eyes

Trainer Nicky Henderson has achieved unprecedented success by winning the Champion Hurdle eight times. However, his most recent victory with the remarkable gelding Constitution Hill was nothing short of extraordinary. In fact, Henderson himself describes the horse as truly exceptional.

Constitution Hill can potentially leave a lasting impact on the sport, much like the legendary Frankel. Widely regarded as the greatest racehorse to ever compete on the Flat, Frankel won all 14 of his races under the guidance of the late Sir Henry Cecil.

Related: Four Horses Who Are Gaining Traction Ahead Of Cheltenham After Victories At The Dublin Racing Festival

Henderson amusingly found his precious horse taking a nap on the morning of the Champion Hurdle.

He’s always sleeping. He’s got this ridiculous, wonderful temperament, and his greatest asset is his mind. Nothing bothers him. He works, eats, sleeps. Works, eats, sleeps. The same routine, day in, day out.

Nicky Henderson on the calming nature of Constitution Hill.

Constitution Hill Going Forward  

Constitution Hill has the potential to achieve the same success as Henderson's remarkable four-legged wonder, See You Then, a horse that triumphed in three successive Champion Hurdles between 1985 and 87’. However, Henderson is aware that the true measure of greatness would be should Constitution Hill becomes just the second, following in the footsteps of Dawn Run, to conquer and claim victory in the Gold Cup as well as the Champion Hurdle.

With that said, the team has already decided to avoid attempting such a feat this season.

“You have to be fair in thinking; he’s unlikely to stay three-and-a-quarter in something like the Gold Cup,” Henderson commented. “There is nothing to gain in chasing the Arkle and the Champion Chase; the Champion Hurdle is just as prestigious as either. So it seemed logical to stay where we are.”

Henderson clarified that the decision to continue with hurdling has nothing to do with concerns about Constitution Hill's jumping abilities. Stamina's concerns primarily drive it. In other words, the most important factor is maintaining his winning record and avoiding defeat. After all, who wants to see a horse lose?

However, it is impossible to determine if a horse can handle the Gold Cup distance unless you give it a try. Henderson and Buckley are old enough to remember when a top jumping horse losing a race was not seen as a negative reflection of its abilities. This was the case with notable horses like Arkle, Desert Orchid, and Night Nurse. A brave defeat was often more exhilarating and memorable, benefiting the sport as a whole rather than another routine victory.

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