Constitution Hill ousted as Champion Hurdle favourite after Newbury workout - but upbeat Henderson declares him 'ready for action'

Constitution Hill was usurped at the head of the Champion Hurdle market with several bookmakers after another dramatic racecourse gallop on Tuesday, although Nicky Henderson insisted the unbeaten hurdler was "ready for action" and on course for his return at Newcastle this month.

The Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth is now a general 9-4 for the Unibet Champion Hurdle, with Constitution Hill drifting to as big as 3-1 (from 11-8).

Constitution Hill, a brilliant winner of the 2023 Champion Hurdle before missing last season's defence following a disappointing gallop at Kempton and then a respiratory issue, galloped alongside stablemate Sir Gino at Newbury on Tuesday morning. Going into the final three furlongs the former champion moved alongside Sir Gino, but under gentle pressure in the final furlong was unable to go past his stablemate and his motionless rider. 

The seven-year-old, whose last run came at Kempton in December, has long been aimed at a return assignment in the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle on November 30, a race he won in 2022.

On Tuesday morning Constitution Hill was as short as 4-7 for the Fighting Fifth but soon drifted out to 6-4 joint-favourite alongside Mystical Power after videos circulated of his workout alongside Sir Gino.

It also led to a significant shake-up in the Champion Hurdle market, with last season's Mares' Hurdle winner Lossiemouth installed as 9-4 favourite with Sky Bet, 5-2 market leader with Paddy Power and the Betfair Sportsbook. Some bookmakers, including the sponsors Unibet, retain Constitution Hill as a narrow 2-1 favourite.

But Henderson was delighted to get more work into Constitution Hill and plans to school him this week. He said: "I hope we're going to see the usual Constitution Hill [at Newcastle]. It was great and we got the work into him. He's done a lot more today than he did with Jonbon a couple of weeks ago and he needed this gallop.

"He's ready for action. That made him work and it's why we're here. People need to remember this horse has had bad luck. There's nothing wrong with him, he hasn't been injured. It's all part and parcel of the game.

"He's had a good blow. He'll do a bit of work at the end of this week as he's not had a school yet. He hasn't jumped a hurdle, but I don't think he needs to. It just keeps his eye in."

Although it has been 11 months since Michael Buckley's star last faced the starter – a trip to equine hospital after a suspected bout of colic added to a difficult spring – Henderson does not believe the seven-year-old has a point to prove ahead of his eagerly anticipated return.

Nicky Henderson with Constitution Hill and groom Jaydon Lee after the star hurdler's racecourse gallop at NewburyCredit: Edward Whitaker

He said: "Look, he hasn't died. He hasn't been anywhere. He hasn't been injured. He just missed a race. He hasn't got anything to prove. He has got to prove that he is still the best.

"You have got to get it out of your head that he has been missing or whether he'll come back. He hasn't been anywhere! Sprinter Sacre had been ill for a year and a half. That was a comeback. This horse isn't coming back. He ran at Christmas. Everybody goes on about it.

"But he hasn't been damaged, he hasn't been hurt, he hasn't been wounded. I've been saying this for six months and nobody seems to understand. Yes, it's great that people are talking about him and that's why we're doing something like today."

Henderson added: "If he gets beaten, he gets beaten. He'll get beaten one day, that's as sure as eggs are eggs. I hope it never happens. We got Altior to 19. It's possible [he'll get that many]. I don't see any reason why he would be any different to where he left off at Christmas last year. I really don't."

Sir Gino, who has been entered in a beginners' chase at Kempton next Monday, was another significant market mover, with the 16-1 available for the Fighting Fifth on Tuesday morning with Betfair and Paddy Power long gone. He is now no bigger than 8-1, but Henderson is confident going over fences with the unbeaten Sir Gino is the correct decision. 

Nicky Henderson and Michael Buckley have a debrief with James Bowen (left, who rode Sir Gino) and Nico de BoinvilleCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He is serious. He was the tragedy of last season, in that he couldn’t go to Cheltenham. He's as good a four-year-old as I've seen. Shishkin, Altior, Sprinter Sacre – they all went over fences much later. He’s four but he’s got the size and scope of a chaser and he has been brilliant schooling. 

"If he was ever required, for any unfortunate reason – and I'm not expecting this – he is there [for the Champion Hurdle]. If anything happened to State Man, I would think he would get a call."

When asked if going down the chasing route for Sir Gino was straightforward, Henderson said: "Oh yeah. Joe Donnelly is the most remarkable man. He just says, 'I’ll leave it to you and I’ll leave it to Willie [Mullins] – you sort it out between you'. He’s lovely, the most lovely man. He’s wonderful like that. Sometimes you could do with a bit of guidance! You know, 'Let’s do this', or 'Let’s do that', but not Joe."

BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Newcastle, November 30)
Paddy Power: 6-4 Constitution Hill, 6-4 Mystical Power, 3 Brighterdaysahead, 13-2 Brentford Hope, 7 Golden Ace, 8 Sir Gino, 16 bar

Unibet Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 2025)
Paddy Power: 5-2 Lossiemouth, 3 Constitution Hill, State Man, 8 Ballyburn, 10 Mystical Power, 12 Brighterdaysahead, 33 bar

Read more:

Can lightning strike twice at Newbury? Jamie Snowden dreaming of back-to-back Coral Gold Cup victories 

'A bit of a gut wrench' - Constitution Hill owner on Champion Hurdle winner's absence and hopes for Newcastle return 

Fences or hurdles? Ballyburn entered in beginners' chase but retains Morgiana Hurdle option alongside star stablemates 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.