From the highest of Champion Hurdle highs to gallops disasters: what next in the saga of Constitution Hill?

As the Constitution Hill saga takes its latest twist, we take a look at how it has all unfolded and what might come next . . .

Part one: a hint of brilliance

Constitution Hill's rise was a meteoric one. From being beaten a head in his point-to-point, having all but walked through the last, he was bought for £120,000 by Michael Buckley and put into training with Nicky Henderson. It became apparent very quickly he was mightily good.

A 14-length romp on debut, from horses who are/have been rated in the mid-140s, such as Might I and Outlaw Peter, teed up an even more impressive rout of Grade 1 opposition in the Tolworth Novices' Hurdle.

Part two: a star is born

It all led to a Supreme, in which he was sent off as the – quite frankly ridiculous in hindsight – 9-4 joint favourite alongside Dysart Dynamo. Yes, you read that right.

Constitution Hill bolts up in the 2022 Supreme Novices' HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

It was a better race than it sounds, with Jonbon, Kilcruit, JPR One and the ill-fated Mighty Potter all in there as well, but it didn't matter with Jonbon getting closest, 22 lengths adrift of the wonderful winner. He earned a Racing Post Rating of 174 for the performance, a mark considerably higher than anything in the Champion Hurdle over the same course and distance two hours later on the same card. It was one of the all-time great novice performances.

Part three: the perfect season

In the 2022/23 season Constitution Hill didn't so much sweep all before him, as menacingly kick a billion miles out of sight anything with the audacity to line up against him.

A Fighting Fifth featuring Epatante and Not So Sleepy? A 12-length win. A Christmas Hurdle featuring Epatante and Sceau Royal, 17 lengths. State Man, Zanahiyr and Vauban in a Champion Hurdle? Get out of here. Nine lengths without really coming off the bridle.

Nico de Boinville shows his delight after the Champion Hurdle Credit: Mark Cranham

Afterwards there was talk of Gold Cups. It was the obvious one, given the conversation was taking place at Cheltenham. With so much talent, the extra mile and a quarter wasn't deemed a barrier to wondering if he could do it, and the more playful suggestion was that they might keep him going and win on the Flat at Royal Ascot.

Soon after those bold words came the only glimmer of his tail his rivals saw all season when, up in trip by half a mile at Aintree, he put just three lengths into Sharjah.

Part four: his most recent race

This isn't the first time Constitution Hill has missed his starting point in the Fighting Fifth, although last year it wasn't really his fault. The abandonment of Newcastle meant the race was switched to Sandown a week later and Henderson opted not to run, waiting instead for the Christmas Hurdle.

Constitution Hill was imperious again in last year's Christmas HurdleCredit: Mark Cranham

And guess what happened at Kempton on Boxing Day? Yep, a wide-margin pulverisation of his opposition, with Rubaud beaten nine and a half lengths in a race in which the most strenuous thing big-race partner Nico de Boinville had to do was getting legged up on to the horse's back. 

Part five: missing in action

And yet that was the last time we saw him gallop in anger. Having missed the Fighting Fifth, the newly moved Unibet Hurdle – previously the International Hurdle at Cheltenham's December meeting – on Trials Day at the end of January was put on the agenda, only to be taken off it due to a poor scope. Worry not, said Henderson, who confirmed the Champion Hurdle would not be affected.

But  back at Kempton on the all-weather one quiet morning, the wheels came off and, in front of the cameras, he worked appallingly. A poor scope and a respiratory infection ruled him out of the chance to defend his Champion Hurdle crown.

Constitution Hill (Nico de Boinville): disappointed in a Kempton racecourse gallop Credit: Edward Whitaker

Henderson went without a winner at the festival for the first time in what felt like forever and you could grit all the roads in Britain with the amount of salt that was poured into the still open wound for Henderson as he endured what he described as "a few traumatic days" as Constitution Hill ended March in a veterinary hospital, battling suspected colic, which ruled out any chance of a trip to Punchestown for a rematch with State Man.

Part six: more of the same

Constitution Hill was given a wind op and all the talk since has been of the Fighting Fifth. No potential Flat campaign this time, it was strictly business. A nice summer holiday and then Newcastle at the end of November.

That was until Constitution Hill  turned up at Newbury as part of a gallops morning and worked only okay. For one who has beaten 45 horses and won by a total of nearly 100 lengths in his eight races, he was overshadowed by Sir Gino. Now, Sir Gino is a talented horse, but a Formula 1 car might not even be capable of doing that to a peak Constitution Hill.

Constitution Hill (Nico de Boinville, left) finishes behind Sir Gino (James Bowen) in a Newbury racecourse gallopCredit: Edward Whitaker

Michael Buckley's seven-year-old drifted for the BetMGM Fighting Fifth, but remained a runner with Henderson declaring he was "ready for action". However, just three days later Henderson declared he horse lame and admitted it was now "unlikely" he would make it to Newcastle.

Part seven: where could we see him next?

From all-dominant force to Captain Sicknote, the hope has to be that we do see this most wondrous talent on a racecourse again, and this is just an unfortunate and minor blip that just so happens to come after a series of other blips and pieces of bad news, rather than anything bigger.

If the latest setback is nothing more than a badly timed minor inconvenience, then last year's plan of skipping the Fighting Fifth and going straight to the Christmas Hurdle seems the most likely outcome.

If he's out beyond Christmas, then it will have been more than a year since we saw him race. The Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham on Trials Day (January 25), or Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton (February 15) could be return dates. It seems unlikely Henderson would travel the horse for his seasonal return, but the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival (February 2) would be another option.

Let's just hope, if we do see him again, it isn't in another disappointing racecourse gallop. I'm not sure racing fans, or Nicky Henderson, could handle that.

Read more here:

Nicky Henderson: 'Too many people are trying to write Constitution Hill off and retire him - nobody is more gutted than we are' 

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

An act of Henderson's revered sorcery is about all we have left to cling to after Constitution Hill's underwhelming gallop at Newbury 

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