Constitution Hill owner to consider 'something crazy' in taking on Honeysuckle

Michael Buckley has revealed superstar novice Constitution Hill will likely stay over hurdles next season and is tempted to do "something crazy" and take on dual Champion Hurdle heroine Honeysuckle as early as next month at Punchestown.

The leading owner said the "bold" plan of having a crack at the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle on April 29 would be considered if the runaway Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner is in particularly good order in the coming weeks.

The Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old swaggered 22 lengths clear of stablemate Jonbon in the festival opener on Tuesday in a time considerably quicker than Honeysuckle's success two hours later, igniting hopes the pair will clash in the 2023 Champion Hurdle.

Constitution Hill v Honeysuckle: who would win in a showdown?

Buckley said on Sunday: "Around Aintree time we'll see how he is and decide whether we want to do something normal or something crazy.

"If the horse is absolutely bouncing and dumps his work-rider a couple of times then we'll think about taking on Honeysuckle. I guess it's a bold thing to do, but it's nice for living, isn't it?"

If a duel fails to materialise this season, it could be that good things come to those who wait as Buckley is leaning towards keeping his charge over hurdles rather than embarking on a novice chasing campaign next season.

He said: "Here's a horse who is favourite for the Champion Hurdle and the Arkle. He's had just three races and is only five, so it would make sense for him to stay hurdling for another year and get more experience."

Michael Buckley on Constitution Hill: 'He’s an ideal racehorse in terms of his demeanour and style of racing'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

'He is going to be a stronger, better animal'

Despite endorsement from dual Irish champion jump jockey Barry Geraghty, who bought him as a foal with Warren Ewing, Constitution Hill was not a knockout in the sales ring or when he arrived at Henderson's yard.

He suffered from a muscle-wasting illness as a young horse, which is part of the reason Buckley believes there's still more to come from the star hurdler.

"I can't help feeling that this horse, because of how he was last May when we bought him, and his age, will be a better horse next year," Buckley said.

"That may sound an incredibly arrogant thing to say, as it would seem impossible to better what he's done, but he is going to be physically a stronger, better animal. He's got a lot of maturing to do.

"I can't see any rush to go novice chasing. He's so young, why not stay over hurdles? He's pretty good at it! He's the most exciting young hurdler around, certainly for me."

Buckley said he was "shaking like a leaf" watching the horse on Tuesday and explained how the win surpassed even his greatest expectations.

"How could anybody ever expect a horse to perform like that?" he said. "It was extraordinary. However good you might have hoped he was, you'd never dare to think of something like that.

"I had moments of dreaming he could win by six or eight lengths, but to do something like that was remarkable. The horse had never run that fast in his life on ground like that."

Michael Buckley gives a big thumbs up after Constitution Hill's stunning Supreme winCredit: Edward Whitaker

Constitution Hill ran the two miles nearly six seconds quicker than Honeysuckle while carrying 4lb more and the sectionals make for fascinating reading.

Buckley said: "To go and break the track record is ridiculous and what was extraordinary was how fast he ran the final furlong. They went faster in the novice than the Champion Hurdle in the early part of the race, then there was a period where the Champion Hurdle was faster, and then his time in the final furlong that was quicker than Honeysuckle's.

"There was a moment when Nico [de Boinville] stood up in the irons and waved his arm and he looked like he was about to take off again. I don't think Nico's had anything like that happen to him in his life."

The owner's white silks and black cap have been carried to top-level success by the likes of Finian's Rainbow, Beat That and Brain Power, and Buckley believes Constitution Hill's disposition sets him apart.

"On Thursday morning he was just eating and sleeping, like he normally does," he said. "That's what allows him to do what he does at the end of a race – and he's done it three times now.

"He's an ideal racehorse in terms of his demeanour and style of racing. There's nothing to crab about him."

Read these next:

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Henry de Bromhead 'blown away' as Honeysuckle storms to second Champion Hurdle

'The next superstar' – how social media reacted to Constitution Hill's Supreme

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