Why you should be wary of backing the Constitution Hill of 2025 at a price that assumes this is the Constitution Hill of 2023
Keith Melrose explains why the form of the superstar hurdler's successful Kempton return may not be as strong as it first appeared

Exclusive new customer sign up offers


FREE BETS


FREE BETS
The moment got to me a bit, too. As Constitution Hill drew clear on the run to the last in the Christmas Hurdle, it was a celebratory moment. The greatest hurdler of all time was back!
Unfortunately for us terminally rational punters, we cannot take being 'back' as a binary signal. It was clear to anyone watching Paul Townend's hands what he would jump off and say about how Lossiemouth travelled. And was that Burdett Road beaten only nine lengths, despite walking through the last?
Racing Post Ratings doyen Steve Mason has spoken, and his assessment chimes with what many would have thought once the wave of emotion passed. Constitution Hill received a performance rating of 162, 15lb off what he clocked in the 2023 Champion Hurdle.
If someone tries to tell you 162 is all Constitution Hill is worth nowadays, they are either trolling you or they own State Man. Nico de Boinville reported that he felt his mount's fitness faltered approaching the last. That would be logical. Remember, there were only 37 days between his desperate gallop with Sir Gino at Newbury and the Christmas Hurdle.

It was an excellent training performance to get him back to the extent Nicky Henderson did in that time and you would have to conclude he will be even more 'back' for his next run. At that point, Mason will have to convey the great horse's chance on RPRs. His choice is between Thursday's performance and his peak (177), and as mentioned above no one thinks 162 is all Constitution Hill is capable of these days.
But we all still remember Sprinter Sacre. His comeback in 2016 was an even more powerful moment than Thursday, but the form was still a stone off his otherworldly best. If Constitution Hill comes on half a stone for his run in the Christmas Hurdle, his form will have barely caught up with State Man's.
Constitution Hill is already 4-5 for the Champion Hurdle. He would be a lot shorter should he get to the declarations stage with no further hold-ups. He deserves to be favourite, and I would cheer again if we saw a return to the high-170s of a couple of years ago.
Just be wary of backing the Constitution Hill of 2025 at a price that assumes this is the Constitution Hill of 2023. While he may come back to his best on his next run, let's not pretend that was what we saw on Thursday.
Constitution Hill's Grade 1 RPR history

152 Tolworth Novices' Hurdle (January 8, 2022)
174 Supreme Novices' Hurdle (March 15, 2022)
174 Fighting Fifth Hurdle (November 26, 2022)
175 Christmas Hurdle (December 26, 2022)
177 Champion Hurdle (March 14, 2023)
167 Aintree Hurdle (April 13. 2023)
158 Christmas Hurdle (December 26, 2023)
162 Christmas Hurdle (December 26, 2024)
Champion Hurdle ante-post market
Unibet Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 11, 2025)
Unibet: 4-6 Constitution Hill, 7-2 State Man, 6 Lossiemouth, 12 Anzadam, 16 Sir Gino, 20 Brighterdaysahead, 33 bar
Read more:

Subscribe to Racing Post Members' Club Ultimate Monthly now and get access to award-winning racing journalism with 50% off your first three months. Patrick Mullins led the way when winning the Racing Writer of the Year award at the Horse Race Writers and Photography Derby Awards in London in December and you can read more exclusive content from the best journalists in racing by signing up to Members' Club today.
Available to new subscribers purchasing Members' Club Ultimate Monthly using code MEMBERS24. First three payments will be charged at £24.98, subscription renews at full monthly price thereafter. To cancel please contact us at least seven days before subscription is due to renew.
Published on inKeith Melrose
Last updated
- Cheltenham Festival Betfred betting offer: get £50 in free bets
- Cheltenham Ladbrokes betting offer: get £30 in free bets
- William Hill Cheltenham Festival 2025 betting offer: bet £10 get £60 in free bets
- Get £380 in free bets for the Cheltenham Festival
- Cheltenham 2025: bet £10, get £50 free with Betfair
- Cheltenham Festival Betfred betting offer: get £50 in free bets
- Cheltenham Ladbrokes betting offer: get £30 in free bets
- William Hill Cheltenham Festival 2025 betting offer: bet £10 get £60 in free bets
- Get £380 in free bets for the Cheltenham Festival
- Cheltenham 2025: bet £10, get £50 free with Betfair