McCoy: 'Constitution Hill was brilliant but has a bit to go to be the best ever'

Constitution Hill produced everything you would want to see in a potential Champion Hurdle winner, 20-time champion jump jockey Sir Anthony McCoy said on Saturday.

Making his seasonal reappearance and having his first outing in open company after an outstanding novice season, the Nicky Henderson-trained five-year-old annihilated his rivals in the Grade 1 Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle as the 1-4 favourite.

Bookmakers slashed Constitution Hill to odds-on favouritism for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after his thumping effort at Newcastle, and McCoy saw nothing but positives in the nascent star’s performance.

“Everything was brilliant about him and he jumped like a proper Champion Hurdle horse. What’s not to like?” McCoy said, speaking on ITV Racing.

“He’s certainly going to give Honeysuckle plenty to think about. He was visually impressive and jumped like a champion hurdler.”

Constitution Hill finished 12 lengths clear of Epatante – the 2020 Champion Hurdle winner – at Newcastle, building on his wide-margin wins in the Grade 1 Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle and Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season.

Constitution Hill comes home 12 lengths clear of stablemate EpatanteCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Jockey Nico de Boinville described the performance as “breathtaking”, Ruby Walsh said the time recorded by Constitution Hill in the second half of the race was “sensational” and owner Michael Buckley said he was “awestruck” by what he had witnessed.

While impressed with the visual performance of Constitution Hill, McCoy – who landed the Champion Hurdle three times on Make A Stand, Brave Inca and Binocular – was eager to stress the five-year-old still had some way to go before he could enter jump racing’s pantheon.

“I heard Matt Chapman say he’s the best horse he’s ever seen, I think that’s a bit much when you look at the Kauto Stars, the Istabraqs, the Hurricane Flys – he’s got a bit to go to get to that,” McCoy said.

“He was brilliant and it was brilliant to watch and if you’re Nico de Boinville you know he’s the horse everyone in jump racing wants to have, there’s no doubt.

“It’d be interesting if he did win the Champion Hurdle whether you’d go down that route for another one or look to do something else with him.”

Also impressed with the performance was Henderson's former stable jockey Barry Geraghty, who purchased Constitution Hill as a foal.

"To see him do what he did was unbelievable," he said. "I thought it was an amazing performance, one that gave us all a real kick here.

"It's a different type of buzz from being in the saddle, but watching on from home and enjoying it all with Paula [his wife] and the kids was just brilliant."

Read more . . .

Constitution Hill now 8-11 for Champion Hurdle after 'ridiculous' return win

Three experts on whether Constitution Hill is the best hurdler they have seen?

Where does Constitution Hill sit in our all-time two-mile hurdler rankings? (£)

WIN hospitality for four on Gold Cup day at the Cheltenham Festival 2023! It's simple and free to enter – all you need to do is download our brand-new app, open the home screen and wait for the pop-up to make your entry. Download here.