After his late withdrawal at Ascot on Saturday, the exciting star former point-to-pointer Constitution Hill could be set to make his seasonal re-appearance in the Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday.
The five-year-old has won each of his three subsequent starts since finishing second, beaten by just a head at Tipperary point-to-point in April 2021 when with Warren Ewing.
His impressive successes have included back-to-back Grade 1 wins in the Tolworth Hurdle at Newcastle followed-up by a 22-length win in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival in March.
His trainer Nicky Henderson confirmed on Wednesday that he would likely join his former Champion Hurdle winning stablemate Epatante in the Grade 1 contest in Gosforth Park as Henderson goes in search of his eight victory in the race.
The potential line-up also includes another former point-to-pointer in the now nine-time track winner Tommy’s Oscar, but all of the focus will be on Constitution Hill as he takes his first step into open company in a season that could see him take on fellow star former pointer Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle next March.
She is set to make her return to action in the upcoming Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse having already equalled Limestone Lad, Solerina and Apple’s Jade by registering her third victory in the race last year.
Her trainer Henry de Bromhead has issued a positive bulletin ahead of her first outing in what will be her final season.
He said: “Rachael has schooled her, she was brilliant and she seems really well, her work is good. She’s got one more sort of bigger piece to do and then on to the Hatton’s Grace.
“At home, I wouldn’t push them to that level that I could tell you whether they are in similar form to last year, I’ll see that on the day. You’re not really going to push them to that limit, those good horses, at home.
“We’re on that same programme as last year.”
