Constitution Hill must never take another hurdle in public | Greg Wood

TRainer Nicky Henderson and owner Michael Buckley are still mulling over options for Constitution Hill after his third fall in four starts at Newcastle on Saturday, but the simple fact that Henderson asked the question: “can we keep asking him to do it?” in the immediate aftermath suggests that in his heart he already knows the answer. Whatever else beckons for the eight-year-old – and a recent rating of over 160+ on wood suggests he could compete at a very decent level on the flat – this is a horse who should not be asked over a fence in public again.

Henderson’s competitive nature is as fierce as ever after almost half a century in the game, and so is his appetite for a challenge. As such, it would be strange if the urge to attempt a repeat of Sprinter Sacre’s unlikely return to Class 1-winning form at the 2016 festival wasn’t nagging somewhere in the back of his mind. Sprinter Sacre’s second Champion Chase victory was one of the great Cheltenham moments of recent decades, and after all, Constitution Hill left as 4-11 favorite for the Champion Hurdle eight months ago, with a 10-race unbeaten record to his name.

Festivalgoers also love nothing more than a returning champion and the compelling story of victory against all odds. But Constitution Hill’s decline has been so steep and abrupt, and so clearly the result of a loss of confidence in the obstacles, that the risk-reward calculus – for the horse, its connections and for the sport in general – is completely different.

Whatever ailed him during a stop-start second half of his career, Sprinter Sacre’s jumping was always rock solid. Constitution Hill’s problem, however, was as clear as day in Newcastle on Saturday: the moment in the air when uncertainty struck. Henderson reported in the build-up to the Fighting Fifth Hurdle that Constitution Hill’s training had gone well, but back on a racecourse and at racing speed his split-second indecision made a fall all but inevitable.

As Barry Geraghty, who was heavily involved in purchasing Constitution Hill as a foal and then sending him to the Henderson stable, told RTÉ afterwards: “You can go to school at home, jumping perfectly in a relaxed environment, but you go to the racecourse and have that energy, that excitement and boom, he takes a chance. It’s very difficult to train a horse, if you like.”

Perhaps it is a sign that a flight animal’s survival instinct is coming to the fore. What Constitution Hill wants to avoid above all is another fall, and an unfortunate result is that in the heat of competition that actually makes a fall more likely. But the implication is that if Constitution Hill’s first fall at Cheltenham in March planted the seed of insecurity in his mind, no amount of homeschooling will do much to reduce the chances of another fall when he returns to the track.

It also feels like an exaggeration to suggest, as Henderson did on Sunday, that the padded obstacles being steadily rolled out across all British jumping courses are responsible for Constitution Hill’s jumping problems.

“I know we like Kempton [where Constitution Hill has won three Christmas Hurdles]but it is those hurdles that I would like to avoid more than anything,” Henderson told PA Media.

“Despite all the words that have been said from the people who have very kindly called to advise us, the most common denominator – and I believe they are right – is those filled barriers, which are terrible.

“Poor The New Lion did the same thing as Constitution Hill [at Newcastle on Saturday]and State Man did the same in the Champion Hurdle [in March]they all made the same mistake. The problem is that we happened to do it three times, while they only did it once, the poor devils.

“Of all the people who have called, the most common thing they have said is that they need to remove those barriers, and I completely agree with that.”

However, the British Horseracing Authority was quick to defend the fences on Monday, pointing to clear statistical evidence that both falls and injuries have been reduced since their introduction.

“Since their phased introduction ten years ago, the hurdles have been shown to reduce the risk of falls by 11% compared to birch hurdles,” a spokesperson said. “Since 2016, the total percentage of decliners on obstacles has fallen from 1.96% to 1.65%, while other factors, such as the shift from orange to white obstacles, also contribute to this.

“They have also shown a reduction in injuries, including those caused by splinters sometimes associated with the birch obstacles, as well as fewer skin-related injuries.”

There was perhaps a little bit of misfortune in Constitution Hill’s first fall in March, when he jumped over a panel which came back slightly towards him after being rattled by Brighterdaysahead, who jumped over it a few lengths ahead of him.

But it is also true that the astonishingly fast, courageous and precise jumping style that was a key element of Constitution Hill’s genius in his prime left little room for error. When it suddenly failed him, it was the fall itself, and not the finer details of the obstacle’s design, that seemed to be stuck in his brain.

Again, it’s only natural that Constitution Hill’s connections would look for reasons – and thus, presumably, possible solutions – for his sudden decline, but his status as one of hurdling’s all-time greats has long been secure. Henderson’s initial instinct was spot on. There’s no need to try to write a glorious final chapter if you don’t have to think about an alternative ending.

Online auction for John Hunt family

An online silent auction has been launched with proceeds going to the Hunt Family Fund, set up in memory of the family of BBC racing commentator John Hunt and his daughter Amy, to raise money for charities and causes that help and inspire young women.

Items up for auction include behind-the-scenes experiences at Match of the Day and Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, a trip for two to visit Willie Mullins’ stable in Ireland and a VIP package including two tickets to the Carabao Cup final in March.

The auction is open until Thursday evening, December 11 and you can bid online via the link: www.bidaid.com/auction/HFF.