Constitution Hill withdraws from hurdles for Cheltenham | Just horse racing

Constitution Hill will not race in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

In a decision that would come as a relief to many, trainer Nicky Henderson and owner Michael Buckley have reflected on Constitution Hill’s stellar career as a show jumper, with the horse now breaking new ground.

In a statement on

“Last Friday evening was a magical occasion for all of us and we greatly appreciated his popularity and the love and admiration everyone showed for Conrad, as he is affectionately known here.

‘It was a great night for both him and us, and I believe British Horse Racing and we are very aware of public perception and the possible consequences of overcoming hurdles and don’t think it’s fair to ask him and Nico to do it again.

‘He showed on Friday evening (on the flat) that he still has a career ahead of him that could potentially take us all to new playing fields. I would like to thank the thousands of Constitution Hills supporters and admirers who shared their feelings with us and offered advice on how to move forward, and I would have to say the poll was as close to 50/50 as possible.

“This is a sad day for many of us, especially for the National Hunt fraternity who would have loved to see Constitution Hill try to reclaim its crown, and sad for everyone here, especially for Nico, who has spent so much time solving our jumping problems.

‘However, he leaves the show jumping world healthy, happy and ready for the next chapter. It has been a dizzying journey so far and Michael has had to endure some dark days, but has of course enjoyed the enormous highs and thrills of an extraordinary horse.

“Cheltenham has kindly invited Constitution Hill to parade on Champion Hurdle Day to give all its National Hunt supporters the chance to say goodbye.”

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