Racing Victoria’s chief international recruiter has responded to Michael Buckley’s thoughts on the Melbourne Cup (G1), saying the gelding’s participation in the race that stops a nation would be “one of the biggest racing stories of our lifetimes”.
There’s a lot of water to flow under the bridge, but after Constitution Hill’s 9 1/2 long romp on its flat debut on February 20 at Southwell, RV’s head of racing and international recruitment Paul Bloodworth said he would work hard to facilitate his Cup mission.
When asked if RV would enjoy seeing Constitution Hill in the $10 million showpiece event on the first Tuesday in November, Bloodworth said: “Absolutely.”
“He is the most popular horse in Britain and it would be a great story for the Melbourne Cup,” Bloodworth told Racing Post.
“Willie Mullins has made a habit of bringing horses like Vauban, Absurde and Max Dynamite to Melbourne for the Cup, but none of them have the profile of Constitution Hill.
“It would be fantastic. It would be a great story – great for the Melbourne Cup, and great for our Spring Carnival as a whole to have a story like that running through it.”
He added: “We probably have to temper expectations a bit. It (Southwell) was an all-weather novice race, but there were a number of horses in the race that you think could go on and be competitive in group racing, and he made them look second-rate.
“And it has already achieved high ratings from a number of rating agencies in Britain. So it’s hugely exciting.”
Contact already made
Bloodworth said he had already put out feelers to coach Nicky Henderson to gauge interest in a Melbourne Cup foray, with the aim of being at the forefront of explaining the processes required.
“I have already contacted Nicky through sources to say that if this dream becomes a reality we will work with him to try to make it a reality,” Bloodworth said.
“At this point, I reached out to say, ‘Hey, if you want to talk right now, here’s my information.’ But I don’t want to bother them too much.
“But it would be one of the biggest racing stories of our lifetimes if he lined up on the first Tuesday in November.”
Bloodworth said if Constitution Hill’s connections were “up” about attempting a Cup mission, RV and the Victoria Racing Club – where the major handicap is held at Australia’s oldest contiguous sporting venue, Flemington – would “work hard to get them over the line.”
Henderson has attempted the Cup before, with Forgotten Voice in 2013, but the gelding failed to make the final field of 24 horses after finishing fifth in a key preliminary race, the Geelong Cup.
Constitution Hill walks back to his stall in Lambourn
That experience would at least prepare the trainer for most aspects of the 10,000-mile adventure.
The challenge of reaching Melbourne
The requirements that European horses must meet for racing have changed dramatically over the past five years; however, now strict veterinary checks are being imposed at both ends of the journey following a spate of in-race deaths among foreign runners. According to these protocols, the tough residence test has been carried out without any fatalities since 2021.
“What we probably need to do is explain what it takes to come to Melbourne – flights, quarantine, vet requirements – and let them decide if that’s a challenge they want to take on,” Bloodworth said.
“That’s how we normally do it with trainers. Some take up the challenge, others don’t, so we’ll see how we progress.”
After Friday’s Southwell romp, Buckley said: “As far as I know nothing has stopped him passing the vet checks and Nicky will make sure he has a video of him and the way he trots as he’s not really a trotter. But he seems fine when he gallops!”
Constitution Hill would also have to get past the first qualifying vote for the major race, first held in 1861.
To qualify past the first round of voting, he would have to win a listed race of 2,300 meters (about 11 1/2 furlongs) or further, qualify in a group race of that minimum distance, or in the Ebor Handicap at York on August 22.
The winner of the Ebor gets a guaranteed start in the cup.
“I got the feeling that his connections were talking about the Ebor as an option,” Bloodworth said.
“It would come down to the weight our head handicapper assigns him, but if he continues to perform on the flat as he did at Southwell, he should meet the requirements fairly easily.”
Is he too old for the cup dream?
Another consideration is age.
Constitution Hill is 9. The Cup has never been won by a horse of that age – let alone a 10-year-old, as he would be classified as the race takes place after the horses’ ‘birthday’ in the Southern Hemisphere, on August 1.
Furthermore, only three 8-year-olds have won the cup. One was in 1865, in Toryboy. The next came in 1938, with Catalogue.
The third came much more recently, with Twilight Payment in 2020. Although he was a northern raider for Joseph O’Brien, he was technically only seven at the time.
If Constitution Hill were a candidate, a large number of Australian punters would avoid him based on his age alone.
In his favor, however, is the fact that he is extremely lightly raced for a 9-year-old, with only 14 starts.
“It’s very rare to see horses of that age competing in the Cup,” Bloodworth said. “But he has not been overly stressed during his career, even though he is an older horse.
“All you can say is that if they decide to bring him in, he will have shown his good form in flat races on grass.
“So if he’s capable of that, and based on his run on Friday you’d think he could, then I don’t think age should be an issue.
“But it would certainly be unique if a horse of that age comes for the Cup. And if he comes in good form, you would have to think he has an undeniable chance.”
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