"The mercurial career of Constitution Hill took a dramatic upward turn on Friday as the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner turned his belated Flat debut into a procession up the Southwell straight, coming home nine and a half lengths clear of the runner-up, with Oisin Murphy, the champion jockey, motionless in his saddle. Even those closest to Constitution Hill were left astonished by his performance, which may make it increasingly likely that the champion jumping horse who had famously forgotten how to jump will now switch to racing on the Flat full-time."
"I couldn't have dreamed that one up, I must admit, Nicky Henderson, the nine-year-old's trainer, said. We probably should have sorted this about four years ago, shouldn't we? It's nice to be back with positive vibes, we've got lots to look forward to and lots of decisions to make. One thought this would tell us roughly what we would do and this does open up a lot of doors, doesn't it?"
"Michael Buckley, Constitution Hill's owner, has suffered more than anyone as a horse who was already established as one of the finest hurdlers of all time has had a series of setbacks. The possibility of Constitution Hill running on the Flat at all would have been unthinkable just 11 months ago, when he went to post as the 1-2 favourite for the Champion Hurdle."
Constitution Hill produced a commanding nine-and-a-half-length victory on his belated Flat debut at Southwell, with jockey Oisin Murphy motionless as the horse strode clear. The nine-year-old 2023 Champion Hurdle winner's performance surprised even those closest to him and increased the likelihood of a permanent switch from hurdles to Flat racing. Trainer Nicky Henderson expressed astonishment and cautious optimism, noting the result opens many options and requires careful decision-making. Owner Michael Buckley endured multiple setbacks after falls at Cheltenham and Newcastle that had made a Flat campaign unlikely, but the Southwell display has accelerated consideration of the horse's future direction.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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