Constitution Hill Kempton: A Key Race for the Champion Horse

“We’re not running him for experience or anything like that. He doesn’t need experience. The crux of it is that we probably need to get him a handicap mark and so this is the second leg,” said trainer Nicky Henderson, highlighting the strategic importance of Constitution Hill’s upcoming race at Kempton Park.

Scheduled for March 19, 2026, Constitution Hill is entered for the Virgin Bet Novice Stakes, marking his second appearance on the Flat after a successful debut at Southwell, where he won by an impressive nine and a half lengths. This race is crucial for the horse, as it aims to establish a handicap mark that will facilitate his entry into more competitive events.

Constitution Hill, owned by Michael Buckley, has a storied history as an outstanding hurdler, having won the G1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by 22 lengths at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and the 2023 Champion Hurdle. However, his recent performances have been marred by falls in three of his last four outings over hurdles, prompting the transition to Flat racing.

Ryan Moore is set to ride Constitution Hill in this race, while Oisin Murphy, who would typically be in the saddle, is suspended for eight days from March 24-31. Henderson noted that the decision to race at Kempton is not merely for practice but a calculated move to secure a handicap mark. “It’s not the practice he needs, but we’ve got to be getting ahead in trying to get him a handicap mark, so we feel it’s better to get it done this way,” he added.

As the race approaches, Henderson remains optimistic about Constitution Hill’s condition. “Nico [de Boinville] came and sat on him this morning, only because he’s ridden him in all of his gallops and knows him very well. I asked him to sit on him and he said he felt in good form,” Henderson stated, providing reassurance to fans and followers of the horse.

Barney Clifford, a key figure in the racing community, expressed hopes for a strong turnout at the event. “I hope people will come. Looking at what he did at Southwell, both with his performance and the press he generated, hopefully it’ll gather momentum and we’ll be rewarded at the track on Wednesday,” he remarked, emphasizing the excitement surrounding Constitution Hill’s return to the track.

Following the Kempton race, Constitution Hill’s next potential outing is the G3 John Porter Stakes at Newbury on April 18, just three weeks later. Currently, he is priced between 14-1 and 16-1 for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, while Paddy Power has installed him at 2-7 for the upcoming contest at Kempton.

As the anticipation builds for Constitution Hill’s race at Kempton Park, the horse’s journey from a celebrated hurdler to a promising Flat racer continues to captivate the racing world. Details remain unconfirmed regarding any further developments leading up to the race, but the focus remains on this pivotal moment in Constitution Hill’s career.