2024 Champion Hurdle (Previously Constitution Hill thread)

[Kevloaf]

Neither. I just want him to go chasing . Preferably ending up in the Champion Chase next season which I haven't given up hope on. Then the Gold Cup the following year. I was lucky enough to see Dawn Run win her Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup in the flesh and would love to see another horse emulate what she did as it was a phenomenal experience. The punting side of it is secondary. If he were to go Supreme, Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup he could then be called the greatest of all time and I'm sure that would never ever be matched again.

The punting side of anything Constitution Hill does now is secondary isn't it .... the people betting on the distances need to reign it in IMO.

Screams of desperation to have a bet just to be involved.... a couple of guys sat watching next to me at Cheltenham we're actually moaning as he hadn't won by far enough. Might have been a bit tongue-in-cheek perhaps but either way.... missing the point that we're seeing something you might not see again in a lifetime.


My preference is to see him chasing, just because I prefer chasers ... but perhaps missing Istabraq by a few years and entering at the time of Hurricane Fly and then Faugheen means I don't have the buy-in that seeing some of the other Champion Hurdle greats would lean me towards.

[Kautostar]

Wasn’t he schooled over fences the week after aintree?

Henderson is too safe to gamble on going over fences imo, I’d love to see it but I think he’ll get his way and he’ll stay hurdling

[Lobos]

Wasn’t he schooled over fences the week after aintree?

Henderson is too safe to gamble on going over fences imo, I’d love to see it but I think he’ll get his way and he’ll stay hurdling

Schooling session held back until September.

No idea where this 'Henderson is too safe to gamble' has come from??? What about Altior, what about BD ?? If they school well he's more than happy to go chasing with them.

[darlojim]

Schooling session held back until September.

No idea where this 'Henderson is too safe to gamble' has come from??? What about Altior, what about BD ?? If they school well he's more than happy to go chasing with them.

He's previously shown he won't run his horses unless the blades of grass are 26.5mm +/- 0.1mm and are mowed in a north westerly direction after having precisely 16.2L of watering sprinkled on them in a rotary setting.

[Kautostar]

He's previously shown he won't run his horses unless the blades of grass are 26.5mm +/- 0.1mm and are mowed in a north westerly direction after having precisely 16.2L of watering sprinkled on them in a rotary setting.

And he seems to get progressively worse for it year on year. I honestly can’t see him having the balls to go chasing with CH, he’ll persuade connections to play it safe

[Lobos]

Soooooooooo boring !

[somer1]

One thing about Hendo is he loves his horses so just chillax and wait. Simples.

[Istabraq]

And he seems to get progressively worse for it year on year. I honestly can’t see him having the balls to go chasing with CH, he’ll persuade connections to play it safe

I’m waiting for Hendo to forget to enter him iand he ends up in a last minute dash to qualify for the Pertemps…

[archie]

Schooling session held back until September.

Because Nico was away and then the ground was too firm.

Had they wanted to they wouldn't have let that stop them. Every chance that, come September, the ground will still be too firm and it will be put back until "it's too late to school".

Goes hurdling again. in my view.

[RoadToCheltenham]

Wasn’t he schooled over fences the week after aintree?

Henderson is too safe to gamble on going over fences imo, I’d love to see it but I think he’ll get his way and he’ll stay hurdling

Definitely wasn't schooled and went off for summer a few weeks back now.

He's at a lovely place - same as last year

[Lobos]

Because Nico was away and then the ground was too firm.

Had they wanted to they wouldn't have let that stop them. Every chance that, come September, the ground will still be too firm and it will be put back until "it's too late to school".

Goes hurdling again. in my view.

Hugely important that Nico schools him as he knows him so well and Nicky will definitely need his take on things. They'll have plenty of time to school. It doesn't even have to be on grass.

[Odin]

Schooling session held back until September.

No idea where this 'Henderson is too safe to gamble' has come from??? What about Altior, what about BD ?? If they school well he's more than happy to go chasing with them.

Nicky has openly admitted he thinks he "ruined" (his words) Altior in the race vs Cyrname and has been ultra cautious since. Both of the names you mentioned were before this event.

I want Constitution to go chasing for my pocket - its the main antepost position I've taken - but from a sporting perspective I don't care. He's a brilliant racehorse who I hope to see in the flesh before he retires (ideally over fences so State Man/Marine can win the CHurdle and Impaire can win the Turners - which apparently also might not happen now )

[Spectre]

Because Nico was away and then the ground was too firm.

Had they wanted to they wouldn't have let that stop them. Every chance that, come September, the ground will still be too firm and it will be put back until "it's too late to school".

Goes hurdling again. in my view.

This is exactly the opinion I have on the matter too. Henderson usually schools his potential novice chasers before they go on their holidays. That hasn't happened. Whilst that in itself doesn't categorically mean he won't, I suspect Archie is spot on, and he is maneuvering the situation to stay over hurdles with Michael Buckley not getting all bent up about it.

But even then, the truth is none of us can possibly know for certain, and therefore any early antepost bets made are purely speculative. I would edge towards Constitution Hill staying over hurdles, but I can't back him for any race right now. I am in the fortunate position of having some specials up my sleeve from last season though, so that may be helping to curtail any urges.

[Lobos]

He's still 1-2 to win any race at the festival which is an incredible price should he end up over hurdles where he'd surely be 8's on.

It's a decent price whatever as he'd be favourite whichever race he turned up in and very likely odds on as well.

[Guinness Village]

Just want to see him return fit and well and unbeaten at next year’s festival.
personally, I’d like to see him do his magic over a fence, but appreciate that connections may feel differently.