Constitution Hill’s thrilling comeback has him on course for Champion Hurdle
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The delight and relief that swirled around Constitution Hill as he extended his unbeaten record to nine starts here on Thursday expressed itself in various ways. Nicky Henderson, his trainer, was teary, the punters who sent him off favourite were jubilant and Nico de Boinville, the winner’s jockey, was rounding on the critics. “It was definitely worth the wait,” he told an ITV racing reporter shortly after their handing only a second career defeat to the excellent mare, Lossiemouth. “And one more thing. Paddy Brennan, you can shove that where the sun don’t shine.”.
![[Banbridge, ridden by Paul Townend, wins the King George VI Chase at Kempton.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/926e8f82db445df946b046bfd2b61b52edb4ac1c/712_799_4835_2901/master/4835.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
It was, perhaps, a little unnecessary in what is, after all, a game of opinions, and his former weighing-room colleague’s pre-race view that Lossiemouth would emerge victorious was clearly shared by many, as she set off at 11-8. But it was a clear sign of the pressure that had been building in the weeks leading up to Constitution Hill’s oft-delayed return to action, and the immense relief that, as de Boinville had told Henderson after an impressive gallop in late November, “we’re back”.
The drama in Thursday’s contest was in the emotion and significance as much as the race itself. Lossiemouth never really threatened to close down Constitution Hill, who travelled and jumped with all his familiar fluency throughout, after de Boinville sent him to the front jumping the second-last.
But it also teed up a compelling rematch with State Man, the Champion Hurdle winner in Constitution Hill’s absence last season, in the feature race on day one at Cheltenham in March, and possibly Lossiemouth too, although the Mares’ Hurdle, which she won last season, suddenly looks like a more attractive target.
