Constitution Hill’s remarkable switch to Flat racing could take him all the way to Australia, with the Melbourne Cup once again being discussed as a possible target.
The former Champion Hurdle winner is back in training with Nicky Henderson and is expected to make his next appearance at Windsor on Saturday 29 August.
A strong result in the Listed August Stakes could help Constitution Hill meet part of the entry conditions for the Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November.
The plan remains unlikely and there are several problems to solve. However, the fact that Australia is being discussed at all shows how much Constitution Hill’s career has changed since his final appearance over jumps.
Windsor Is the Preferred Next Race
Constitution Hill is being prepared for the Listed August Stakes at Windsor, which is run over just short of a mile and a half.
The race would be his third appearance on the Flat and his first since winning at Kempton in March.
He began his Flat campaign with a nine-length victory at Southwell in February. That was followed by another win at Kempton, where Ryan Moore was able to learn more about the former Cheltenham star.
Constitution Hill was due to run in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury in April, but Henderson withdrew him because the ground was considered too firm.
The trainer has continued to put the horse’s health first, even when it has meant missing valuable races. Constitution Hill is now back in work at Seven Barrows, with the Windsor meeting chosen as the main option for his return.
The Group Two Prix Kergorlay at Deauville on 23 August is another possible race. Ryan Moore is said to have suggested the French contest after riding Constitution Hill at Kempton.
However, the dates mean he cannot run at both Deauville and Windsor. Henderson currently appears to favour staying closer to home.
Melbourne Cup Talk Returns
A Melbourne Cup run was discussed soon after Constitution Hill moved to the Flat, but Henderson initially dismissed the idea.
The trainer said in March that the horse would not be going to Melbourne, citing the long trip and the strict checks placed on overseas runners.
That position has softened following a visit to Seven Barrows from a Racing Victoria official.
Henderson described the visit as unusual, as Melbourne Cup runners are not normally found in a yard best known for training jump horses.
Racing Victoria is keen to attract leading international runners to Flemington. Constitution Hill would create huge interest in Britain, Ireland and Australia if he were able to take part.
Henderson has stressed that a trip remains very unlikely. Yet he has also admitted that connections would have to consider it if Constitution Hill qualified and everything fell into place.
That is a clear change from the firm rejection issued earlier in the year.
Constitution Hill Must Improve His Rating
The first problem is Constitution Hill’s Flat rating.
He is currently rated 101, while horses near the bottom of the Melbourne Cup field normally need a rating closer to 108.
An impressive victory at Windsor could lead to a rise, but Henderson doubts whether one performance would be enough to gain the full seven pounds required.
The trainer’s team has therefore been checking possible races in Ireland, France and Germany that Constitution Hill could contest during September.
Entry into the Melbourne Cup also depends on more than a handicap rating. Overseas runners must meet set qualifying conditions based on the level and distance of their previous races.
Winning a Listed race over at least 2,300 metres would help Constitution Hill’s case. The August Stakes is run over a suitable distance, which gives the Windsor appearance added importance.
A finish in the first three in a qualifying Group race could provide another route.
Even if Constitution Hill meets those conditions, he would not be certain to make the final Melbourne Cup field. His rating, weight and place in the entry order would still need to be considered.
Why Constitution Hill Left Jump Racing
The move to the Flat followed a difficult period in which Constitution Hill fell three times in four races over jumps.
He had previously been unbeaten during the first ten appearances of his career and looked set to dominate the Champion Hurdle division for years.
His finest afternoon came at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, where he won the Champion Hurdle by nine lengths under Nico de Boinville.
The success followed his 22-length win in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle a year earlier.
However, his jumping became less reliable. Falls at Aintree, Kempton and Newcastle led Henderson and owner Michael Buckley to reconsider his future.
After his successful Flat debut at Southwell, they confirmed that he would not return for the 2026 Champion Hurdle. The safety of the horse and his rider was placed ahead of another attempt at Cheltenham.
Constitution Hill is now unbeaten in two Flat appearances, although he has not yet raced at Group level.
Could He Really Run at Flemington?
There is a long way to go before Constitution Hill can be considered a likely Melbourne Cup runner.
He must return safely, perform well at Windsor or Deauville, improve his rating and satisfy the race’s entry conditions.
Connections would then have to decide whether the long flight and strict checks were right for a nine-year-old horse whose welfare has guided every recent decision.
His odds for the Melbourne Cup have been cut from 20/1 to 16/1, but that market move reflects public interest as much as a firm racing plan.
For now, Windsor is the real target. Australia is a fascinating possibility sitting much further down the line.
Constitution Hill will always be closely linked with Cheltenham, but the closing chapter of his career may now be written far away from Prestbury Park.
