{"id":20208,"date":"2024-11-22T13:13:42","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T13:13:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/?p=20208"},"modified":"2024-11-22T13:54:14","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T13:54:14","slug":"constitution-hill-drifts-in-fighting-fifth-hurdle-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/constitution-hill-drifts-in-fighting-fifth-hurdle-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Constitution Hill ‘Unlikely’ To Run In Fighting Fifth Hurdle After Fresh Injury Concern, Says Henderson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having drifted in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle market, his trainer Nicky Henderson has confirmed that Constitution Hill is an ‘unlikely runner’<\/em> in the Newcastle Saturday 30th November – due to a fresh injury concern that’s surfaced since his recent Newbury racecourse gallop.
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Constitution Hill<\/strong> Suffers ‘FRESH’ Injury and Expected To MISS Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle<\/h2>\n

The signs were there on Friday, as eagle-eyed horse racing<\/a> fans noticed that Constitution Hill was drifting in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle market – the race he was expected to make his comeback in.<\/p>\n

These rumours quickly turned to reality when his trainer Nicky Henderson took to X (Twitter) to give a statement that confirmed a new Constitution Hill injury has surfaced since his Newbury gallop on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Henderson, who was at Ascot racecourse at the time, went onto say. “The horse (Constitution Hill) was found to be sore after the gallop. It’s a tragic problem and issue but is under investigation as the reason for this is not apparent.”<\/em><\/p>\n

He added “This is not a retirement call, and the horse was bright and breezy after the gallop – but is unlikely to make the Newcastle race (Fighting Fifth Hurdle) next weekend (30th Nov).”<\/em><\/p>\n

You can see the full Constitution Hill statement<\/a> here.<\/p>\n

Constitution Hill Didn’t Impress Some In Recent Newbury Gallop<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Having bolted up in the 2023 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton last December, the wheels came off Constitution Hill’s<\/strong> Champion Hurdle defence as the Nicky Henderson star was forced to miss the big Cheltenham Festival race through injury.<\/p>\n

However, with a summer to recover the signs at Seven Barrows were positive that he’ll be back for the 2024\/25 jumps season and, if back to his best, would certainly be the one to beat in the 2025 Champion Hurdle.<\/p>\n

His intended return run remains the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle – a race he won easily in 2022 – and to help prepare Constitution Hill for that Grade One, the Henderson team sent him to Newbury for a racecourse gallop<\/a> on Tuesday 19th November.<\/p>\n

He worked with Sir Gino (watch below), but after travelling well for much of the gallop his jockey Nico de Boinville reported that he ‘blew a bit’<\/em> in the last few furlongs. Ending the workout behind his stablemate.<\/p>\n

De Boinville and Henderson went onto say after the gallop that the horse was fine and that he’ll improve for the work – “that’s what these gallops are all about”<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Despite this, Constitution Hill was still dislodged as favourite for the 2025 Champion Hurdle<\/a> – with Lossiemouth, who is in action in the Morgiana Hurdle<\/a> at Punchestown on Saturday, leapfrogging him with most of the best horse racing betting sites in the UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n