Constitution Hill (horse)

British-bred racehorse competing in hurdle racing

Constitution Hill

Sire| Blue Bresil
Grandsire| Comment
Dam| Queen Of The Stage
Damsire| King's Theatre
Sex| Gelding
Foaled| 17 March 2017[1]
Colour| Bay
Breeder| Mrs S. A. Noott
Owner| Michael Buckley
Trainer| Nicky Henderson
Record| 8: 8-0-0
Earnings| £731,642
Major wins
Tolworth Novices' Hurdle (2022)
Supreme Novices' Hurdle (2022)
Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2022)
Christmas Hurdle (2022, 2023)
Champion Hurdle (2023)
Aintree Hurdle (2023)

Constitution Hill is a British Thoroughbred racehorse that competes in hurdle racing. (foaled 17 March 2017). He recorded his biggest victory when winning the 2023 Champion Hurdle and has been acclaimed as one of the best hurdlers of all time.[2][3]

## Background[edit]

Constitution Hill is a bay gelding with a small white star bred by the Worcestershire-based Sally Noott. His sire Blue Bresil won three races on the flat and was also campaigned over hurdles in France. He has sired numerous good National Hunt winners including L'Autonomie (Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil), Blue Lord (Paddy's Reward Club Chase), Royale Pagaille (Betfair Chase) and Mick Jazz (Ryanair Hurdle).[4] Constitution Hill's dam Queen of the Stage won two minor races over hurdles in Ireland. She was a distant female-line descendant of the British broodmare Our Liz.[5]

As a foal in November 2017 he was consigned Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale and was bought for €16,500 by Warren Ewing and Barry Geraghty.[6]

## Racing career[edit]

### Point-to-point racing[edit]

Constitution Hill was initially trained by Ewing and began his racing career on the amateur Point-to-point circuit by finishing second in a maiden race at Tipperary on 24 April 2021, beaten a head by Anyharminasking. The gelding was sent to the Goffs Horses in Training sale a month later and was bought for £120,000 by Nicky Henderson on behalf of Michael Buckley.[7] Henderson trained the horse at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire. He has been ridden in all of his races by Nico de Boinville.

### 2021/2022 National Hunt season[edit]

On his first appearance under National Hunt rules, Constitution Hill started the 85/40 second choice in the betting for a nine-runner novice hurdle over two miles on good to soft ground at Sandown Park Racecourse on 4 December 2021. After settling behind the leaders he took the lead after jumping the final hurdle and drew away to win by nine lengths in "impressive" fashion.[8] On 8 January 2022 the gelding was stepped up to Grade 1 class for the Tolworth Hurdle over the same distance and went off the 2/5 favourite against five opponents. He went to the front at the penultimate obstacle and steadily increased his advantage to win by twelve lengths from Jetoile.[9] After the race Henderson commented "You couldn't help but be impressed, it was staggering. It turned into a bit of a doddle but it was a Grade One race."[10]

On the opening day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival Constitution Hill started the 9/4 joint favourite alongside the Willie Mullins-trained Dysart Dynamo for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. The other seven contenders included the undefeated Jonbon (also trained by Henderson), Kilcruit (Champion INH Flat Race) and Mighty Potter (Future Champions Novice Hurdle). Constitution Hill raced in third place behind Dysart Dynamo and Jonbon before the Irish gelding fell at the third last. He overtook his stable companion two hurdles from the finish and pulled right away from his rivals to win by twenty-two lengths despite being eased down by De Boinville in the closing stages.[11] De Boinville commented "I knew it was going to be fast and furious and in fairness he did it like a piece of work. I was so happy going to the last. He could be anything, I'm sure he'd jump a fence as well. He's got so much scope."[12]

### 2022/2023 National Hunt season[edit]

Constitution Hill began his next campaign in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle Racecourse on 26 November 2022 and started the 1/4 favourite in a five runner field which included the 2020 Champion Hurdle winner Epatante and Not So Sleepy, who had won the race in 2021. He led from the start and was never in any danger of defeat, opening up a clear advantage three hurdles from the finish and coming home twelve lengths clear of Epatante.[13] After the race Henderson said "What we saw last year, it looked pretty freakish. The stats said it was, the times said it was, everything said this is a freak. I was just worried it was going to be a silly tactical race today. I said to Nico, just go and enjoy yourself, you can do anything on this horse, he’s so versatile, his brain is so good... If I pulled out 30 horses and he was in the middle of them, you wouldn’t pick him out in a million years. But he’s so wonderfully geared in his head that you can do whatever you like, make the running, drop him in, it doesn’t matter. He just does it for you.”[14]

## Pedigree[edit]

Pedigree of Constitution Hill (GB), bay gelding, 2017[1] Sire
Blue Bresil (FR)
2005  | Smadoun (FR)
1990  | Kaldoun | Caro (IRE)

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Katana
Mossma  | Tip Moss
Ticma (GB)
Miss Recif (IRE)
1995  | Exit To Nowhere (USA)  | Irish River (FR)
Coup de Folie
Miss Bresil (FR)  | Bellypha (IRE)
Lady Eglantine
Dam
Queen of the Stage (IRE)
2010  | King's Theatre (IRE)
1991  | Sadler's Wells (USA)  | Northern Dancer (CAN)
Fairy Bridge
Regal Beauty (USA)  | Princely Native
Dennis Belle
Supreme du Casse (IRE)
1999  | Supreme Leader (GB)  | Bustino
Princess Zena
Pede Gale  | Strong Gale
Deep Adventure (Family 4-i)[5]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Constitution Hill pedigree". Equineline.
2. ^ Keogh, Frank (14 March 2023). "Constitution Hill: Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner 'the horse of a generation'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
3. ^ Glendenning, Barry (14 March 2023). "Constitution Hill crowned king of Cheltenham with procession for ages". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
4. ^ "Blue Bresil Progeny". Racing Post.
5. ^ a b "Lady Alice Hawthorn - Family 4-i". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
6. ^ "The making of a star". The Owner Breeder.
7. ^ "Spring HIT/P2P Sale 2021 | Lot 446". www.goffs.com.
8. ^ "Andy Stewart - Sandown Park's Great Friend "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle result". Racing Post. 4 December 2021.
9. ^ "Tolworth Hurdle result". Racing Post. 8 January 2022.
10. ^ Townend, Marcus (8 January 2022). "Constitution Hill is the new favourite for Supreme Novices' Hurdle". Daily Mail.
11. ^ "Supreme Novices' Hurdle result". Racing Post. 15 March 2022.
12. ^ Wright, Chris (March 15, 2022). "Cheltenham Festival 2022: Constitution Hill storms to the Supreme success". Liverpool Echo.
13. ^ "Fighting Fifth Hurdle result". Racing Post. 26 November 2022.
14. ^ Wood, Greg (November 26, 2022). "Constitution Hill flies to spectacular success in Fighting Fifth Hurdle" - via The Guardian.

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Champion Hurdle winners

2021

* 1927 Blaris
* 1928 Brown Jack
* 1929 Royal Falcon
* 1930 Brown Tony
* 1932 Insurance
* 1933 Insurance
* 1934 Chenango
* 1935 Lion Courage
* 1936 Victor Norman
* 1937 Free Fare
* 1938 Our Hope
* 1939 African Sister ♥
* 1940 Solford
* 1941 Seneca
* 1942 Forestation
* 1945 Brains Trust
* 1946 Distel
* 1947 National Spirit
* 1948 National Spirit
* 1949 Hatton's Grace
* 1950 Hatton's Grace
* 1951 Hatton's Grace
* 1952 Sir Ken
* 1953 Sir Ken
* 1954 Sir Ken
* 1955 Clair Soleil
* 1956 Doorknocker
* 1957 Merry Deal
* 1958 Bandalore
* 1959 Fare Time
* 1960 Another Flash
* 1961 Eborneezer
* 1962 Anzio
* 1963 Winning Fair
* 1964 Magic Court
* 1965 Kirriemuir
* 1966 Salmon Spray
* 1967 Saucy Kit
* 1968 Persian War
* 1969 Persian War
* 1970 Persian War
* 1971 Bula
* 1972 Bula
* 1973 Comedy of Errors
* 1974 Lanzarote
* 1975 Comedy of Errors
* 1976 Night Nurse
* 1977 Night Nurse
* 1978 Monksfield
* 1979 Monksfield
* 1980 Sea Pigeon
* 1981 Sea Pigeon
* 1982 For Auction
* 1983 Gaye Brief
* 1984 Dawn Run ♥
* 1985 See You Then
* 1986 See You Then
* 1987 See You Then
* 1988 Celtic Shot
* 1989 Beech Road
* 1990 Kribensis
* 1991 Morley Street
* 1992 Royal Gait
* 1993 Granville Again
* 1994 Flakey Dove ♥
* 1995 Alderbrook
* 1996 Collier Bay
* 1997 Make A Stand
* 1998 Istabraq
* 1999 Istabraq
* 2000 Istabraq
* 2002 Hors La Loi III
* 2003 Rooster Booster
* 2004 Hardy Eustace
* 2005 Hardy Eustace
* 2006 Brave Inca
* 2007 Sublimity
* 2008 Katchit
* 2009 Punjabi
* 2010 Binocular
* 2011 Hurricane Fly
* 2012 Rock On Ruby
* 2013 Hurricane Fly
* 2014 Jezki
* 2015 Faugheen
* 2016 Annie Power ♥
* 2017 Buveur d'Air
* 2018 Buveur d'Air
* 2019 Espoir d'Allen
* 2020 Epatante ♥
* 2021 Honeysuckle ♥
* 2022 Honeysuckle ♥
* 2023 Constitution Hill

Legend \- ♥ = Mare

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