Profiled: the September Stakes stars bidding to silence the Constitution Hill noise - and an 8-1 tip against him

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Constitution Hill is one of 14 entries for the Group 3 William Hill September Stakes (2.50) on Saturday at Kempton, where Nicky Henderson’s nine-year-old faces his toughest assignment since switching to the Flat.

The 2023 Champion Hurdle winner is unbeaten in two starts in this sphere following novice victories at Southwell and Kempton, but will step into Group company for the first time under Billy Loughnane.

These are his primary rivals – those 20-1 or shorter in the ante-post market – which include a dual Group 1 scorer, a German Group 1 winner and a Dante winner, plus our tipster Robbie Wilders' analysis of a fascinating race.

Bay City Roller (10-3)

Trainer: George Scott
Flat form: 41-221
Best RPR: 125

No possible rival brings stronger credentials. Bay City Roller signed off last season with a seven-length success in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Bayern before finishing second in both the Huxley Stakes and Tattersalls Gold Cup this term.

He then produced a career-best performance to rout Jan Brueghel by ten lengths – and the underperforming Calandagan by 41 lengths – in the Coronation Cup at Epsom. His sole all-weather start was a winning one, and George Scott views this as a potential stepping stone to the Arc.

However, he is not a certain runner, with Scott still considering the Prix Foy at Longchamp on Sunday, with ground conditions in Paris to determine his target as his trainer seeks to avoid quick going.

Dubai Future (20-1)

Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
Flat form: 84193
Best RPR: 118

The only runner older than Constitution Hill is ten-year-old Dubai Future, who has won ten of his 41 starts and earned more than £1.8 million in prize-money. Last year’s Dubai Gold Cup winner showed he retains plenty of ability when landing the Henry II Stakes at 28-1 in May.

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He hadn't raced over a distance as short as a mile and a half for more than two and a half years before finishing only three-quarters of a length behind Tiffany in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin last month.

Although more renowned for his exploits over staying distances in recent years, that display showed there is still plenty of life in his older legs and Bin Suroor has confirmed the plan is to run on Saturday.

Oisin Murphy-ridden Group 1 winner to lead Saeed bin Suroor's two-pronged attack on Constitution Hill at Kempton

Almeric (16-1)

Trainer: Andrew Balding
Flat form: 19-3336
Best Racing Post Rating: 119

Owner-breeder Kirsten Rausing’s colt won three of his first four starts, including two Listed successes.

He has not won this year, but finished third in the Gordon Richards, Brigadier Gerard and Princess of Wales’s Stakes before a below-par sixth in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin last month. This would be his first start on an artificial surface.

Arabian Crown (14-1)

Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Flat form: 6351-52
Best RPR: 114

Once upon a time Godolphin's now five-year-old was favourite for the Derby after he'd stormed to victory in Sandown's Classic Trial in 2024. Injury ruled him out for the rest of that season and it looked like he may not reach his full potential until showing signs of promise when winning the Listed August Stakes at Windsor last year.

Rebel's Romance (right) beats Arabian Crown in the Princess of Wales's Stakes

Arabian Crown (left) put up a big fight against stablemate Rebel's Romance on his most recent startCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

He was an unfancied 18-1 shot on his most recent start in the Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket, but gave star stablemate Rebel's Romance a major fright, going down by just half a length.

That marked a career-best performance on Racing Post Ratings and a repeat would make him very competitive, although it remains to be seen if this is definitely his target with three other Godolphin runners entered.

Gethin (9-4)

Trainer: Owen Burrows
Flat form: 22-125
Best RPR: 119

Last but certainly not least, Gethin has finished outside the first two only once in seven starts and began this season with a three-and-a-quarter-length success in the Listed Magnolia Stakes at Kempton.

Gethin (near) could not get by Ombudsman (far) in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes

Gethin and James Doyle (red cap) are just denied by Ombudsman at Sandown in MayCredit: Getty Images

Bought privately by Wathnan Racing after that performance, he pushed Ombudsman close in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes before finishing fifth in the Coral-Eclipse. He returns to a track at which he is unbeaten and heads the early betting.

Pride Of Arras (11-2)

Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Flat form: 014-82
Best RPR: 117

Brings some of the strongest form to the table.

He announced himself on the big stage when winning last year's Dante at 18-1 on only his second start. He also recovered from disappointing Derby efforts at Epsom and the Curragh to land the Great Voltigeur.

Pride Of Arras (pale blue) chased home Item in a Group 2 at York in JulyCredit: Grossick Racing (racingpost.com/photos)

He began this campaign when a well-beaten eighth in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud but looked much more like his old self when runner-up to Item in the York Stakes. That form has since been boosted emphatically by Item’s Juddmonte International success.

Tornado Alert (8-1)

Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
Flat form: 4621-4
Best RPR: 121

The second of Bin Suroor’s two entries looks to be his best chance.

This four-year-old colt finished just behind his aforementioned stablemate Dubai Future in Germany last month, although that was his first start since winning the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Munich over a year ago.

Last season he was also fourth in the 2,000 Guineas, sixth in the Derby and second in the Hampton Court. A serious threat.

Warrant Holder (14-1)

Trainer: John and Thady Gosden
Flat form: 31-120
Best RPR: 116

Bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II and owned by the King and Queen, the Frankel gelding has won three of his eight starts, and two of those victories have come on the all-weather.

He followed a York handicap success with a gallant second in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot before disappointing as favourite for the John Smith’s Cup. This would be his first appearance in stakes company, but, bar the York blip, he has been on a big upward curve.

Verdict: Tornado to take race by storm

By Robbie Wilders, tipster

Constitution Hill showed he had a future on the Flat when winning two all-weather novices at the start of the year, but this is a different ballgame and he is bottom on adjusted RPRs.

He needs to improve a stone on what he's achieved on the Flat back from a 164-day break and probably has a greater chance of cutting it in handicaps in this sphere.

Bay City Roller is the one to beat on his rampant Coronation Cup victory, but he's slapped with a 7lb penalty and is building towards the Arc, while Gethin looks a short enough price after being outclassed in the Eclipse.

I'd rather side with the only Group 1 winner in the field aside from Bay City Roller and that is Tornado Alert at 8-1.

There was cast-iron evidence that Tornado Alert was a top-level performer when he put Map Of Stars to the sword when an impressive winner of the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen on soft ground at Munich.

Map Of Stars is a good yardstick as he finished fourth to Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes the previous month and went on to win this season's Wolferton.

Tornado Alert appears to have been brought along steadily with the autumn in mind and he's entitled to take a big step forward from his good fourth to Tiffany in the Preis von Berlin a few weeks ago, given it was his first start in just over a year.

Racing Post+ subscribers can get more of Robbie Wilders' ante-post advice in Weekend Focus.