Constitution Hill and Sir Gino 'look fantastic' says Nicky Henderson as stars return to Seven Barrows following summer breaks

Nicky Henderson provided positive updates regarding Constitution Hill and Sir Gino after they both returned to Seven Barrows from their summer breaks on Monday.

The duo, who have won a combined ten Grade 1s between them, spent the majority of the summer months with Charlie Vigors at Hillwood Stud in Aldbourne, just ten miles from Henderson’s yard, after mixed fortunes last season.

Henderson said: "It’s great that two of our stars have returned after a fair few issues last season, but I’m glad they’ve both had a long summer. They both look fantastic."

Constitution Hill started last term with success in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, before following up in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham a month later.

However, after stretching his unbeaten record to ten, the problems quickly arrived as back-to-back falls in the Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle came before a below-par performance when fifth of six in the Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown festival.

Constitution Hill is on a recovery mission this season and the Bet MGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle is likely to be his first assignment at Newcastle on November 29.

Constitution Hill and James Bowen are led back after a disappointing run in the Boodles Champion HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Henderson said: "We had quite a few bits of repair work to do. We treated something internally with Constitution Hill that we think might help. He also had a full bone scan, which revealed nothing.

"We’re going to start pushing because we want to get back to the Fighting Fifth. I actually think he’s a tad leaner than he was at this stage last year, which is a good thing. We’ll do lots of jumping in the meantime, we’ll do lots of things, and he’s not going straight there. He’ll see plenty of obstacles before then. 

"The next six to eight weeks will be quite boring, but everyone has been great and hopefully we’ve ironed out any issues."

Sir Gino won last year’s Fighting Fifth before bolting up in the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase on his first start over fences. However, he was forced to miss the remainder of the season following an infection to the ligaments in his near hind leg.

Sir Gino: impressive winner of the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle last yearCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

After five weeks at Donnington Grove vets near Newbury, Sir Gino returned to Seven Barrows in March before going on a summer break.

Henderson said: "His infection grew within the ligament and it was a build up of pus, but how it gets there nobody knows. He was in hospital for a while, but it’s cleared up and all is now good. 

"All his scans reveal that everything is clean and all the pus has gone. We’ll wander very quietly with no timetables – we can’t possibly do that with him, it’s just a case of going slowly. If we kept him on a timetable we’d always be pushing, and we don’t want to be doing that."

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