'It's possible Aintree could be his last run over hurdles' - Nicky Henderson eyes chasing career for Constitution Hill

Nicky Henderson has not ruled out the possibility of his unbeaten superstar Constitution Hill switching to fences next season.

The Michael Buckley-owned six-year-old took his record to a perfect six from six with a demolition job over State Man in the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham this month, and attention now switches to the Aintree Hurdle on April 13.

Constitution Hill will bid for a sixth successive Grade 1 victory when he runs at the Grand National festival in a race that could bring an end to his hurdling career.

Henderson said: "It's possible Aintree could be his last run over hurdles. Everything is possible.

"There are more opportunities over fences to start with, which would lead to the Arkle and the Champion Chase or maybe even the Gold Cup if he stays. A real superstar is a horse that can adapt to everything."

Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson will wait until after Aintree before discussions about next seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

Henderson will sit down with Buckley and stable jockey Nico de Boinville before any decision is made.

He said: "Michael was down here the other day and we said what we would probably try to do is, about ten days after Aintree, if the ground hasn't dried up too quickly, we'll school him over fences and that'll give us an idea.

"Then we have the whole summer to sit down and discuss but if we've had one look at him schooling over fences Nico will know, and Michael and I will know, pretty well what are the options then. If he's very, very good we've got two options. His hurdling and his way of crossing a hurdle is very, very effective but you can't do that over fences."

'The road has got to be smooth the whole way'

Henderson told the Jockey Club that Constitution Hill will complete his first serious bit of work since Cheltenham this weekend.

He said: "He hasn't started his serious work yet because we've had that gap [since Cheltenham]. They have a very quiet first week, then he's started cantering again and then he'll have his first piece of work this weekend.

"The road has got to be smooth the whole way. Luckily this year, touch wood and we've still got two weeks to go, he's not had any issues and it would be very disappointing for everyone if he couldn't run."

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