Sleepy Constitution Hill a Newbury absentee - but a Fighting Fifth contender may have emerged

Nicky Henderson said Constitution Hill is where he needs to be in his work before his comeback run at Newcastle on Saturday week, so chose not to bring his stable star to Newbury for a morning gallop on Tuesday.

Last season's Champion Hurdle winner is set to follow the same route as he did last season, starting with the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth before heading to the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day and then the Cheltenham Festival in March.

In the past Henderson has brought Constitution Hill along with some of his other string to Newbury’s Coral Gold Cup gallops morning, but was confident the seven-time winner was in the best shape possible and even joked he was "probably asleep at home" because of his relaxed temperament.

He said: "He’s really well and I’m really happy. I should be here at Newbury next week, but he’ll be at Newcastle and he’s where we want him to be in his work.

"I didn’t need to bring him here. He has been in the past but he’s already been here once and we’ll stick to the plan."

Constitution Hill pictured winning last year's Fighting Fifth HurdleCredit: John Grossick

Henderson is the leading trainer in the Fighting Fifth with eight wins, having won the Grade 1 in five of the last six years, and said that it was the only race where Constitution Hill could go for his comeback run.

He said: "We’ve always used it for the likes of Epatante and Buveur D’Air. There are only five Grade 1s in the season for those types of horses, so you haven’t got options, you have to do it as there’s nowhere else to go."

Fellow Lambourn trainer Jamie Snowden was also in attendance at Newbury on Tuesday as Ga Law and Datsalrightgino stepped up their preparations for the Coral Gold Cup on December 2.

However, it’s another one of his stars who could possibly take on Constitution Hill at Newcastle as last season’s Cheltenham Festival winner You Wear It Well is entered into the race.

You Wear It Well: tough and talented mare could take on Constitution Hill at NewcastleCredit: john grossick

He said: "All roads hopefully lead to the Cheltenham Festival and we’ll work our way back from there. The obvious route for her would be Sandown in January, Warwick in February and Cheltenham in March.

"We just need to make a decision on if we should go anywhere with her in December or keep our powder dry. She holds an entry for Newcastle, but everything is under consideration and there’s someone called Constitution Hill in there so we’ll see."

The six-year-old mare enjoyed a strong campaign last season, winning four of her six starts including the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, and again impressed Snowden when landing a Listed Mares’ Hurdle at Wetherby on her seasonal debut this month.

He added: "She’s in good order and she came out of that Listed race well. The form of that has obviously been boosted with Luccia running well in the Greatwood Hurdle and she’s working well."

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