Nicky Henderson 'wouldn't rule out a trip to Ireland' with Constitution Hill

Constitution Hill may get the chance to take on Honeysuckle before the Cheltenham Festival, with trainer Nicky Henderson pondering the Irish Champion Hurdle in February due to a lack of domestic options for his star before March.

Constitution Hill was shortened to odds-on favourite with all bookmakers for the Unibet Champion Hurdle after his scintillating display in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle last weekend, with his next target set to be the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on December 26.

However, plans after that race are fluid, according to Henderson, with the trainer’s preferred option of the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown in February – which he had won with the likes of Binocular and Buveur D’Air – not possible after it was removed from the race programme.

While Henderson was far from committed to heading for the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on February 5 with Constitution Hill, he admitted the timing worked well as part of the run up to the Cheltenham Festival if he wanted to run the five-year-old rather than go straight to the meeting without another outing after Kempton.

Henderson said: “We have a plan with Constitution Hill but that only takes us up until Christmas. I wouldn’t rule out a trip to Ireland as there’s a lack of races to run him in here before Cheltenham.

“The Kingwell Hurdle [at Wincanton on February 18] doesn’t look a great race for him and the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown, that I loved, has been thrown away. There’s the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial on January 21, so that’s possible, but it feels like either no more races after Christmas for him [before the Cheltenham Festival] or a trip to Ireland.”

Nicky Henderson: 'I adore Honeysuckle and think she's a fantastic mare'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Henderson also agreed with comments made by Honeysuckle’s owner Kenny Alexander that the rivalry between the pair was “great for the sport” and that a clash, whenever it came, would be highly anticipated.

“I concur with everything Kenny said,” Henderson said. “I adore Honeysuckle and think she’s a fantastic mare.

“We had thought about going over the Punchestown to take her on with Constitution Hill [in April], but Peter Molony [Kenny Alexander’s racing manager] said ‘how would you feel if you were responsible for slaying Bambi’s mother?’. Everybody wants to see it and it will lovely if it does happen, and it will most likely happen in March.”

Honeysuckle makes her seasonal return in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday when she will be seeking a record-breaking fourth win in the race.

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