Nicky Henderson expects decision on Constitution Hill's next race soon and explains why Ebor tilt was cancelled

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Nicky Henderson admitted on Tuesday that he ran out of time to get Constitution Hill ready for a tilt at the Sky Bet Ebor after entering and then withdrawing the nine-year-old from the race.

Owned by Michael Buckley, Constitution Hill had initially featured among the entries on Tuesday for the historic contest at York’s Ebor meeting next month, but was taken out again before the midday cut-off point.

Constitution Hill last ran in March when winning for the second time from as many starts on the Flat, but would have needed to have run for a third time before a week on Saturday to have qualified for the Ebor, a scenario Henderson said was not feasible.

Constitution Hill was withdrawn from the EborCredit: Getty Images

He said: “He’s got to have a third run before he could have gone to the Ebor and I’ve just not got time for that. I haven’t got a race in mind for him at the moment. I talked to Michael this morning, we’re going to have a sit down. 

“He’d be ready for the Ebor, but he’s not qualified. We’ll have to do something else, if only there was a good Listed race for him somewhere. There’s no plans, but we’re going to make one. He was in good form this morning, he seemed very happy.”

Henderson was speaking after attending a Westminster Hall debate on the future of horseracing, which included MPs discussing the potential for Kempton Park to be sold for housing.

The trainer added: “Kempton’s been the big conversation today but we ought to bring Constitution Hill up again – he’s won two Christmas Hurdles and that all-weather race. He’s not a bad advertisement for the track.”

Constitution Hill has been reinvented as a Flat performer this year by Henderson after falling in three of his last four outings over hurdles. In his two starts to date on the all-weather, he has won by nine and a half lengths and two lengths, the latter start coming under a 7lb penalty.

While Constitution Hill does not feature in entries for the £500,000 handicap on August 22, a total of 71 horses have been put forward for the race including the Henderson-trained Goblet Of Fire.

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