Stephen Welch's NAP of the Day (29th November)
2 minutes Today is redemption day for Constitution Hill
2:00 Newcastle
CONSTITUTION HILL - 7/4
Today is redemption day for Constitution Hill. Once the most feared two-mile hurdler on the planet, the eight-year-old returns to the scene of his 2022 demolition job with questions to answer, but also with the unmistakable sense that a revival could be imminent. His spring campaign fell apart after two uncharacteristic falls and a flat Punchestown effort, but Nicky Henderson has had a long, uninterrupted preparation this time and has rebuilt him with the patience and precision only he seems capable of when dealing with a superstar in need of restoring, Sprinter Sacre being the obvious precedent.
At his peak, Constitution Hill operates at a level none of these have yet shown. His raw cruising speed, accuracy at hurdles and ability to put a race to bed without coming off the bridle are still unmatched in this division. If the engine remains intact and if the schooling at Seven Barrows has straightened out the kinks that developed late last season, he should still be the one they have to get past.
There is proper opposition, though, more than you’d usually expect in a Fighting Fifth. Anzadam is unbeaten, explosive and the latest Mullins import to arrive with “superstar potential” stamped across him. The New Lion is faultless in five starts and already a dual Grade 1 winner with form over further, while Golden Ace and Nemean Lion bring proven class at this level, even if both look slightly up against it. It’s a deeper, hungrier field than the one he brushed aside here three years ago.
Verdict: This is no walk in the park, Constitution Hill must deliver and he must do it against two rising stars who don’t yet know their limits. But class is class and if the fire still burns as brightly as Henderson believes it does, CONSTITUTION HILL can reassert his authority over the division and remind everyone why he’s still the most naturally gifted hurdler we’ve seen in a generation. A confident and emotional NAP.
