Champion Hurdle Favourite Constitution Hill to Miss Cheltenham

Constitution Hill (GB) (Blue Bresil {Fr}) will not run at the Cheltenham Festival, trainer Nicky Henderson has announced.

The unbeaten and defending Champion Hurdle hero worked poorly at Kempton Park last Tuesday, putting his participation at the showpiece meeting in major doubt.

A scope showed mucus in his lungs and despite slightly more positive news in the following days, results of a blood test on Thursday proved to be another blow.

However, Henderson stressed that another blood test on Monday would probably prove to be the “acid test”, and on receiving the results he posted on his Twitter account, “Very sadly we are going to have to admit defeat in the battle to get Constitution Hill ready for the Champion Hurdle and therefore have to declare that he will not be running there this year.

“He has undoubtedly improved over the weekend and seems noticeably brighter than he was at the end of last week and I really did think he was much perkier when ridden this morning.

“Unfortunately the all important blood test shows that although the figures have also improved, they are quite a way from being satisfactory for a horse to commence serious training and to race in a week's time.

“There are three significant markers on the blood test all of which have come down since Thursday's sample but are still raised enough to indicate that he has not fully recovered from whatever was ailing him.

“The only way to continue the improvement is not to stress him and he obviously cannot run in these Olympic games if he's not trained sufficiently.

“This is very sad for all of us and particularly Michael [Buckley, owner] but it is in everybody's best interests that we ensure we have a fit and healthy Constitution Hill to win back his crown next year.”

The Willie Mullins-trained State Man (Fr) (Doctor Dino {Fr}), who was the nine-length runner-up to Constitution Hill in last year's Champion Hurdle, is now the 1-3 favourite for the race.

 

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Royal Jumpers Being Primed for the Festival

It was the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother who was the major supporter of National Hunt racing within Britain's Royal Family, but King Charles III and Queen Camilla could be represented at the Cheltenham Festival with both Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Steal A March (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) under consideration for the March showcase.

Reach For The Moon, now five, won the G3 Solario S. at two as well as finishing runner-up in the G2 Champagne S., and was at one stage considered a potential Derby candidate. Last September, he moved from the stable of John and Thady Gosden to join National Hunt trainer Jamie Snowden. Though yet to race over hurdles, the gelding has been given an entry for the G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle on March 12 and will be campaigned in partnership by HM The Queen and Sir Chips Keswick. He is now registered in the colours of the latter, the former chairman of Arsenal FC.

Snowden said of the 105-rated performer on the Flat, “He was obviously a very good horse for John and Thady Gosden and he was a leading contender at one stage for the 2022 Derby.

“He had a few little issues on the Flat hence the reason why he has ended up jumping with us as opposed to doing anything else. With a horse that has that kind of rating on the Flat, we have to give him an entry in the Supreme, but we will see how he takes to everything over the next month to six weeks.

“Racing is steeped in the tradition of the royal family. The Queen Mother loved it, and the late Queen was a big supporter of the sport. It is wonderful that the King and the Queen are supporting racing as much as ever before.”

He added, “We have got some nice horses for them and hopefully Reach For The Moon can fly the flag high. We are lucky to have a horse of his talent and hopefully we can do him justice.”

Reach For The Moon was bred by Queen Elizabeth II, as was Steal A March, who runs in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle series qualifier at Huntingdon on Thursday.

Trained by Nicky Henderson for the King and Queen, the 9-year-old missed last year's Festival with a setback. He recently returned at Newbury after a year off the track.

Henderson said, “Steal A March was going to the Cheltenham Festival last year, and he was all ready for it, but he had a little issue three weeks before which was real bad luck.

“He has got a run under his belt, which is a help, as he needs a huge amount of work. He is a horse that takes plenty of getting ready. The step back up in trip to three miles one (furlong) will suit him as well.

“That was the plan to have Steal A March run at the Cheltenham Festival last year so let's hope we can do it this year.”

The King's niece, Zara Tindall, shares her great-grandmother's love of jump racing and is on the committee of Cheltenham Racecourse as well as being patron of the Retraining of Racehorses charity.

 

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Retraining of Racehorses Hosts Cricket Tournament Fundraiser

The Retraining of Racehorses Racing to Cricket tournament is set for Sunday, Sept. 3 at the Wormsley Cricket Ground on the Getty Estate, near High Wycombe. Teams from the yards of Nicky Henderson, Richard Hannon, Ben Pauling, Jack Channon, as well as the combined Newmarket trainers' team of George Boughey, James Ferguson and Charlie Fellowes will compete to win the RoR Racing to Cricket trophy.

A champagne reception, as well as a buffet lunch and traditional cricket tea in the private marquee, will be offered but tickets for the event are limited in quantity. To book or for more information, visit the RoR website.

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Time Test Nomination One Of The Highlights Of Starlight Charity Auction

A 2024 nomination to The National Stud's Time Test (GB) is among the lots of a charity auction organised by trainer Nicky Henderson. Set for Newbury Racecourse on Friday, May 19, all proceeds of the auction will go toward the children's charity The Starlight Foundation. Friday is the first day of the Lockinge meeting at the racecourse.

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