Constitution Hill dazzled at Southwell and received an ovation before a massive crowd
- Turf Diario
- 13 hours ago
- 3 min read
With Oisin Murphy on the irons, the hurdles champion achieved an overwhelming victory in his debut on the flat racing scene
SOUTHWELL, England (Special for Turf Diario).- British turf experienced one of those nights that remain in the collective memory. The hurdles champion Constitution Hill debuted on the flat and turned curiosity into a spectacle, crushing his rivals by 9 1/2 lengths in the SBK Road To Cheltenham Novice Stakes (2400 m) on Friday at Southwell.
There was expectation, cameras, an unusual crowd for a night meeting on a synthetic track, and a growing murmur every time the son of Blue Bresil appeared on screen. But what he offered in the final straight surpassed any script.
Always well-positioned, galloping comfortably within range of the lead, the 6-4 favorite advanced while still being held by Oisin Murphy upon entering the stretch. When the champion jockey asked for the effort, the 9-year-old bay changed gears with an authority that recalled his best afternoons over the hurdles and left Square Necker (Zarak) lost in the rearview mirror. It was a seamless triumph, almost insulting in its clarity.
“In the mornings he felt like a machine,” Murphy confessed. “It wasn’t a race of great depth, and if he continues on the flat, he will have more demanding commitments, but the feeling was the same as always. For a big horse coming from jumping, he has a lot of speed. It is a pleasure to ride him.”
The exhibition reignited the debate. Could he have a future on the Flat? Murphy himself suggested that his next start, if he continues in this discipline, could be in a black-type event. However, trainer Nicky Henderson preferred to cool the euphoria.
“It was incredible. Oisin said he has a career in flat racing, but perhaps we should have done it 4 years ago… we would be traveling the world!” he joked. “He is not a summer horse in this division. There are many options, including the Champion Hurdle.”
Because it is worth remembering that Constitution Hill won his first 10 races over obstacles, including the 2023 Champion Hurdle, one of his 8 G1 conquests. Then came the injuries, falls, and doubts. This victory, beyond the context, has the scent of redemption.
From a genetic point of view, the outlook is also interesting. He is the first of 7 foals out of Queen Of The Stage(King’s Theatre), and his maternal line connects with Deep Adventure (Deep Run), related to the mythical Denys Adventure (Saint Denys), winner of the Arkle Chase in 1973.
The result catapulted him to 7-4 in the betting for the upcoming Champion Hurdle. But beyond numbers and markets, what became clear at Southwell was something else: Constitution Hill still has that different engine, that ability to accelerate and break races in a matter of seconds.
Perhaps it is not the start of an international campaign on the flat. Maybe it was just an experiment, a mental and physical trial by fire. But for one night, the champion felt invincible once again. And the public, who attended out of curiosity, left with the certainty of having witnessed something special.
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