Consitution Hill lived up to his star billing with a stunning victory in the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy on the opening day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.
Nicky Henderson's six-year-old – sent off the shortest-priced favourite at 4-11 in Champions Hurdle history – was already being compared to some of the greats of both codes of racing. And he took another step towards being possibly regarded as the best ever with superb nine-length victory in the Grade One feature under Nico De Boinville.
It is now six wins from six starts and five in a row at the top level, as the Michael Buckley-owned hurdler, who Henderson described afterwards as 'an extraordindary horse', produced the brilliant success everyone hoped he would. Sitting just off the pace set by outsider I Like To Move It, Constitution Hill was travelling – as he does – supremely well under De Boinville. Then he moved to the lead over the third-last hurdle and had his main market rival – Willie Mullins' State Man (7-2) – trying in vain to go with him. But there was little chance of an upset and Constitution Hill moved clear to secure a wonderful win in the two-mile championship.
READ MORE: Full 73 current entries for the 2023 Randox Grand National at Aintree
Henderson, who was winning a record-extending ninth Champion Hurdle victory, said: "I've got watery eyes, I always have and I always will have, but that will bring tears to most eyes when you see a horse that is like that because I think it's pretty unique. He's just an extraordinary horse. You can't believe at this stage of his life he's doing things like that. He is just remarkable and Nico is great, he's a cool boy isn't he! You are always worried something is going to go wrong, if you haven't done enough, or this or that or the other – he hasn't run since Christmas.
"Of course there is pressure on, it's always fun but underneath it, it's not quite as much fun as you think it is. When it's over, I promise you it is. I've had 12 months of anxious moments, but that is our life and the closer it gets the more anxious you get. Have we done this and have we done that, but there is a brilliant team behind it all and they have been fantastic. We all know the last few weeks are horrible, I hope I haven't been too bad but they have been absolutely brilliant.
"Only one of these horses come along in a lifetime. You can't get a horse like this if you only have one horse, you have to have a lot of horses to find one of these and we are lucky. I think it is extraordinary that is just the sixth race of his life and he's doing that now. We had some wonderful days here with Sprinter Sacre, in particular his comeback Champion Chase, that was about as unique as it got – but this horse is going to extraordinary levels at the moment.
"We are very lucky to be the custodians of this horse, but then the trouble is the responsibility that comes with that."
When asked if Constitution Hill was the best horse he has ever trained, Henderson added: "We'll sleep on that one. They always say you should never paint a horse until he's retired. It took me a long time before I would say Sprinter was better than say See You Then, but I had to admit it in the end. Altior was another great horse.
"We've just been very lucky, but this looks totally unique - he's just so unflappable. I went to see him last night and fed him a pocket full of carrots and then Jaydon (Lee, stable lad) went to give him another ton of carrots but nothing worries him, he just ate them. I was saying you need to be eating something that is good for you, not carrots - you're not racing in the dark!"
READ MORE: Grand National 2023: dates, tickets and how to watch on TV
Winning jockey De Boinville was delighted to partner such a wonderful horse. He said: "What a horse, just absolutely delighted. He's given me a terrific spin and I'm delighted for Michael (Buckley, owner)."The guv'nor had him in great order and I think he's proved to everyone what a fabulous racehorse he is.
"Constitution Hill's jumping took me there all the time and I just used the hills to fill him up again. I didn't see one (a stride) at the last, but he did – I had visions of Annie Power! Thankfully, he knows better than me. He was foot-perfect everywhere. For the last two weeks I just decided to switch off all the white noise as it was just ridiculous – everybody was talking about it.
De Boinville joins an elite band of jockey which includes the likes of Sir AP McCoy, Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty to have won the three Festival championship contest – the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup. He said: "On a personal level, it's been a dream of mine to get the big three and I'm delighted I've achieved it."
Owner Buckley was winning a first Champion Hurdle and he said: “I first came here when I was 19 when the three big races were the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup and I never thought I’d own a horse let alone have runner in this or have a winner in this. I can’t say I’ve had a better day on the racecourse ever. I think probably not (going to Ireland) this year. It is a rare year in that such a nice long gap between here and Aintree. Maybe we will think about that another day. I’d like to come to Ireland.”
Former jockey Barry Geraghty rode a joint-record four Champion Hurdles, all for Henderson. He also sold Constitution Hill to owner Michael Buckley but said: “That was my scariest moment at Cheltenham. I’ve been fine all the way then 15 minutes before the race it started hitting me. I don’t normally get anxious but I watched the race with Nicky, Sophie and Michael and that was magic.
“There was relief with every jump. He is brilliant at what he does but he is just so special. To see the crowds here shows that everyone has brought into him and he keeps delivering. There is no doubt he is very special but he is very special to everyone connected with him. I’ve had my kids all ride him at home and that is both unusual and different. It is surreal to watch him play with the opposition how he does. He is a real natural. He is trained by a genius and ridden by one to. Nico kept it so simple and that is not always the easiest thing to do at Cheltenham. He went out with a plan and he has stuck with it. You eliminate potential risks doing that and let the horse do the talking. It was a piece of magic.”
Mullins, trainer of the runner-up State Man and also fourth-placed Vauban (16-1), said: "We ran very well, we've just met a proper champion hurdler so we've no excuses. Well done to Nicky and Michael and all the team. Nico gave him a brave man's ride, he had the confidence he was on the best horse and that was the race he rode – I'm delighted for all connections."
Dual Champion Hurdle heroine Honeysuckle bounced back to land an emotional fourth and final Cheltenham Festival victory in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Registered As The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle).
Having started her unbeaten run at Cheltenham with victory in this Mares' Hurdle in 2019, the Henry De Bromhead-trained nine-year-old scored on her final start in the 2m4f contest having won two Champion Hurdles in the meantime.
Having bypassed the chance to bid for a third Champion Hurdle victory and a clash with Constitution Hill back against her own sex she proved well up to the task. Under Rachael Blackmore Honeysuckle, sent off the 9-4 favourite, travelled well just off the pace. And when she made her move for glory she got the better of a real battle with Love Envoi (11-1) to win by a length-and a half amid emotional scenes on the track and back in the winner's enclosure. Queen's Brook (16-1) was a further four-and-a-half lengths back in third.
The victory was Honeysuckle's fourth at the Festival and she signs off as one of the all-time greats having won 17 of her 19 career starts.
Jockey Blackmore was emotional after the victory, remembering the trainer's son Jack, the 13-year-old who tragically died in a freak pony-riding accident back in September.
De Bromhead said: "It's the fairytale ending that never normally happens. It's incredible. I'm so happy for the mare and Rachael and Kenny (Alexander, owner) and all of us. This (reception) is what she deserves. She's such an unbelievable mare. I'm blown away.
"We've had a terrible year with Jack and everything. It's been an incredibly tough time and we're really grateful for the support everyone has given us.
"You dream that these kind of things will happen, but more often than not they don't. It's the result everybody wanted, but you'd daren't believe that it will happen."
The County Waterford trainer felt justified in allowing Honeysuckle to bow out against her own sex following Constitution Hill's breathtaking display in the Champion Hurdle earlier in the afternoon.
He added: "She's been in great form all year and thankfully we picked the right race when you see the other lad in the Champion Hurdle!
"I was a bit worried jumping the last – I thought Love Envoi was gone on us. But Honeysuckle rarely knows when she's beaten and she read the script."
When asked if Honeysuckle's racing career was definitely over, De Bromhead quipped: "I presume it is, but there is the Mares Champion Hurdle in Punchestown! I'll get a few drinks into Kenny later, Peter Molony (racing manager) will be in one ear saying 'Walk In The Park' and I'll be in the other saying 'walk to Punchestown!'."
Alexander, though, definitively confirmed his remarkable mare will be retired as he reflected on his "best ever day in racing".
He said: "It's staggering really. It's great for Henry and his family to get that victory under their belt. I came here more in hope than anything, but I did back her. She went to 4-1 last night, which was outrageous.
"I've never said she's the greatest ever hurdler, she undoubtedly isn't. In fact, the one before (Constitution Hill) might turn out to be, but she's got to be one of the bravest and one of the most loved. The people here love her and the people in Ireland adore her. I said after Leopardstown she's not going to win a Champion Hurdle, but if she's still running to a level of form where she can win a Mares', let's go for it – and if she loses, so what?
"This is a proper send-off. I don't want to go to Punchestown. It would be nice to do it in front of the Irish people and if they want to take her there to show her off, I'm more than happy to do that, but I don't want to run her and go to the well once too often.
"She's going out on a high now – nothing can match it really. Let her enjoy her retirement. One million per cent this is my best ever day in racing."
Winning rider Blackmore told ITV Racing: “We all wish a very special kid (Jack de Bromhead, the winning trainer’s son who was killed in a pony racing accident last year) could be here today, but he’s watching down on us.
“She is unbelievable. The way Henry has produced her every day is phenomenal. As a jockey I’m so grateful… so grateful he didn’t listen to you [Matt Chapman] anyway actually, or I wouldn’t get the pleasure of walking back into the winner’s enclosure! She’s just a phenomenal mare, she’s been incredible for my career, for everyone down in Knockeen who have looked after her over the years, Henry’s head lad David Roche does an unbelievable job with all the horses. She’s just a credit to everyone. Kenny is one of the coolest owners you’ll ever ride for and it’s a brilliant day.”
