Constitution Hill starred once again with another effortless victory in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle on the opening day of 2023 Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse.
Nicky Henderson's six-year-old added another Grade One victory at Aintree, stepping up to 2m4f following his latest demolition job in the Champion Hurdle at last month’s Cheltenham Festival. Sent off a hugely prohibitive odds of 2-15 he sauntered to another victory under Nico De Boinville leading from start to finish. It was Constitution Hill's sixth and possibly his final victory over hurdles as connections ponder whether to send him chasing next season.
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Constitution Hill completed his unbeaten campaign in impressive style and while it was only three lengths he scored by in the end from the Willie Mullins-trained Sharjah (20-1), he led from start to finish and won as he liked. Having taken the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham by a huge 22 lengths last season, he landed both the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton by similar wide margins earlier this. And he was again spectacular display in last month's Champion Hurdle.
Henderson had already stated his intention to give one of the sport's brightest start a spring schooling session over fences before any decision over where he future will be.
The Seven Barrows handler, who had earlier won the Aintree Bowl with Shiskin, said: "That couldn't have been more straightforward. Two and a half miles out there on your own, your mind could wander, but he's just had a doddle around and was in second gear the whole way.
"He does jump doesn't he. He's got such versatility. We spoke this morning and said he'd have to make it, don't mess about and keep it simple. Nico said he was hardly doing anything on the way round.
"I'm sure he'd get three miles, but there'll be no decisions made today about next year. We're not edging one way or the other. I'm not saying we won't school him over a fence, but we're not leaning any way. As long as he keeps doing it like that we've got a long summer to look back on it and enjoy it and talk about what will happen next. I don't think we'll school him on Saturday! I might the Saturday after! I don't know, we'll just have a think.
"There's only so many races he can run in next year, Fighting Fifth, Christmas Hurdle, I do think the International will come into it on Trials day and then Champion Hurdle and come here. Some might say that's boring, but we won't find it boring. All options are still open and we won't make a decision until the autumn I'd have thought."
Like Henderson, proud owner Michael Buckley was rather non-committal about the future.
He said: "It's nerve-wracking to be honest. I probably shouldn't say that, but it is. I suppose that's my temperament rather than anything to do with the horse, who is spectacular.
"I thought we might pay the late entry fee and run him in the National on Saturday, how would that do? I don't know what we'll do, I just want to enjoy this and praise Nicky as he's won with two horses today who were both winning their sixth Grade Ones. We'll enjoy that, it's enough for one day."
Owner Rich Ricci said of the Willie Mullins-trained Sharjah: "It was a fantastic run from Sharjah, he's been a great servant and he's run into a lot of good horses but made us a lot of money. He might go to Punchestown and next season we might pop him over a fence or two and see if we can do a Faugheen with him. I'm not sure the step up in trip suited Constitution Hill, but if he is indeed the next superstar we will steer clear of him."
