Ahead of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival a lot of horse racing fans will be keen to know the Constitution Hill horse schedule and next races as the Nicky Henderson star hurdler gears-up to try and win back his Champion Hurdle crown.
Constitution Hill Horse Racing Schedule, As Unibet Hurdle Possible Target
After winning the 2024 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, it was thought by many in the horse racing world that the next Constitution Hill race would be the Champion Hurdle on March 11th.
However, his trainer Nicky Henderson has since come out and said that the Michael Buckley-owned 8 year-old has come out of that last run well and another run before the Festival is a real possibility.
With the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham Trials Day on Saturday 25th January 2025 the target.
Henderson’s yard is also sponsored by one of the best betting sites in the UK Unibet – so there might be an angle here as to why this race is on the radar.
If taking in the Unibet Hurdle and winning, Constitution Hill will be an even bigger Cheltenham Festival banker come March – where he’s already favourite for the Champion Hurdle.
Constitution Hill Horse Racing Entries
- Sat 25th Jan 2025: Cheltenham – Unibet Hurdle (International) 2m 1f
- Tues 11th Mar 2025: Cheltenham – Champion Hurdle 2m 1/2f
Henderson said – “After Kempton I was pretty keen to keep the dampeners on everything and say we’d probably go straight to the festival, but we wanted to see how he was. We’ve had that chance now and he’s just come through everything well. We know there’s a lot of room for improvement – well we think there is – but he’s taken to everything very well.
“My first reaction would’ve probably been no, but Michael was keen and I was, only if he was right. After a fortnight he was saying to us that he’s fine. We missed so much of last season so let’s get out and get on with it.
“He’s bright in himself and he’ll have a bit of work in the morning. His participation is obviously subject to everything going well with that, but it’s better to say now that it’s what we intend to do. We’ll jump a hurdle next week as that’ll flick his switch and it’ll tell him it’s coming. He seems great and everyone is very happy at home, which is very important.”
✅ CONSTITUTION HILL an intended runner at Cheltenham next weekend, per Nicky Henderson in his @UnibetRacing blog.pic.twitter.com/eaHNyGychZ
— Road To Cheltenham (@RoadCheltenham) January 16, 2025
Constitution Hill Horse Profile
- Age: 8
- Runs: 9
- Wins: 9
- Grade One Wins: 8
- Career Prize Money: £805,677
Who Was The Last Horse To Win The Unibet Hurdle and The Champion Hurdle (Same Season)?
The last winner of the Unibet (International Hurdle) to win the Champion Hurdle in the same season was Rooster Booster in the 2002-03 season – when the race was called the Bula Hurdle and run at the Cheltenham December Meeting.
Prior to Rooster Booster, the last horse to achieve the double was Comedy Of Errors in 1974-75 – meaning only two horses since the mid 70’s have taken both races in the same campaign.
More recently, Binocular won the International in 2008 and the Champion Hurdle in 2010.
When Was Constitution Hill’s LAST Race?
After some setbacks after his Christmas Hurdle win in 2023, Constitution Hill wasn’t seen on the track again until winning the same Kempton race in 2024 (watch below).
This win saw him beat fellow Champion Hurdle possible Lossiemouth by 2 1/2 lengths and in the process firmed up his position at the head of the Champion Hurdle market with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK.
Lossiemouth is also the current champion of the Unibet Hurdle, having won the race in 2024, but isn’t expected to run there this season.
It was also Constitution Hill’s third win in the Christmas Hurdle – having also won the race in 2022 – and his nineth straight successes under rules.
Constitution Hill Is Yet To Lose A Race (Under Rules)
Having won the 2024 Christmas Hurdle, this extended Constitution Hill’s winning run to nine.
His first win came at Sandown on December 4th 2021, when he beat the Harry Fry-trained Might I by 14 lengths over 2m – with Nico De Boinville riding.
He’s gone onto win eight more races – with Nico De Boinville riding Constitution Hill every time.
Constitution Hill Race Results (Under Rules)
- 26th Dec 2024: Kempton – Christmas Hurdle 2m (1st)
- 26th Dec 2023: Kempton – Christmas Hurdle 2m (1st)
- 13th Apr 2023: Aintree – Aintree Hurdle 2m4f (1st)
- 14th Mar 2023: Cheltenham – Champion Hurdle 2m 1/2f (1st)
- 26th Dec 2022: Kempton – Christmas Hurdle 2m (1st)
- 26th Nov 2022: Newcastle – Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2m (1st)
- 15th Mar 2022: Cheltenham – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 2m 1/2f (1st)
- 8th Jan 2022: Sandown – Tolworth Hurdle 2m (1st)
- 4th Dec 2021: Sandown – Novice Hurdle 2m (1st)
Has Constitution Hill Ever Lost A Race?
Yes and no.
Constitution Hill has never lost a race under rules – which really means he’s never tasted defeat since turning pro.
However, as a point-to-pointer, Constitution Hill DID lose a race.
This came back on 24th April 2021, when he lost by a head (2nd) at Tipperary Point-to-Point course in Ireland – under jockey B W Harvey and trained by Warren Ewing. The race was run over 3 miles.
It was soon after this that former Nicky Henderson stable jockey Barry Geraghty, along with Warren Ewing, sold the horse to Michael Buckley to join Seven Barrows.
Geraghty bought the son of Blue Bresil for €16,500 in 2017 as a foal.
Constitution Hill’s Biggest Win Came In The 2023 Champion Hurdle
Having won eight Grade One races Constitution Hill has had many good days in the sun.
However, the pinnacle was in the 2023 Champion Hurdle (watch below), when slamming State Man by nine lengths.
Constitution Hill returned 4/11 that year – which was the shortest-priced winner of this Cheltenham Festival race in its history.
