English hurdling superstar Constitution Hill could be set for the Punchestown Festival after second successive fall

English trainer Nicky Henderson has again strongly hinted that former Champion hurdler Constitution Hill could come to Kildare to race in the Punchestown Festival at the start of next month.

Constitution Hill was touted by many shrewd observers as one of the greatest ever hurdlers after winning his first ten races, including the Supreme Novices Hurdle and Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

However, that sheen of invincibility was torn to shreds when he was a faller in the Cotswolds last month and even more so when he fell again for the second successive race in the Aintree Hurdle.

“To do it twice - you couldn’t believe it really,” said Henderson, who retains faith his horse’s ability.

“He is genuinely the best jumper you’ll ever see. But in that vocabulary there’s just that one percent chance of doing what he’s done and he’s done it twice. It does worry you, of course it does, but how can you iron it out?

“Today he’d been fantastic the whole way. At a couple of hurdles when he needed to he was shortening up and that’s what we’ve been trying to get him to do, but when you are racing like that three out you can’t afford to do that, you’ve got to go, and maybe he came up too soon.” Asked if he Constitution Hill might be better running free in front than held up, as in the Supreme and the Champion Hurdle, Henderson replied: “His least impressive win was actually here over two and a half, where I think we made all. We just wanted to get him to relax but I think next time …….. (I can’t make this bit out).

Will he still go to Punchestown?

“We were sort of starting to discuss it. I would personally have said yes. Those hurdles will suit him better.” If he does indeed show up at Punchestown he could be up against the likes of the Willie Mullins trained duo Lossiemouth and State Man, and the Gordon Elliott trained Brighterdaysahead, in a race for the ages.