Constitution Hill is 12/1 with the sponsors for the Sky Bet Supreme after a striking debut win in the Andy Stewart Sandown Park’s Great Friend National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown.
The 85/40 market drifter powered home under Nico de Boinville, despite barely turning a hair in the two-mile event, easing 14 lengths clear of Might I (6-4 favourite) after the last.
“He is the most extraordinary creature I have come across in years. I promise you now, he will go back to his stable now and will just lie down and go to sleep,” said trainer Nicky Henderson.
“He has a bag of toe. You press a button and he goes. It is extraordinary. I have never seen a more laid-back horse in all my life. Ever. And that’s in 40 years. As Nico said when he got down to the start, he just ambles around, and he holds the whole string up every morning when we are walking and trotting.
“And he can’t be fit, because he is fatter than me – which is difficult! It is extraordinary. You love horses like that. Fable is the same, but she is the worst work horse in the world. At least this one, when you press the button, you knew the button worked. I was hoping it would here.
“That’s the fun of the game, trying to work them out. We were gobsmacked when we saw him work the first time. Everybody was.
“It was Barry (Geraghty) who kept ringing owner Michael Buckley to say this is the next Brain Power. We might come back for a Tolworth, but luckily we have a few to play with. Jonbon was quite good last weekend. I hope they are high-class, but listen, they are all chasers for the future. In 10 years’ time, when I’m 90, we’ll still be going strong!”
Equally delighted with the performance was the winning pwner who admitted he was unsure what to expect from Constitution Hill, having not received the chance to see him on the gallops before the race.
Buckley added: “You don’t often see horses win like that so it was pretty cool. I’ve not been to see him work so it was all a bit hearsay to me, so I was pretty surprised how well he won.
“He was on the inside, then I thought ‘is he going to get boxed in?’ Then he pulled him out and I said, ‘Jesus he is cruising’ and he was and he cruises clear hard held. It was a nice start.
“It would be nice if he was as good as Brain Power or Finian’s Rainbow but he might be better than them.”
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