Constitution Hill back on track for Christmas return to action - 'Miles better'

The prima hurdler was ruled retired of Saturday’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle owed to lameness but could present beryllium acceptable successful clip for the Christmas Hurdle connected Boxing Day

Constitution Hill is backmost connected way for a imaginable instrumentality to enactment astatine Christmas.

The unbeaten hurdler, who missed the Champion Hurdle astatine Cheltenham owed to illness, was being primed for a reappearance successful the Fighting Fifth Hurdle astatine Newcastle connected Saturday.

But 2 days aft a lacklustre nationalist workout astatine Newbury helium was recovered to beryllium lame and his play enactment connected clasp portion trainer Nicky Henderson got to the bottommost of it.

In the aftermath of the setback the 2023 Champion Hurdle victor mislaid his presumption arsenic agelong clip favourite for the 2025 edition, portion his breathtaking stablemate Sir Gino volition present instrumentality his spot astatine Newcastle, having been diverted disconnected a novice chasing campaign.

The latest bulletin connected his unchangeable prima came successful the signifier of different video posted by trainer Nicky Henderson connected his X account.

He said: “It’s Monday morning. I’m present with Constitution Hill successful his caller house. He’s backmost present arsenic we mentioned connected Friday.

“We’ve had a reasonably mysterious lameness which we couldn’t place truthful helium spent the time with veterinary firstly x-ray to spot if determination was thing untoward which wouldn’t beryllium precise unpleasant.

“An ultrasound and x-rays revealed nothing. An MRI scan identified a tiny country with a spot of inflammation successful his pastern successful his near-fore that was really touching the nervus and that’s what would beryllium been making his sore. It would person been precise sore.

“I americium blessed to study from being noticeably sore connected Friday and Saturday, he's miles, miles amended this morning.

“We are starting immoderate gentle walking workout contiguous and I earnestly anticipation we tin get backmost connected the roadworthy truthful we tin proceed his mentation which volition hopefully present pb america to the Christmas Hurdle.

“Obviously the Fighting Fifth is out, but the Christmas Hurdle is inactive realistic. He won it past year, truthful let's anticipation that is wherever we tin get him retired truthful we tin get his large vocation backmost connected track."