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Constitution Hill in Line for Surprise Reappearance in the Unibet Hurdle

Trials Day at Cheltenham is always one of the most anticipated pre-Festival fixtures, with the seven-race card featuring key trials for the Triumph Hurdle, the Stayers’ Hurdle, and the Champion Hurdle.

The build-up to the 2025 edition, which takes place on Saturday, the 25th of January, received an exciting boost this week, with the news that the most talked about horse in training is set to make a surprise reappearance.

Initially expected to head straight to the Champion Hurdle following his comeback success in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, the mighty Constitution Hill may instead take the next step towards reclaiming his crown in the Unibet Hurdle.

Back with a Bang

Following a protracted absence from the track, which featured wind surgery, colic, subpar gallops, and aborted comebacks, Constitution Hill answered the most important question in the Christmas Hurdle. The best in the business before his year-long hiatus, he retained that position in the eyes of most observers when slamming his main Champion Hurdle market rival, Lossiemouth, by two and a half lengths.

That effort saw the eight-year-old extend his unbeaten record under rules to nine and regain favouritism for the feature contest on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. Successful by a resounding nine lengths in the 2023 edition but forced to miss his title defence in 2024, he is now no bigger than 5/6 to regain his crown.

Change of Approach

Champion Hurdle 2025 Betting
Constitution Hill is currently odds-on to regain the Champion Hurdle in March

Having claimed the 2022 edition of the Christmas Hurdle, Constitution Hill enjoyed a 78-day break before his Champion Hurdle success. It was a similar story ahead of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival when the superstar arrived on the back of a 66-day break to claim the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by a ridiculous margin of 22 lengths.

If, as suggested, Constitution Hill takes part in the Unibet Hurdle on January 25th, he will have only 44 days off before returning for his date with destiny. However, that shouldn’t cause much concern for supporters, as the son of Blue Bresil has won following breaks of 35 days and 30 days (twice) in the past.

Following such a lengthy absence, it is easy to understand why Henderson has opted to squeeze in another run between now and the big day. Whilst it was excellent to see Constitution Hill back at the track and back in the Winner’s Enclosure, he perhaps wasn’t quite at his brilliant best – that two-and-a-half-length winning margin was the smallest in his career to date.

In summing up the intended plan, Henderson stated:

“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.”

First to do the Double Since 2003?

The Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle (officially titled the International Hurdle) has an impressive roll of honour, including Pendil, Bula, Sea Pigeon, Birds Nest, Harchibald, and The New One. However, not since Rooster Booster in 2002/03 has a horse gone on to land this race and the Champion Hurdle in the same season.

That said, with the greatest respect to previous winners, rarely has a hurdler of Constitution Hill’s calibre taken in this assignment. Sure to start at a prohibitively short price on Saturday week, another impressive display is likely to see him shorten further at the head of the Champion Hurdle market.