Constitution Hill: A New Frontier

It’s not often a horse like Constitution Hill gets a second act, let alone one on the Flat. But what started as a curiosity is quickly becoming something worth taking seriously.

His first run at Southwell was striking. They went a proper gallop, which suited him, and he travelled and quickened like a very good horse. The Racing Post gave him 103 for that, which felt about right. It was clean, efficient and, visually at least, very impressive.

Kempton was different. Much slower early pace, more tactical, and that seemed to leave a few underwhelmed. The bare Racing Post figure of 90 probably reflects that on paper, but it doesn’t quite tell the full story. He had to come from off the pace, quicken at the point the race was just beginning to develop, and still had the gears to put it to bed without Ryan Moore getting overly serious.

In fact, the most telling part of the run wasn’t how it looked, but how fast he actually went. He clocked over 40mph for the first time in his career, the quickest he’s ever run. That’s not bad for a horse who is now nine.

If anything, it felt like a sharpening exercise. Something to bring him forward rather than fully extend him. And with the John Porter Stakes at Newbury next, we’ll get a much clearer idea of where he actually stands. That will be a proper test in a stronger race, run at a truer tempo.

It is interesting that after the Kempton race, Constitution Hill was cut into 8/1 to win a Group 1 on the Flat this year, having been 10/1 beforehand. Punters might not have been blown away by Kempton, but bookmakers rarely miss these things.

So where does that leave us?

He’s not a gimmick, and this isn’t just a novelty. Whether he’s a genuine top-class Flat horse remains to be seen, but the raw materials are there. Speed, tactical versatility, and the ability to quicken when it matters. You don’t need much more than that to get involved at a higher level.

Newbury will tell us more. But for now, the question has shifted slightly. It’s no longer can he do it on the Flat?

It’s how far can he go?