A - ZRunners Horse Racing Fixtures and Results

Timeform's reaction to Constitution Hill's stunning success at Southwell

Constitution Hill has been awarded a Timeform rating of 106P - with the Large P indicating he is capable of much better form - after his impressive nine-and-a-half-length victory on his Flat debut at Southwell on Friday.

A race - and an evening - all about one horse, Constitution Hill, who'd landed the 2023 Champion Hurdle among a sequence of 8 straight Grade 1 hurdles, the second of which had catapulted him to rarefied air in Timeform's long and proud history of rating horses, but who found himself very much on the comeback trail following 3 falls and a listless run at Punchestown across his last 4 starts; the £40k on offer ensured a full field of declarations - and even a slight doubt earlier in the week as to whether or not the headline act would get into the race - but no opposition that could have turned up would have got close to him in this form, indeed such was his authority on the night that this makes his future arguably more uncertain than it was beforehand as his brilliance - most of which seems to be intact - could lead connections, who are rightfully fearful of the damage another fall could do, to look down the route of pattern races on the Flat.

CONSTITUTION HILL was meant to be warming up for another crack at regaining his Champion Hurdle crown 12 weeks on from his latest jumping mishap but his brilliance on the night served only to muddy the waters of his future career, a Flat campaign at pattern level now a distinct possibility, a horse of rare ability and very lightly raced for his age after all, this just his fifteenth start under Rules; chased leaders, went on bridle long way, produced to lead under 2f out, asserted quickly and stretched right away for hand riding, dipping under 12s for each of the last 3 furlongs; his connections now have to make a decision over whether he has a shot at earning a place among the real legends of jump racing history or whether to explore a Flat campaign that could take him to the highest level via something like the John Porter at Newbury, an unenviable one given the stakes involved and the public affection for the horse.