NICKY HENDERSON has pulled Constitution Hill out of a £650,000 race - after admitting ‘something has gone wrong’ following his disastrous end to the season.
The former Supreme and Champion Hurdle superstar fell at Cheltenham and Aintree.
And he was humbled by old rival State Man in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown earlier this month.
A Christmas Hurdle win over Lossiemouth - when Willie Mullins’ mare ran well below par - was the only bright spot in an otherwise horrific season.
And the blows kept on coming as Henderson officially scratched Constitution Hill from next month’s Ascot Gold Cup.
When the Michael Buckley-owned eight-year-old was winning everything there was talk he could at least try his luck on the Flat.
The mega-money Melbourne Cup had been suggested, as well as the 2m4f Group 1 contest at Royal Ascot.
But the latter is definitely off the agenda now after Henderson took him out 11 days before the official deadline.
Based on what we know from his hurdle runs, 2m4f at Ascot, with the stiff finish, would probably have been too far for Constitution Hill.
And jumping form doesn’t necessarilly translate to the Flat, especially when he would have been taking on the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s borderline unbeatable Kyprios.
It would have been interesting to see Constitution Hill line up at Ascot.
But it was always a long shot - bookies had him priced at 33-1 - and really it looks like the right decision has been made.
Henderson was left scratching his head after his former superstar appeared to lose all confidence at his hurdles.
His two falls were shockers but he was the opposite at Punchestown, ballooning his obstacles where previously he looked slick.
Hendo said after that defeat, where he finished in fifth of six and 27 lengths behind State Man: “It’s disappointing but it’s a tough game.
“It was sad Constitution Hill had to be beaten that way because you could live with going down in a battle.
“Something has obviously gone wrong because that’s not him and our job is to try to unravel the mystery.”;;
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