NICO DE BOINVILLE says Constitution Hill could be the next Altior as the fab five-year-old gears up for his seasonal return.
The jockey told owner Michael Buckley his star was ‘Altior-esque’ after his Supreme Novice romp at last season’s Festival.
Nicky Henderson’s hero, favourite for the Champion Hurdle, was bought as a foal for just €16,500 by former top jock Barry Geraghty who, four years later, sold him to Buckley for £120,000. He is worth 10 times that now.
888Sport ambassador Geraghty said: “Constitution Hill’s win at Cheltenham was up there with the best days I’ve had in racing.
“It felt like it was the first time since I had stopped riding I had watched a superstar.
“I was so chuffed. Michael is a great friend of mine so it made it extra special and I have a real connection.”
Constitution Hill is set to return in the November 19 Coral Hurdle at Ascot or the Fighting Fifth a week later at Newcastle.
A Festival clash with reigning champion hurdler Honeysuckle, who has won all her 16 races, will be one of the highlights of the season and Buckley has never been so excited heading into a new campaign.
He said: “If he can get to Cheltenham in the same condition he was last year, he’s going to be a tough nut to crack. I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing in the Supreme.
“He went further and further and further away. I was standing next to Nicky. I was absolutely speechless, just shaking.
“You don’t see horses win like that at places like Cheltenham.
“I was talking to Nico as he was going back.
“He said, ‘I told you he was good, didn’t I?’.
“And when he jumped off, I said ‘so, what did you really think?’
“I remember the words clearly . . . Nico said ‘it’s Altior-esque.’
“You can’t really have a better compliment!”
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