Should The Ascot Gold Cup Be An Option For Constitution Hill

Former Supreme and Champion hurdle winner Constitution Hill will make his flat debut at Southwell on Friday after long anticipation. In what is supposed to be his final prep before another go over hurdles in the Champion Hurdle, should his flat performance impress, could the Ascot Gold Cup be a viable option?

It is without a doubt that Constitution Hill is one of if not the best hurdler of all time in his prime, and now in a shocking turn of events, he will line up against 13 others at Southwell on the all weather in his first ever flat race. The Michael Buckley owned horse is not guaranteed to take a place in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival despite being given an entry, and now with a flat race on the agenda, his career could be set to take a very different turn.

Not many horses have transitioned from jumps to the flat and become superstars, barring the obvious ones like this years Breeders Cup Turf winner Ethical Diamond, however if Constitution Hill puts in a breath taking effort under Oisin Murphy on Friday night, a flat career could may well be on the cards, and could make his way to test himself at Royal Ascot in the coveted Ascot Gold Cup over two miles. 

The dream for Nicky Henderson and the team would be for his star hurdler to get his career back on track over obstacles, however things can never be certain in National Hunt racing, and this is definitely a 50/50. Everybody knows what an impressive horse he is, and his supreme time shows his engine is superior to anything we have ever seen before. Having had three pretty bad falls over the last year or so, a good performance on the flat may be enough for Henderson and the team to consider a serious career, and it could be a very successful one.

Southwell will not only be what people are calling a novelty race on Friday night, but it will give us a lot we need to know. Could Constitution Hill be batting with the big boys like Trawlerman in the Ascot Gold Cup, or should he re-pursue his hurdling career, either way it is set to be a fascinating race. He could thrive on the flat, his engine and class could be too much for his rivals, but the manner of how he could do it could be the difference in a serious flat career, and a reroute back to hurdling in March.