The special ones are always treated slightly differently.
No matter your walk of life, being an overachiever guarantees more benefits, more control, and of course, more pressure.
Let there be no doubt: Constitution Hill is special. Nicky Henderson has more than 100 horses at his Seven Barrows property, but the 2023 champion hurdler is the only one who has had his stable adapted, a summer makeover that will give him extra space and more comfort.
Henderson can see Constitution Hill from his office at all times and if he were to charge admission to all the racing fans who ask to see the athletic bay gelding, he would probably have enough money to build a new extension for himself as well.
There is a desperation among the public to see Constitution Hill – perhaps the most popular horse in National Hunt training – back on the track. It is almost twelve months to the day since he showed an acceleration between the last two flights of the Christmas Hurdle that would not have been out of place at Royal Ascot.
However, the past year has been full of difficulties for Constitution Hill and trainer Henderson, and full of anxiety for Michael Buckley, the horse’s gregarious owner. There has been a virus, a bout of colic, two disappointing public gallops, in February (Kempton) and November (Newbury), and a growing feeling that his flame has gone out.
Constitution Hill will feature in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle on Thursday
On Boxing Day, back at the venue where he extended his hurdles record to eight wins from eight starts, we have the tantalizing prospect of seeing Constitution Hill show everyone why not so long ago he was drawing comparisons to the late, great Istabraq.
The past six weeks have worn on Henderson’s patience, following training in Newbury when Constitution Hill was thought to be crippled. He is asked for daily bulletins about the seven-year-old’s welfare, and the wrong question at the wrong time causes him to fizzle.
But the reason for the interest is that Constitution Hill, the apple of Buckley’s eye, is the horse needed this show jumping season. He has an X-factor, the kind of talent that puts the sport on the back pages.
A short story about the things that make Constitution Hill so different. It is often believed that on the final flight of the 2023 Champion Hurdle, when he was ruthlessly clearing State Man, he took the liberty and was lucky not to clip the top bar of the hurdle and fall over.
However, on the final flight, Patrick Mullins, son of Champion Trainer Willie, stood watching and was astounded by what he saw.
Constitution Hill had discovered that his angle was slightly wrong and raised his front hooves by the required fraction to get the jump perfect. Many other horses would have crashed, but not this boy. It’s why, when he lines up against Lossiemouth – forwarded from Ireland
Mullins – Burdett Road and Lump Sum on Boxing Day, we have to hope the engine that made him a pin-up is still running.
“The reason he’s such a good horse is because his mind is so brilliant,” said Henderson.
The crowd was desperate to see Constitution Hill back on the track
“His mentality is fantastic because he doesn’t worry about anything. One box away from him is Jonbon, and if I took him to a public training session he would be dripping with sweat.
“You can’t make Constitution Hill sweat. It’s not because he’s not doing enough, but it’s all terribly easy and he needs to wake up a little every now and then. He is such a relaxed horse, the most relaxed horse in England, and that makes it difficult to prepare him.
“We built him this funny new house that is hysterical. I punched a hole in the wall because there is a small meadow behind his box. Now we have a number of doors, which we open and close depending on the weather. We open it during the day and it walks into its field and rolls well.”
After missing his defense of the Champion Hurdle last March due to illness, Constitution Hill’s lameness foiled plans to relaunch his career with Newcastle in November. Now it’s time for all systems go.
His work at home was reportedly of the highest standard. Now it’s time to show why he’s so special.