Constitution Hill leaves vet hospital after colic scare but he will miss rest of season after ‘horrible few months’

1 month ago 14

CONSTITUTION HILL has returned home after a serious health scare, but he will now miss the remainder of the season.

The seven-year-old had spent several days in a veterinary hospital after suffering a bout of colic, a common gastric issue which can prove fatal in horses.

Constitution Hill will miss the rest of the jumps season[/caption]

Trainer Nicky Henderson released a worrying statement over the weekend saying the top-class hurdler ‘wasn’t out of the woods’, but he is now back at Seven Barrows.

He will take some time to recover, however, so his planned trip to the Punchestown Festival for a clash with State Man later this month has been canned.

While it is a huge relief to Hendo that the horse has improved enough to return home, it caps off a tough few months for the horse and his connections.

He missed the Cheltenham Festival after picking up a chest infection, something which came to light after a lifeless gallop at Kempton in late February.

The horse also missed a target on Cheltenham Trials Day back in January when he was under the weather.

And Hendo had to endure a miserable month with a number of his star runners showing signs of illness, while he went winless at the Festival for the first time since 2008.

Hendo said in a statement: “Constitution Hill returned to Seven Barrows this morning and it is wonderful to have him home after what he has endured.

“He resumed normal feed yesterday with no further ill effects and had a nice pick of grass in the welcome sunshine.

“Hopefully this is all behind him now but I am afraid it is easy to see he had a difficult week and the reality is he is going to take some time to recover and put some weight back on again.

“Therefore our much anticipated match with State Man will have to wait until next season.

“As long as he is ok that is all that matters but it has been a horrible few months since his great performance in the Christmas Hurdle.

“It is time for him to have a summer holiday now look forward to his return, hopefully in the Fighting Fifth.”