Constitution Hill’s Cheltenham Festival hopes on a knife edge as Nicky Henderson says he won’t run if 90 per cent fit

CONSTITUTION Hill’s Cheltenham Festival hopes are on a knife edge – as Nicky Henderson confirmed there is no way the horse runs if just 90 per cent fit.

The legendary Seven Barrows trainer delivered a fresh update on his unbeaten monster on Thursday morning.

Crucial test results will come back on Friday morning to show whether Constitution Hill’s mucus in his airway is clearing or getting worse.

Speaking to Sun Racing’s Matt Chapman for At The Races, Henderson said the horse looked fine in himself.

But he warned punters there is no chance he will risk him in the ferocious 2m Champion Hurdle if he is not firing on all cylinders.

And he will need to be ‘at his best’ in work next week if he is to run at the Festival on March 12.

Constitution Hill was a drifter in the market again on the back of Henderson’s words.

But he refused to rule out entirely the notion of Constitution Hill taking on State Man in the huge head-to-head.

Henderson said: “I think he looks very bright in his coat and is the same as he is every day. He looks alert and bright.

“It will be very interesting to see what comes out tomorrow from the tests and where his mucus level is.

“That’s when we can tell if it’s on the up or the down.

“If this was any normal horse then he wouldn’t be running on Tuesday week.

“You’d leave him alone and bring him back for something else.

“There is something else for him to aim at – but there’s only one Champion Hurdle.”

Asked by Chapman if he will consider running Constitution Hill if he is 90 per cent back to his old self, Hendo said: “No.

“You have to be 100 per cent for a race like that.

“People have said he’s got so much in hand it won’t matter… he hasn’t got anything in hand!

“We all know the Champion Hurdle is going to be tough, these horses have to put an enormous amount in.

“He can’t go in there half-cooked. Work-wise we’ve done all we need to do.

“We’ve got now to do another piece of work in the middle of next week – but that’s only if everything is testing good.”

More than £340,000 has been matched on Constitution Hill on the Betfair Exchange and he was many people’s banker of the meeting.

The sportsbook markets are now in the bizarre position of having two odds-on favourites in the race.

That’s because they are all now non-runner money back – meaning you get your cash back if your horse doesn’t run.

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