The peak summer months belong to the flat, with the Qatar Goodwood Festival providing a spectacular five days of entertainment as July turns to August. However, as always seems to be the case, events on the level whizz by at a rate of knots, and it won’t be long before the leading jumpers dust themselves down for the 2025/26 campaign.
There are many returning stars to look forward to next season. Dethroned Cheltenham Gold Cup king, Galopin Des Champs, and the horse who beat him, Inothewayurthinkin, are close to the top of the list on the Emerald Isle. However, despite what many results suggest, the National Hunt game isn’t all about the Irish runners. Late July brought the welcome news that two of the most talented British performers are showing positive signs on their road to recovery.
2024/25 Form and Health Blows for Star Duo
With an impressive 10 Grade 1 wins between them, Constitution Hill and Sir Gino are undoubtedly two of the most talented two-mile performers in the sport when at their peak.
Here's Constitution Hill (green) and Sir Gino!
Full @NewburyRacing gallop to follow… pic.twitter.com/oR1ACBLtTK
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 19, 2024
Unfortunately, 2024/25 didn’t go quite to plan for either runner; Constitution Hill inexplicably lost the plot at his hurdles, while Sir Gino’s campaign ended early due to a potentially life-threatening leg infection.
Happily, having spent the early summer months at Hillwood Stud in Aldebourne, both Constitution Hill and Sir Gino are now back at home in their familiar Seven Barrows boxes. Confirming the return of the talented twosome, Nicky Henderson stated, “It’s great that two of our stars have returned after a fair few issues last season, but I’m glad they’ve both had a long summer. They both look fantastic.”
Familiar Path for Constitution Hill
Few horses have dominated the column inches to the same extent as Constitution Hill in recent seasons. Exploding onto the scene in December 2021, the Blue Bresil gelding rocketed to stardom with a string of scintillating performances. By the end of the 2022/23 campaign, which included a nine-length rout in the Champion Hurdle, his status as the greatest hurdler of the modern era was almost unquestioned.
A wide margin win in the Christmas Hurdle suggested more of the same was in store in 2023/24, only for a series of injuries and ailments to rule the star out for the remainder of the season. Would he be the same on his long-awaited comeback in 2024/25? A third Christmas Hurdle success and victory in the International Hurdle suggested he would. And then the wheels came off in spectacular style. Having fallen in the Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle, he closes out the campaign with comfortably the worst performance of his career, when finishing a 27-length fifth of six at Punchestown.
Given that damp squib of an ending, fans are again left wondering if Constitution Hill retains his phenomenal ability. We will learn more on November 29, when the eight-year-old returns for a second appearance in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. When providing an update on his stable star, Henderson sounded cautiously optimistic, when stating, “We had quite a few bits of repair work to do. We treated something internally with Constitution Hill that we think might help.” And also, “I actually think he’s a tad leaner than he was at this stage last year, which is a good thing.”
If back to anything like his best, all roads will once again lead to the Champion Hurdle, for which the 2023 runaway winner can be backed at a general price of 12/1.
Sir Gino on the Mend, But No Fixed Plan
Few trainers unearth and nurture two-mile talents as consistently and spectacularly as Nicky Henderson. One of the latest and greatest off the production line is the Mrs J Donnelly-owned Sir Gino.
Unbeaten in six career outings, one in France and five for Henderson, the son of It’s Gino was a notch above the competition in a novice hurdle campaign which ended with Grade 1 triumph in the Boodles’ Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.
Rather than stepping into open hurdle company, Henderson stated a campaign over fences was the plan, seeing the five-year-old immediately installed as the clear favourite for the Arkle Chase. However, in the absence of Constitution Hill, his services were required in the 2024 Fighting Fifth Hurdle. The result? An emphatic eight-length stroll. Granted his first shot at fences in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase, he sent his burgeoning reputation through the roof when thrashing the supremely talented Ballyburn by seven-and-a-half lengths.
And then, much like Constitution Hill in 2023/24, illness reared its unwelcome head. Ruled out for the remainder of the season with a serious ligament infection, for a time, there was concern that more than his ability to race may have been at risk.
Happily, following intensive treatment and a five-week stay at Donnington Grove vets. Reacting to Sir Gino’s return to Seven Barrows, Henderson stated: “He was in hospital for a while, but it’s cleared up and all is now good.”
No longer a novice, the Queen Mother Champion Chase is the obvious big race target for the returning star. Despite his ailment, he remains the general 7/2 favourite for that Cheltenham Festival highlight. However, Henderson was keen to stress that they will take things slowly: “We’ll wander very quietly with no timetables – we can’t possibly do that with him, it’s just a case of going slowly.”
The 2025/26 National Hunt season is still a little way off. However, two of the top two-mile talents of the past few years returning to the track would add significantly to what promises to be another enthralling jumps campaign.
