Constitution Hill heads to Cheltenham as the superstar act of the Festival.
Racing’s latest firecracker is the newest horse of the people. Under the expert supervision of Nicky Henderson, the thrilling hurdler couldn’t be in better care. Under ice-cool jockey Nico De Boinville, he couldn’t be in better hands.
Barry Geraghty’s relationship with the hottest star in racing is well known. The iconic ex-jockey unearthed Constitution Hill before the burgeoning talent moved into the ownership of Michael Buckley. Geraghty rode 43 Festival winners. Every big race on the card. And he did so aboard some equine superstars whose jaw-dropping talents and popularity made them almost public property. During his days as stable jockey at Seven Barrows, Sprinter Scare was one such hero.
Henderson made him into the two-mile king. Then brought the megastar back from a heart issue to don the crown once more. The master handled the pressurised scenario of guiding the public figure that Sprinter had become with the same guile and expertise as he trained him.
After Sprinter came Altior. Then Shishkin. There were others before. Now it’s Constitution Hill. Geragthy knows there’s no man better to handle such stars as he explained: “Nicky is making all these decisions such as the one not to run Constitution Hill at Ascot earlier in the season and that’s why these horses have a better chance of standing the test of time.
“You wouldn’t expect Usian Bolt to run in the wrong conditions. If you don’t mind and protect them, you won’t have them in years to come. You see the love, care and compassion in Nicky when Altior recently had his bout of colic. Long gone from the racing scene, living with Mick Fitzgerald.
“But you see Nicky tweeting and doing
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