Constitution Hill’s Cheltenham Looks in Doubt After Worrying Update from Nicky Henderson

Further tests on the unbeaten hurdler have shown a “significant degree of inflammation” and that he is “definitely under the weather”.

Constitution Hill was set to defend his Champion Hurdle crown in under two weeks on the opening day of this year’s Festival. 

However, his appearance is looking ever more in doubt following Thursday’s update and has been replaced as the betting favourite for the race. 

Willie Mullins’ star hurdler, State Man, is now the odds-on favourite across the UK’s top bookmakers at 1/2 for the Champion Hurdle. 

Constitution Hill, on the other hand, is 8/11 with bookmakers offering Non-Runner No Bet. 

Since the news broke earlier this week about Constitution Hill, State Man has taken a whopping 59% of all bets placed on the Champion Hurdle, compared to Constitution Hill’s 28%.

Quote from Oddschecker’s Leon Blackman: “A further update on Thursday afternoon from the Nicky Henderson camp is not a good one for Constitution Hill fans.

"After registering a dirty scope earlier in the week, Henderson’s update said that the hurdler is suffering from significant inflammation and is under the weather. Two weeks out from Cheltenham, it looks like he won’t get the chance to defend his Champion Hurdle title. 

This is awful news for those who have backed Constitution Hill for the Champion Hurdle, which there is a lot on Oddschecker. Since the end of last year’s Cheltenham, over half of all ante-post bets on the Champion Hurdle have backed Constitution Hill to win again.

"As these were placed before Non-Runner No Bet became available, all these bets would be counted as losers. Moreover, 13% of all 2024 Cheltenham Festival ante-post accumulators include Constitution Hill, which again, would be default losers.”