Constitution Hill confirmed for Flat debut at Southwell after declaration drama

Constitution Hill has been confirmed for the £40,000 SBK Road To Cheltenham Novice Stakes at Southwell on Friday night after making the final field of 14 runners

Constitution Hill’s highly anticipated debut on the Flat will go ahead as scheduled at Southwell on Friday night and Ryan Moore will ride his Willie Mullins-trained opponent.

The former Champion Hurdler’s appearance in the £40,000 SBK Road To Cheltenham Novice Stakes has been one of the sport’s hottest topics since Nicky Henderson revealed plans to use the race as a stepping stone towards a potential crack at the Champion Hurdle. The jumping career of the one-time hurdling star has been on the line after he fell in three of his last four starts, including when favourite for last year’s Champion Hurdle. There are many fans who worry about what might happen if he took another race tumble.

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The Southwell race, over 1m4f, offers a glimpse of an alternative future career if he is successful while also leaving connections the headache of deciding whether to give him another chance at the Cheltenham Festival.

However when the race drew a bumper entry of 32 horses on Saturday, Constitution Hill was not guaranteed a spot as his name appeared among those that could be balloted out if there were more declarations than the field limit allowed.

Once the safety limit of the class two event was raised to 14, Constitution Hill required two horses positioned above him in the elimination order not to be declared on Friday morning.

Whilst there may have been some anxiety in Lambourn during the countdown to declarations closing at 10am, the nine-year-old was safely within the final field after four runners positioned above him in the priority order were not declared.

All attention will now turn to the once dominant hurdler as he makes his Flat debut under champion jockey Oisin Murphy, where he will encounter some stiff competition from Amo Racing’s recent Dundalk winner Square Necker and Daddy Long Legs, trained by Willie Mullins with Ryan Moore set to ride.

Another significant jockey appointment is Billy Loughnane, who will be riding Fergal O’Brien’s Grade Two-winning hurdler, Tripoli Flyer.