Horse racing news: Comfortable win at Kempton Park for Constitution Hill and Ryan Moore
Constitution Hill recorded a comfortable victory in his second start on the Flat at Kempton Park on Wednesday night, writes Sports News Blitz’s Jordan Hackett.
The nine-year-old, who is enjoying a second career after one too many falls over hurdles, once again won with relative ease.
And with Oisin Murphy serving a suspension, the result came at the hands of Ryan Moore.
New jockey
A new presence in the saddle proved no problem for the widely admired superstar of the sport.
Despite the race not panning out in ideal fashion, Constitution Hill produced an electric turn of foot when it mattered, just as he did on his Friday Night Live appearance at Southwell.
In doing so, he easily brushed aside Andrew Balding’s four-year-old challenger Classical Allusion, who had won on his only previous start.
Newbury calling
Nicky Henderson’s pride and joy is said to be targeting the John Porter Stakes at Newbury as a first step into Group-race company.
And despite iconic races like Australia’s Melbourne Cup being touted as a possible avenue for the horse by owner Michael Buckley, jockey Moore suggested in his post-race interview that Constitution Hill is “very comfortable” at 12 furlongs.
Given the pace he possesses, it would be hard to disagree with arguably the best jockey in the world.
However, the decision to bypass the Champion Hurdle remains a topic of discussion for racing fans, who wonder what might have been had he turned up to battle Willie Mullins’ brilliant mare Lossiemouth.
Those days are over, though, with the racing icon relishing a new code, and that should be celebrated.
Constitution Hill also promises to have more in the tank than he has shown in his two starts on the Flat.
After all, he is a nine-year-old, and the feeling is that neither Murphy nor Moore has asked the horse for his maximum so far – despite two comfortable wins.
READ MORE: Horse racing news: Constitution Hill rating remains unchanged despite ‘highly striking’ performance
Devastating blow
It has been a tough week for esteemed trainer Henderson, who lost Sir Gino after he failed to recover from “severe deep-seated infections”.
Sir Gino won all seven of his starts, including the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle at Newcastle and Kempton, respectively, prior to pulling up lame at Cheltenham in January.
He was a horse with all the potential in the world and will be sorely missed by the sport.
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