Constitution Hill‘s flat handicap mark has been revealed after his victory in a pair of novice events. Nicky Henderson‘s superstar has recently embarked on a new career on the level.
Wins at Southwell and Kempton have been achieved with the minimal fuss so far. As a result, the BHA have awarded him a figure of 101, which would determine his weight in handicaps should he compete in such contests later this season.
The figure is a fairly lofty one for any horse after just two races. However, his manner of success, particularly at Southwell, has inevitably led to the handicapper being wary.
Constitution Hill’s targets further down the line have yet to be determined. However, it has already been mooted that the John Porter Stakes at Newbury will be his next stop. The Group 3 prize is not a handicap, but could have an effect on both his mark, and the aspirations of connections for the rest of 2026.
“A high figure for a horse coming out of novices” – Adam Barnes
Ordinarily, the handicapper may give a horse a chance with their initial handicap mark after just two runs. However, Constitution Hill is an extraordinary case for the handicapper, both due to his racing past and the public scrutiny.
Adam Barnes, the BHA handicapper responsible for assessing Constitution Hill, highlighted the standards applied to the horse to the Racing Post.
“He’s going to be rated 101, which is a high figure for a horse coming out of novices. Potentially it could turn out to be quite a lenient figure for a horse like him with the ability we know he’s got from the jumps.
“He was such a high-class hurdler and retains plenty of that ability. It will be interesting to see how high he can go in the flat sphere.”
A rating of 101 would initially appear fair. Handicaps are not something to be explored imminently given the Group 3 target Constitution Hill has at Newbury. Barnes and his colleagues will be watching closely.
“Connections have mentioned the John Porter as the next target which is a pretty well-established Group 3. Generally speaking you’d want to be running to around 110-plus to get really involved in a race like that.
“I saw William Haggas mention that horses like Hamish or Al Aasy could go there and they’re 117 and 115 horses, so that gives you an idea of the level he’ll need to be at to win a race like that.”
His mark would also appear to be designed to attract connections towards some significant handicapping prizes. Barnes seems to be encouraging the prospect of Constitution Hill running on a regular basis.
“Whether he wins it or not, they’ll have plenty of options whether it’s in Group races or good handicaps in the season ahead.”