GRAND NATIONAL hero Mick Fitzgerald says ‘it will be a shame for everybody’ if punters don’t see Constitution Hill again before Cheltenham.
The Nicky Henderson-trained superstar made a mockery of rivals to win the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.
PAConstitution Hill probably won’t be seen until the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival in March[/caption]
Constitution Hill isn’t really a betting proposition anymore.
He was sent off 1-7 and beat stablemate Epatante by 17 lengths.
And he remains 4-11 favourite for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival.
Henderson said he would run Constitution Hill again in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown but the race has been removed from the calendar.
Other options include Haydock and a trip to Ireland to possibly take on Honeysuckle.
But the Seven Barrows supremo says those are not viable.
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And he used his interview after Constitution Hill’s latest win to hit back at Gordon Elliott’s claim that British trainers avoid each other with their best horses.
Hendo said: “You’d have to think about Ireland but it’s nothing to do with ducking and diving – which is becoming a stupid word which I wish they’d ban!
“My gut feeling was always that we’d go straight there, I don’t think we’d achieve anything by going to Haydock.
“If the Contenders was still here I’d go there but Cheltenham and Aintree is what it’s all about.
“It’s a very truncated season with four runs, but that’s what its come down to unless we travel and Punchestown, and it’s too close to Aintree to go there.”
Fitzgerald, who was Hendo’s No1 rider during his career, echoed those sentiments.
But he said it was bad news for punters who just want to see arguably the best horse in training.
Fitzgerald said on ITV: “I don’t know if we’ll see him again before Cheltenham.
“He doesn’t want to travel to Ireland so I don’t think we will see him.
“It’ll be a shame for everybody if they don’t see him.”
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