Constitution Hill backed to climb ranks at Kempton

CONSTITUTION

- By CHRIS PHILLIPS

Hill can make another giant step forward in his new career on the Flat in the Virgin Bet Novice Stakes at Kempton.The nine-year-old sparkled at Southwell last month when running on the level for the first time in the hands of champion jockey Oisin Murphy, claiming a comfortable nine-and-a-half length win.

That left trainer Nicky Henderson and owner Michael Buckley with a tough decision to make with the Champion Hurdle approaching at the Cheltenham Festival.

Constitution Hill had fallen in three of his last four hurdle runs and that proved pivotal in the decision to bring an end to his National Hunt career to focus on a future on the Flat.

With Murphy suspended, Ryan Moore steps up to the plate but he should have little more than a steering job to set the gelding up for plenty of options looking ahead to the summer.