Constitution Hill could head to Kempton if Windsor is compromised by dry spell
With a prolonged dry spell threatening the surface at Windsor, connections of Constitution Hill have identified Kempton’s Group Three William Hill September Stakes as a contingency for the dual-code star’s next outing.
The former Champion Hurdle winner, trained by Nicky Henderson, had been pencilled in for the Listed Weatherbys August Stakes at Windsor on August 29, a race in which he would have made his third appearance on the Flat. However, recent weather patterns and an unfavourable forecast have prompted the yard to keep the September Stakes — run the following weekend at Kempton — under consideration.
Backup plan preserves options
Henderson stressed that Windsor remains the preferred destination but said the Kempton date offers a practical alternative should the course become unsuitable. He underlined that shifting the target by a week would not alter the horse’s preparations or put undue strain on him.
Windsor is a watered track, which gives it greater resilience in dry conditions than some National Hunt venues, so the team will monitor the situation closely. If heavy rain were to fall in the days immediately before the race, Windsor could still be considered safe to run on; otherwise Kempton provides a ready backup.
First step into Group company?
A September Stakes engagement would mark Constitution Hill’s first move into Group-level Flat company. The race has a notable roll of honour and has previously been taken by established Group One performers, underlining the step up in class the horse would face.
Kempton is also a familiar stage for Constitution Hill. The gelding has won three Christmas Hurdles at the Sunbury track, and earlier this season returned to Kempton for his second Flat start, when he recorded a success under Ryan Moore in an evening fixture.
Implications for the autumn programme
- A run at Kempton on the September Stakes date would effectively rule out a trip to the Irish St Leger at the Curragh on September 13, owing to the short turnaround between those engagements.
- Henderson noted that a third Flat outing would widen the options subsequently available to the horse, including potential handicap entries and a variety of staying races later in the season.
- The trainer also reiterated that other long-range targets have not been closed off entirely; earlier in the summer he had not dismissed the possibility of a campaign that could include the Melbourne Cup, but any such plan would depend on how the remainder of the season unfolds.
Overall, connections report that Constitution Hill is in good order and maintaining the required work. For now the decision hinges on the state of the Windsor surface in the run-up to the Weatherbys August Stakes, with Kempton standing ready to step in as the preferred fallback.
Racegoers and festival planners will be watching the weather closely over the coming days as the picture for late-August and early-September fixtures becomes clearer.
