Henderson eyes €500,000 race in Italy for Constitution Hill

Constitution Hill could be requiring his passport next month with Nicky Henderson seriously considering “The Italian Job” for the next step in his once hurdling king’s fledgling Flat career.

Despite losing his unbeaten record on the level in Kempton’s September Stakes, the nine-year-old saw his rating raised to 108 which effectively ruled out handicap options on home soil and left the Seven Barrows handler thumbing the programme book for alternatives.

With Kempton defeat also signalling an end of Melbourne Cup aspirations, but still keen to travel, Constitution Hill could now take to Europe late next month if Henderson plumps for the Gran Premio del Jockey Club on October 25 over the much shorter jaunt to local haunt Newbury for the preceding day’s BetVictor St Simon Stakes.

Henderson, who had also previously teased a trip to Bahrain in November, told the Press Association: “Italy is an option and it’s a nice race for him. We’ve got the Newbury race the same weekend, so we’ll be going somewhere that weekend, but we are keen on Italia!

“It’s a very valuable race and a hell of a race but we’ve got to go and do something nice.

“If we do go to Italy I hope it isn’t taken as disrespectful to his English supporters as they are so fantastic and I do apologise if we do take him abroad, but it was always our idea that we would be prepared to travel in the autumn.

“If the ground is suitable in Italy, which it could be, then it’s a race that’s there for him and we are quite tempted by ‘The Italian Job’.”

The Italian Group Two which is run at San Siro racecourse in Milan was won by Andrew Balding’s Eydon 12 months ago and is worth just over €500,000.

And with Henderson quick to rule out a run in this weekend’s BetMGM Cumberland Lodge Stakes, preparations are now being made for an outing either at home or most likely abroad on a weekend where rather ironically racing returns at Cheltenham, a venue that has proven central to the Constitution Hill story.

“It’s a difficult weekend logistically as Cheltenham is on Friday and Saturday and this race in Milan is on the Sunday,” continued Henderson. “This time last year we were trying to jump a hurdle and this is all completely different.

“Let’s hope all goes well and he’s in good form. We ruled Ascot out at the weekend so I have just backed off him for a few days and we’ll start again and build him up to a view of going somewhere that weekend.”