Elite jumper Constitution Hill appears headed toward a pioneering bid for the 2026 Melbourne Cup on the back of his dominant return to action in England last weekend.
Michael Buckley, the owner, discussed on Racing TV’s Luck on Sunday—screened Sunday afternoon Australian time—that the $10 million 3200m Flemington spectacle in November is his prized objective.
Buckley with trainer Nicky Henderson haven’t confirmed a hurdles comeback at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, but the owner holds firm views on late-year plans.
“I think we need to make a plan, we can always change it along the way,” Buckley said.
“I think that the horse should be running around about the end of August or beginning of September, in either the Ebor (at York), or there’s a race at Goodwood, or in the Irish St Leger, with a view to going to Melbourne.
“I think he’ll stay two miles on the flat.
“If you were asking me what I’d like to do, that’s what I’d like to aim at.”
Constitution Hill returned via a 9-1/2 length rout at 2414m on Southwell’s all-weather track, raced in Saturday’s early Australian hours.
This was his first flat race, following falls in three of four preceding jumps starts. He entered with a streak of 10 jumps victories, eight Grade 1s.
A March 17, 2017 foal by Blue Bresil, the horse would enter the Melbourne Cup as a 10-year-old per Australian standards for hemisphere-bred runners.
The oldest Melbourne Cup winners at eight years old are Toryboy (1865), Catalogue (1938), and Twilight Payment (2020), from the event’s 1861 origins.
Given his jumps background, Constitution Hill must secure black-type flat credentials for Melbourne Cup qualification and undergo Racing Victoria’s thorough vet checks.
The owner is confident of approval, despite the horse’s odd trotting gait, with Henderson set to supply video evidence to examiners.
“As far as I know, he doesn’t have anything that would be adverse to getting in,” Buckley said.
“Nicky will make sure that they have a video of the way he trots…he’s a terrible trotter but he seems OK when he’s galloping.”
Constitution Hill is quoted at $15 in places for the 2026 Melbourne Cup slated for November 3.
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