Ryan Moore booked for Constitution Hill’s second Flat start in novice race at Kempton on Wednesday night
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Ryan Moore is set to partner Constitution Hill in his second appearance on the Flat after the top hurdler was given an entry for a novice contest at Kempton on Wednesday.
The 2023 Champion Hurdle winner, who last month made an eye-catching winning Flat debut on Southwell’s Friday Night Live card, is among the early entries for the £12,000 1m4f race (7.30) at the evening meeting. The deadline for entries is at midday.
Trainer Nicky Henderson had previously mentioned another novice race for his nine-year-old, who defeated Square Necker by nine and a half lengths under champion jockey Oisin Murphy last time.
With Murphy suspended for eight days from March 24-31, due to being found to have used his whip once above the permitted level of six when partnering Caliban to victory at Southwell last week, Henderson appears to have secured the services of Moore.
Henderson told the Racing Post on Thursday: “It’s not the practice he needs, but we’ve got to be getting ahead in trying to get him a handicap mark, so we feel it’s better to get it done this way.
“He’s got to have three runs, and we need them under our belt, because there are a lot of big handicaps we can be thinking about.”
Newbury’s Group 3 John Porter Stakes, which this year takes place on April 18, the same day as the £100,000 Greenham Stakes, has also been discussed as a possibility for the eight-time Grade 1-winning hurdler.
Constitution Hill and Oisin Murphy en route to winning at SouthwellCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Henderson said: “It gives him three weeks until the John Porter, and, rather than having to gallop him round the place here, I think another run would do him good.
“Nico [de Boinville] came and rode him in a piece of work this morning and he felt great, and he’s the one person who does know him. It works nicely from Southwell to here, and then from here until Newbury, so it leads us there quite tidily.”
Constitution Hill is priced between 14-1 and 16-1 for the Gold Cup at Ascot in June, while the Melbourne Cup was also mentioned by owner Michael Buckley last month.
Coral’s John Hill said: “After his impressive Flat debut at Southwell, Constitution Hill may get the chance to showcase what he can do on the Flat at Kempton next week. Ahead of that race, he is 14-1 for the Gold Cup and 20-1 for the Melbourne Cup.”
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