Relief all round, as Henderson’s box-office attraction keeps the dream alive

Bright lights, Constitution Hill and a weight of expectation. It was a script with a comfortingly familiar feel.

It had barely been a month since Nicky Henderson’s flagship performer dazzled under the Southwell spotlights on his Flat bow and although there were no blaring beats from the DJ booth as Rolleston on a Friday gave way for Kempton on a Wednesday, the second instalment of the former Champion Hurdler’s odyssey on the level would prove just as significant.

Henderson admitted Constitution Hill had “pivoted into film star land” ahead of his Sunbury sequel, all too aware that like many Hollywood blockbusters, the remake is always susceptible of being a box-office flop.

However, the Virgin Bet Novice Stakes was all about learning and although not so much a second day at school for a nine-year-old who had risen to the top of the jumping game before crushing falls and the hand of fate inspired this new voyage of discovery, it was another evening of possible angst for those closest at a venue that has always been a fixture in the Constitution Hill story.

With the evening dew rising and a spring chill in the air, it was this time Ryan Moore who was entrusted with delivering today’s lesson aboard ‘Conrad’, as he is affectionately known at Seven Barrows.

The early pace slow meant a subdued hum from the packed grandstands awaiting its moment to erupt, which would soon come. Two furlongs to run and the first murmurs of ‘go on Ryan’ could be heard before soon the same chorus accompanied the ensuing rush to greet their midweek hero. Not quite the destructive belligerence of Southwell, but technical intrigue and jeopardy that left the purist begging for more.

Henderson after adding Moore’s debrief to the all-knowing notebook inside his mind said: “The main thing was to learn a bit more and the most important thing is he’s really enjoying it and that is the biggest plus we have to take from this, because he’s had a difficult year since his fall in the Champion Hurdle.

“If he’s going round there thinking this is fun, then that is good enough for me – that’s all we need to know.

“There’s still a lot to find out, does he go on a quick surface? Does he want further or less? But we can decipher that in time. First thoughts are he doesn’t need two miles, but for now he’s fine at the mile and a half.

“It will be more fun for me once we’re through these preliminary hoops and find out where we want to be.

“We’re trying to take it one step at a time and he looked very, very big beforehand – it’s only when you see him in this environment you appreciate what a big horse he is. Crikey, you might think Kempton wouldn’t be for him, but he’s sharp.

“It’s nice to get him out and get him running and you never know, he might just be doing something that is doing racing good. If he is appreciated then we’ll keep him going. We might have to take a mid-summer break, but if all is well let’s enjoy him while we can.”

This was an outing without the month-long build-up of Constitution Hill’s Southwell stroll, but one that proved that he is racing’s Luke Littler, Lionel Messi and Muhammad Ali rolled into one. In short, he is box office.

And just as the Ally Pally would always be packed to the rafters at Christmas for Littler, racing is fortunate that there will always be a queue at the turnstiles to witness Constitution Hill deliver his own version of the big fish.

There were no 2,000 students bussed in from Nottingham university to bolster the numbers this time, but just shy of 1,500 in attendance meant uplift of almost 1,000 on an average Kempton Wednesday night.

This was racing in die-hard territory, aficionados on a pilgrimage to watch their once-fallen hurdling king be anointed prince of the synthetics at a place Henderson knows best of all.

“I was here on Monday for one runner and one winner and there wasn’t this many here, but Kempton, what a magnificent place and we have to keep it here,” continued Henderson, with a nod to racing politics.

“I love the place, always have. But to see that paddock rammed when he came back in was like Christmas all over again and when the likes of Constitution Hill and Sir Gino have come back after a Christmas Hurdle.

“Everyone was here for one thing and every single person here was round the paddock and that’s wonderful. It’s the sort of thing only these fantastic, old – and he is old – horses can do.

“It’s great he can come out and wallop a few three-year-olds and four-year-olds and everyone goes home happy. We’re happy if he’s happy and when he’s happy, we’re happy.”

The Constitution Hill effect may have now swept through both Southwell and Kempton, as out of the depths of jumping despair, the reincarnation of a great will have racecourses across the globe pitching Henderson their wares.

It is in all likelihood Newbury and the John Porter that is next, but Henderson knows too well the future is never promised and why today is always known as the present, taking a moment to remember Sir Gino following an emotional few days.

Henderson said: “We had to make the decision on Sir Gino early yesterday morning and it was horrendous. We’ve been sitting on these two horses that are the two best hurdlers in England and we’ve lost one and we’ve got to make sure we look after this one.

“It was sad for the whole team, but at least tonight we can go home and say ‘thanks Sir Gino’ and let this old boy fly the flag.”