Paddy Flood on Constitution Hill - 'He is never going for it. It's negative, negative, negative' Paddy Flood shared his thoughts on this week's Irish Angle podcast when speaking about Constitution Hill, who suffered his third fall in four races this weekend at Newcastle in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. “I personally think the horse is a Ferrari. He’s a top-class two-miler, and if you watch Formula 1 - even this weekend - any little twitch or turn will put that car off, and it won’t do what its pilot expects it to do. Body Position Makes all the Difference “For me, we only have to analyse two hurdles, but it’s Nico’s body shape that is probably the problem here. “If you go back to every single run Constitution Hill has had, he has always done this: he has thrown himself at a hurdle, and he has taken long strides. When he won the Champion Hurdle, he stood outside the wings. He was a good 12 feet before the hurdle and still managed to get there. “The difference then was that Nico was going with him. He was letting him do it. He was saying, “If you’re brave enough and strong enough to get there, you can get there.” “I can’t knock Nico too much because he has had two falls off the horse. The one in Aintree is definitely Nico’s fault, and something similar happened this weekend. “When you’re teaching kids in school, if a horse is going to come along with you, at least go with it. If the horse is going, the last thing you want to do is be in mid-air, stopping that momentum with your hands. Breaking Down the Riding Positions - Neutral, Negative and Positive “Going down to the first, Constitution Hill met it spot-on, but Nico’s body weight was up and back; we call that a negative position. There’s negative, positive and neutral. “Neutral is where you don’t move, you don’t lift your hands, and you let the horse do everything. “Negative is bringing your body weight back slightly, but keeping your hands down and the pressure on the bit. “Positive is lying down on the horse’s neck and squeezing them to the hurdle. “Nico goes to the first. He lifts his hands properly and brings himself back. He’s letting the horse know, “I don’t need you here.” The horse obliges, meets it spot-on and jumps perfectly. “They land, go a bit quicker to the second, and Nico is never going for it. It’s negative, negative, negative. “Then, at the last second, he drops the bridle, pushes down on the horse’s neck and says, “If you’re going to go, you can go now.” That’s too late - far too late on a horse that has had a couple of falls. “He either should have taken him right back - really lift the reins, bring him back and get your weight behind the withers - or do what he would have done two years ago: lie on his neck, say “Go on,” and ride him as if a cameraman was taking a picture for your mantelpiece. “With Nico, at that last second, if you slow it down, you’ll see a bit of panic. He pushed his hands into the horse’s neck, and the horse thought, “Do you want me or don’t you?” That’s how you get a step. A Case for Trying a Different Jockey “If we’re talking retirement, why not try another jockey first? Give it one go. He could still be at the height of his career. “He’s a young horse with loads of potential. He could be the best we’ve ever seen. He’s not that at the minute, but why not give someone else a go? They’ve done all the schooling. Let’s see what happens.” Watch the full Irish Angle Show
