Constitution Hill: Former Champion Hurdle winner shines on Flat switch

Constitution Hill won the Road To Cheltenham Novice Stakes at Southwell by nine-and-a-half lengths after switching to the Flat, with Oisin Murphy in the saddle; trainer Nicky Henderson said the performance could "open up a lot of doors".

Constitution Hill returned to winning ways with a switch to the Flat in the Road To Cheltenham Novice Stakes at Southwell. The nine-year-old had won his first ten races but had fallen three times in four recent outings. Trainer Nicky Henderson entered him over a mile and a half as part of an effort to regain form ahead of a possible tilt at March's Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The race was run under floodlights at the Nottinghamshire course. Key facts: - Constitution Hill started 6-4 favourite and was ridden by five-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy. - He took the lead well before the line and won by nine-and-a-half lengths from Square Necker and Gambino. - Murphy described him as feeling "like a machine" and said he wanted to give the horse an idea of what a Flat race is like. - Henderson said the performance would "open up a lot of doors" and noted the stable had been through "a few tears" in the past year. - The victory came in the Road To Cheltenham Novice Stakes over a mile and a half at Southwell. Summary: The emphatic Flat victory ended a difficult run and produced a strong response to the change of plan. Henderson and the team said the result has opened up new options, including a possible return to the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. The immediate effect is a restored winning performance and potential fresh paths for the horse's campaign.