Nicky Henderson raises Bahrain option for Constitution Hill

Nicky Henderson has identified options at Ascot and Newbury for Constitution Hill’s next appearance – before an intriguing overseas trip to Bahrain enters the picture later in the autumn.

The Seven Barrows superstar saw his official Flat rating raised to 108 despite a first defeat on the level in Kempton’s September Stakes on his latest outing, a hike which effectively rules out handicaps on home soil for one of the sport’s flagship names.

Having since spent time pouring over the programme book, Henderson is looking at a couple of October Group Three prizes for the nine-year-old’s next start ahead of a possible international adventure the following month.

Henderson told the Press Association: “The two races in England look to be the Cumberland Lodge at Ascot (October 3) or the St Simon (Stakes, October 24) at Newbury, I would have said.

“There are races abroad and there is a race in Bahrain, but I would have said one of the two English races (next), they are both Group Threes and are probably the obvious ones.”

With the Cumberland Lodge clashing with the Sun Chariot at Newmarket as well as high-ranking contests on day one of ParisLongchamp’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fixture, Henderson is hoping Constitution Hill might avoid meeting the same calibre of opposition as he did at Kempton, where he was beaten into fourth place behind the now 117-rated Pride Of Arras.

“You would think the Group One horses will be emigrating for the Arc and not going there,” he continued.

“The Cumberland Lodge is on Arc weekend, while in the September Stakes we ran into a trial for a lot of Group One and Group Two horses that might otherwise be running elsewhere.

“Ascot is not too far away, but he’ll be ready and he’s in good shape. Ground will enter the equation as well, but it will be nice to get him back on turf again and that will be a main thing. So far on the Flat he thinks everything happens on a beach!”

Defeat at Kempton may have curtailed dreams of a run in the Melbourne Cup, but another international option may have been discovered for Constitution Hill in the form of the newly created Gulf of Bahrain Cup.

The valuable handicap is run on Bahrain International Trophy undercard on November 13, which clashes with the opening day of the November meeting at Cheltenham, where Henderson is expected to saddle Jonbon in the Shloer Chase.

He added: “We are looking at it and Goblet Of Fire could even go there. I’ve no idea about the ground over there but it’s worth $400,000 or similar.”