Nicky Henderson has ruled brilliant novice Constitution Hill out of a clash with Honeysuckle at the Punchestown Festival.
The British star could have scooped a £100,000 bonus from bookmakers Paddy Power had he brought the mare's unbeaten run of 15 wins to an end on her home turf. Constitution Hill will now be put away for the summer, a month after he was awarded the highest-ever rating for a novice hurdler in Timeform's 74-year history.
He eased 22 lengths clear of Jonbon in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and is the general 2-1 favourite to win the two-mile championship contest on day one of Cheltenham 2023.
Henderson told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: "We'd been umming and ahing for a good fortnight now. It was very tempting but we had the horse all prepped up for Cheltenham. Bear in mind he's still a big, quite raw, five-year-old. He's only had three races in his life. His future is so big.
"I think he can be a better horse, more built up and stronger, in a year's time and I'd rather finish on a good note with it all in front of him. There's all the time in the world to meet Honeysuckle and hopefully it will be in March. Constitution Hill will definitely stay over hurdles. He can have a proper campaign next season but to go over there and do this against what is undoubtedly a very, very good mare wasn't something in his interest or to his benefit.
"I think a nice field and a summer out is going to be of more benefit and build up his frame a little more so we have a more mature and stronger horse next year. So we've reluctantly declined all the temptations.
"It is possible Epatante will run though. She's going to go over there. There is a mares' two-and-a-half mile hurdle and Marie's Rock will run in that while Epatante might go either way yet."
Honeysuckle’s trainer Henry de Bromhead previously suggested a meeting of the two top horses would be "fascinating" to watch. The eight-year-old mare took her second Champion Hurdle in March by three-and-a-half lengths from Epatante, who herself went on to win at Aintree's Grand National fixture.
Honeysuckle's run stretches right back to a maiden hurdle in November 2018 – and she also galloped to victory in her sole point-to-point outing.
“What she has achieved, no other horse has achieved it," de Bromhead told Racing TV. “Obviously, Constitution Hill was extremely impressive, all his figures were unreal, but she’s just so consistently at the top. I can’t answer who would win it, but I think it would be fascinating if they do takes us on and wouldn’t it be amazing for the sport.”
