Newcastle’s Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle and the International Hurdle at Cheltenham are both options for Constitution Hill after he missed his intended reappearance in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot.
Last year’s star novice was due to make his seasonal bow in the extended two-mile-three-furlong contest, but with the ground at the Berkshire track having changed to good, good to soft in places despite overnight watering, Nicky Henderson was not prepared to take any chances.
The Seven Barrows handler expressed concerns about conditions on Friday and having walked the track before racing on Saturday, he felt it was an easy decision to pull out the ante-post Champion Hurdle favourite.
