Forty-eight hours on from an apparently flawless performance like Constitution Hill’s 12-length success at Newcastle on Saturday, the adrenaline has worn off and it is generally possible to make a more objective assessment of the form. Perhaps the second-favourite ran well below form, went off too fast or made a mistake at a key stage. Maybe the winner was the only one that acted on the ground.
This time, there’s nothing. Not even the faintest hint of a hole to niggle away at. Constitution Hill travelled supremely well from the first stride, settled easily into his unfamiliar role as a frontrunner and flew every hurdle without a second thought. When Nico de Boinville asked for just a little of what his partner had left in the tank, Constitution Hill’s turn of foot was immediate and electrifying. He scarcely moved past second gear but still covered the two miles 17 seconds faster than the winner of the opening juvenile hurdle.
