The betting was suspended for the Champion Hurdle after Constitution Hill was scoped showing evidence of mucus following a disappointing workout; State Man made favourite on betting exchanges
Tuesday 27 February 2024 15:06, UK
Constitution Hill's Champion Hurdle bid will rest on the results of a scope after Nicky Henderson's star produced a "very disappointing" workout at Kempton on Tuesday.
Star Constitution Hill sent the betting for the Champion Hurdle into a spin after his poor routine workout at Kempton.
Speaking immediately after, Henderson said: "Unfortunately, in a routine gallop this morning, Constitution Hill was very disappointing and it transpires, after the vet has scoped him, that there is evidence of mucus."
As the news broke the bookmakers quickly suspended the betting for the race. It appears that the reigning champion's participation in the Champion Hurdle is in doubt.
However, Henderson remains hopeful. "We're taking a sample of it to a laboratory to analyse it, which will tell us about the significance of it and we should know more after that.
"Last week, he worked brilliantly and he was scoped 10 days ago, but these things happen, just like it did with him earlier in the year [having to miss Cheltenham on Trials day in January].
"Horses are like humans, look how many people had the awful cough around Christmas that took ages to get rid of.
"The vets still think it could clear up in a week and all his serious work has been done already, whether he makes it [to Cheltenham] will depend on the severity of it.
"He was disappointing this morning working with Sir Gino [Triumph Hurdle favourite], who he has worked with in the past. He would normally go easily with him, but this morning he couldn't, so Nico [de Boinville] realised all was not well and wasn't hard on him.
"Obviously, the mucus was affecting him. He's not coughing, he's just got a dirty picture, as we say.
"I'm not saying definitely either way [about Cheltenham] and I'll keep hoping. As you can imagine, it has come as a bit of a shock."
In a further updated statement from Henderson, he said the sample "indicates a respiratory infection which is significant but far from drastic".
Henderson added: "He will start a course of antibiotics immediately and we plan to re-scope him on Friday in order to monitor which way this is going.
"Both our own vet and the racecourse veterinary surgeon who scoped him, we feel we have every chance of correcting this in time and we will be doing everything possible to do so."
