‘Big worry’ – Nicky Henderson forced to make ‘plan B’ for Constitution Hill with Windsor return increasingly unlikely

THE ongoing drought has forced Nicky Henderson to come up with a Plan B for superstar Constitution Hill. The nine-year-old has been off since preserving his unbeaten record on the Flat at Kempton in March – and he could be on his way back to that racecourse soon. Unusually for a Flat horse, Constitution Hill has been off all summer, but he is nearing a return… even if it may not be in the race Nicky Henderson had originally planned Credit: Getty With another heatwave and no rain in the forecast it is looking increasingly unlikely the horse will return at Windsor on August 29, as Hendo had hoped. The trainer has said from the start of Constitution Hill’s switch from the jumps that he will not run the former champion hurdler on fast ground. So the Group 3 September Stakes at Kempton is now his back-up option – though the week-long delay would all but rule out a crack at the Irish St Leger on September 13. Hendo said: “The weather is a big worry at the moment, not just for him but for everyone. We desperately need some rain. “The plan is still to go to Windsor and that is what we’d like to do, but it is still looking very hot and very dry and we won’t run him on fast ground. “Luckily we have the September Stakes on the all-weather a week later, so that’s our Plan B. He’s very happy and in good form.” The legendary Seven Barrows boss added to the Press Association: “The Windsor date has to be a considerable worry and it is where we would prefer to be, but the good thing is the following weekend we have the September Stakes at Kempton and we might just have to wait a week and go there. “It’s a good scenario and it’s nice to have a backup plan the following week. Most read in Horse Racing “It doesn’t affect his preparations and if he’s ready for one, he’s ready for the other, an extra week isn’t going to change things and he won’t go over the top I can assure you! “Windsor is watered so it doesn’t need as much rain as the National Hunt tracks do and if we did get two or three days of heavy rain then it could still be possible Windsor will be safe. “But it’s good to have Kempton there and we’ll have to wait and see.” Hendo hasn’t got a long-term plan set in stone for the rest of the season with Constitution Hill. He has had interest from officials in Australia, who are trying to tempt him Down Under for the Melbourne Cup in November, but there are also plenty of options closer to home. He added: “My assistant George Daly has been scouring the programme book in Ireland, France and Germany. We’ll see what happens.” FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here. Comment now