Constitution Hill and Jake Paul: Peas in a pod?

What next for Constitution Hill after Sky Bet Ebor no-show?

Horse Racing

Wed July 15, 2026 · 1d ago

The World Cup Final, The Open golf, the Weatherbys Super Sprint.

It’s fair to say horse racing will take a backseat this week, even on a website that is predominantly about horse racing.

Events in New Jersey and Royal Birkdale will capture the imagination of most sport fans, while events in Newbury are for the hardcore racing enthusiast only.

This isn’t a whinge or a moan. It’s not even a gripe at a calendar that has Ascot, Chester, Newmarket and York on one Saturday in July, followed by Newbury and Market Rasen the next.

‘Super Saturday’ followed by ‘Sorry Saturday’.

It’s not that. We quite like the quiet weeks. Horse Racing is a relentless pursuit, especially in the summer months, and a week like this allows for a breather, a time to take stock.

And if you want a bet on the horses this Saturday, there’s always Newbury.

I won’t be surprising anyone here, but I quite like the Super Sprint. It’s unusual having a two-year-old sales race as a Saturday feature, but it does offer smaller owners the chance of a big payday and as a betting race it has its angles.

Anthelia grabs Havana Hurricane on the line in the 2025 Super Sprint

For starters, the market is always dictated to by the ratings, but by mid-July of a two-year-old’s career improvement can be volatile.

Add in a 25-runner field over five furlongs and it’s no surprise we’ve had winners at 12/1 (twice), 14/1 and 16/1 in the last decade, to go along with horses who had a distinct advantage at the weights like Relief Rally (Evens) and Happy Romance (100/30).

So, it’s not a bad puzzle to have a go at.

And it’s one that looks inherently less complex than the one facing Nicky Henderson regarding the Flat career of former Champion Hurdler Constitution Hill.

In a parallel universe he could be running in the Listed BetVictor Steventon Stakes at Newbury, his local course, on Saturday, on the Super Sprint undercard, utilising the last chance before cut-off point to qualify for the Sky Bet Ebor by way of having his third run on the Flat.

Okay, the back-to-back heatwaves this summer have not helped his cause, nor is the 10-furlong trip perfect for him.

But it might well have seen him go into the Ebor with his 101-rating intact and if Constitution Hill isn’t an Ebor horse, what on earth is he?

A £500,000 handicap, over 1m6f, for a horse of Constitution Hill’s class off what could be a lenient rating, it looks perfect for him. No wonder he was amongst the antepost favourites for the race until Henderson swiped him out of the entries with minutes to spare last week.

It had the potential to be a brilliant story, but perhaps that’s the Yorkshireman in me. I grew up on tales of Sea Pigeon from my grandad and while he won his Champion Hurdles after the Ebor, it would be equally special to see it happen in reverse.

Alas, it wasn’t to be. And while there are much bigger stories in the world of Flat racing right now, you do wonder what will become of Constitution Hill, the Flat horse.

August and September is full of Group 3 and Listed races over trips around a mile and a half. He could run in a Geoffrey Freer over 1m5f at Newbury, or perhaps the September Stakes over 1m4f at Kempton.

Both are Group 3s. One is down the road, the other is at a track he is proven on. Both of those factors will appeal to Henderson.

But you get the sense it will come down to ground conditions and the opposition – or lack of it.

Constitution Hill under Ryan Moore at Kempton earlier in the year

The excitement that built around Constitution Hill’s appearances at Southwell and Kempton earlier in the year was unprecedented, but they were easy pickings for him in novice races.

Is that what connections are after? Exhibitions? For Constitution Hill to turn up for a flag-waving payday by pretending he’s a Flat horse like an equine Jake Paul?

Hopefully not. After all, the style of his novice wins hinted at so much more than that. He has an Irish St Leger entry in September and, who knows, next year he’ll even be able to run in the first iteration of a geldings-included Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, if he’s good enough, for all that's unlikely at the age of 10.

Taking in the Ebor would’ve been a good way of finding out just how good Conrad could be on the Flat, a now or never situation at the age of nine, but hopefully we find out another way.

It won’t be in the heart of the Flat season, though. A season that catches its breath this weekend. A weekend that is all about the football and the golf – even on this website!

What next for Constitution Hill after Sky Bet Ebor no-show?

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