Vicki Gibbins reflects on the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury

Vicki Gibbins on Constitution Hill's Southwell success

Constitution Hill wins at Southwell: Vicki Gibbins reacts from the track

By Vicki Gibbins

Horse Racing

Fri February 20, 2026 · 2h ago

It’s horse-racing history and it’s happened at Southwell, on a Friday night under the floodlights.

Visiting Southwell for Constitution Hill in a flat race wasn’t on my 2025/26 National Hunt season bingo card, but we move with the times in racing.

“Are you excited?” asks a cheery security guard on entry.

In 30-odd years on earth, I’ve never been excited by a Southwell novice stakes and I don’t plan to start now. I’m engaged in the narrative, amused by the drama and interested in the outcome but excited may be pushing it too far.

I am looking forward to seeing Friday Night Live in action and delighted to hear that Sporting Life duties don’t include a quick round of speed-dating. The aforementioned age bracket rules me out, although I have been promised that fellow Sporting Life stalwart and Trackside partner-in-crime David Massey could be in the mix for a spin.

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The crowds are only trickling in as we start the first race, but the turnstiles become busier as darkness falls. I’m impressed by the atmosphere created by Southwell and Invades: it’s a party. The DJ adds a pounding drum base but for those looking for a more serious and sedate experience, the betting hall remains ‘uninvaded’. Jockeys come out to ring walk music, with Billy Loughnane cheerfully humming ‘Sweet Caroline’ as he greets the waiting public. It has a feel of cricket’s Twenty20 about it - accessible and fun.

Nicky Henderson, guest of honour, heads down to the weighing room and is inundated by autograph hunters and selfie takers.

“He’s the one in the flat cap,” explains a man to his girlfriend. I hope she doesn’t come to Cheltenham, it might be trickier to match names to faces in the swarm of tweed.

There’s drama before the fourth race. The Nottingham Trent cheerleading team are due to perform, but wet conditions are restrictive. They’ve got a competition next week and it’s too risky – a sentiment that Nicky probably relates to.

As 12 runners file into the paddock before the SBK Road To Cheltenham Novice Stakes, it’s hard not to get caught up in the carnival atmosphere.

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Although I recognise and accept a sense of mischief about the entries, the race does exemplify the prize money crisis. A novice stakes at Southwell would usually boast a prize fund of £6,000 with dwindling numbers. In contrast, with a £40,000 pot, we have a full field of 14 with horses being balloted out.

The industry needs eight to ten runners to make a suitable betting proposition and although the ‘Constitution Hill’ race is an extreme example, it shows that trainers are willing to become involved for better prize money.

They go to post and the crowd surges to the rails. There’s a collective intake of breath as Constitution Hill breaks evenly, sitting on the outside as the field pass the stands for the first time. There’s a cheer, the crowd are willing him home. Oisin Murphy waits patiently, poised to strike as they round the home turn.

And then something unbelievable happens.

Constitution Hill is out on his own at Southwell

Constitution Hill looms ominously, he draws alongside the leader and he pulls, effortlessly, easily, clear.

The watching crowd go wild. There are tears, people run to the winner’s enclosure to welcome their hero home. It’s horse-racing history and it’s happened at Southwell, on a Friday night under the floodlights.

It’s unwritable and I return to my laptop, wondering how on earth to commit that moment to paper.

So I revert to the start and wonder whether to re-write my opening gambit.

“Are you excited?” asks a cheery security guard on entry.

Yes. I can’t wait.