Nicky Henderson says he 'will do everything' in his power to try and rekindle star hurdler Constitution Hill

The brilliant eight-year-old, one of the best two-mile hurdlers seen for decades at his peak, was sent off the 8/13 favourite for the Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown despite lining up on the back of heavy falls at both Cheltenham and Aintree in March and April respectively.

However, the writing was on the wall for those who kept the faith a long way from the finish and he eventually trailed home fifth of the six runners under stand-in jockey James Bowen.

Speaking on Racing TV's Luck On Sunday show, the master of Seven Barrows could offer no firm explanation for the performance other than that he feared the worst for his chances even before the race began.

He said: "There was a tell-tale moment in this whole thing and that was when he was at the start. He just turned his head and said 'I don't want to do this', and that was the most unlike Constitution Hill moment I've ever seen. It's just so unlike him, he wouldn't turn his head away from anything, he'd never let you down and I think that was his way of saying.

"He'd had two shocking falls, the Liverpool fall was horrible, but as far as we could tell here, he had schooled and done everything right. He was a bit sorry (for himself) after Aintree for a week and then he brightened up and bounced out, so we said 'if you want to go, we want to go'.

"But that moment at the start, as I say, it sort of told me everything. He's the most willing, level-headed horse you could ever, ever find, just with this wonderful temperament which is his strength. But I'm afraid we've probably just emptied that little part of him and that's what his thought was then, it was so out of character."

Henderson is not contemplating calling time on the horse's career, despite a performance so out of character.

He confirmed: "I can categorically say that next season does happen, yes. Anything otherwise (retirement) is out of the question.

"What do you do? For all the advice I've had since Aintree - since Thursday and Friday - there a million different opinions on what we should and shouldn't be doing. Now, if I put them all into operation then the confusion would be horrendous.

"I think we'll stick to our own plan, turn him out, and hope that he can just, literally, mentally forget it. Yes, they do remember, of course they do, but there's not much else you can do.

"We'll do everything (we can), but it's just not that easy.

"I think he'll go back to Charlie Vigors, where he's spent all his summers every since he came here. He'll be happy there and we've just got to try and get him to relax, which is what he's good at, and get over it all.

"But his head's pretty good, all of the time, and I think it (Friday's flop) was just his way of saying 'not today'."

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