NICKY HENDERSON appears to be leaning – ever so slightly – towards a trip to Cheltenham with Constitution Hill.
And he revealed if the horse DOES end up in the Champion Hurdle, it could well be his final ever start over jumps.
If the decision was a genuine coin-flip before the nine-year-old’s brilliant Flat debut at Southwell, the sense is Hendo is now 51-49 in favour of heading back to the Festival.
Jumping ‘guru’ Yogi Breisner, who is famed for his work with Olympic showjumpers, has been helping teach both the horse and Nico de Boinville on the schooling ground at Seven Barrows.
Constitution Hill will have one more spin over obstacles in a few days’ time, and Hendo revealed he will make his final decision by next weekend.
He said: “I know what Nico would do, and I know what Oisin would do, but it’s not their call!
“Sometimes it depends what side of bed you get out of in the morning. One day I get up and think, come on we’ve got to go and do this, and others I think don’t be so bloody stupid.
“I think I can safely say that Constitution Hill and everybody involved did a hell of a lot of good for the sport at Southwell, it was unbelievable.
“We have got to bear this cross of responsibility and we owe that to racing as a whole.
“He has definitely changed in his jumping technique, Yogi has got him putting a stride in which is what we want. What he has been doing wrong is taking the stride out.
“Yogi knows about these things, and he has been coaching Nico in minute details, whether it’s his balance or where the hands are. It’s been fascinating to watch.
“But we’ve got hearts, we aren’t ruthless and that’s why we are finding it so hard. It tugs at everything.
“I think Michael and I nearly said to each other last night, if we did go to the Champion Hurdle that would almost be his last run over hurdles, and then we’d go and have some fun on the Flat.”
Hendo also confirmed if the horse does go to the Champion Hurdle in just over a fortnight, for which he is the 7-4 favourite, Nico de Boinville will retain the ride.
He added: “I don’t think a change of jockey is on the agenda, if you listen to Yogi he would argue that would be absolute suicide.
“He is without a doubt Nico is the best man for the job, he says he loves working with him and he has coached more Olympic horsemen than you and I will ever meet.
“We accept we have to take responsibility and make this decision, so the sooner we make it, probably for my own sake and health, is probably a good idea.
“We will know what we are doing by next weekend.”