Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Mark Donlon

Owner Michael Buckley excited for what is to come from promising five-year-old Constiution Hill

Michael Buckley has owned some fantastic horses over the years, but he admitted last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Constitution Hill excites him the most.

Speaking to 888sport ambassador Barry Geraghty, Buckley did little to hide hgis enthusiasm for the young horse.

He said: “He certainly looks like he has grown stronger and if he can run that sort of race again and has a bit of luck, he’s going to be a pretty tough nut to crack.”

READ MORE: Horse at centre of Manchester United conflict involving JP McManus and Alex Ferguson dies aged 23

Constitution Hill has three wins from three career starts, with the standout performance undeniably being the 22-length annihilation in the Cheltenham Festival opener.

Buckley gushed as he reflected on that gargantuan showing.

“I was nervous as hell beforehand. It was the first race of the meeting with a lot of expectation.

“I thought he had an outstanding chance, and I also knew that he was very well thought of down at Seven Barrows.

"Nico [de Boinville] sort of niggled him a little bit at the top of the hill and then he was coasting along.

"It was sort of a blur from when they came down towards the home turn because he was going so well and so easily.

“I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing as he went further and further and further away.

And Buckley admitted he was shaking as he watched his horse do the business on such a grand stage.

"I was standing next to Nicky [Henderson], I was absolutely speechless – just shaking.

"You don’t see horses win like that at places like Cheltenham.

"You can’t ever imagine a horse could do what he did, because you’re talking about things that you just never see.

"But then, as I found out through the day and since, most of the people who’ve been National Hunt racing for the last 30, 40, 50 or more years, hadn’t seen anything like it either!”

And Nico De Boinville's likening of the horse to another Nicky Henderson-trained superstar really underscored what the Seven Barrows team made of Constitution Hill.

He said: “I was in Florida for his second run, and I made up some story that I had to come back for a business meeting, which was totally untrue.

“I was talking to Nico as he was on the walkway going back. He said, ‘I told you he was good, didn’t I?’. And then when he jumped off, I said ‘so, what did you really think?’ I remember the words very clearly – he said ‘it’s Altior-esque.’

“You can’t really have a compliment higher than that.”

READ NEXT:

Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.