Having appeared in doubt, the most anticipated and unexpected flat debut of 2026 looks set to go ahead. Barring any late mishaps, Constitution Hill will take his place in the SBK Road to Cheltenham Novice Stakes at Southwell on Friday evening. A welcome boost to the Nottinghamshire track and the new Friday Night Live series of fixtures, but, as has become the theme with Constitution Hill of late, the build-up to the £40,000 contest didn’t go entirely smoothly.
Ruled out by Random Ballot
The presence of Constitution Hill in a Class 2 novice event was always likely to generate more hype than your average all-weather contest. However, the additional interest looked to have worked against the eight-time Grade 1 winner. With the prize money increased to £40,000, entries poured in from far and wide, creating a list of potential runners exceeding the 12-runner capacity.
Southwell did its bit to maximise Constitution Hill’s chances of lining up on the day, with a proposal to increase the track’s stabling capacity from 108 to 110 being approved by the BHA. The ability to house two extra runners allowed the track to expand the maximum field size for the headline event from 12 to 14.
Despite this, Constitution Hill still almost missed out. In oversubscribed novice events, a random ballot is used to sort the entries into a priority list. Somewhat predictably, Constitution Hill found himself outside the top 14 runners when the ballot was drawn on Sunday afternoon.
Withdrawn Runners to the Rescue
Following Sunday’s ballot, Constitution Hill looked set to miss a race introduced with him in mind. To the relief of Nicky Henderson, Southwell Racecourse, Friday Night Live organisers, ITV, and fans with tickets, that outcome has been avoided.
Constitution Hill is DECLARED for THE SBK ROAD TO CHELTENHAM NOVICE STAKES (CLASS 2)!🙌
You don't want to miss this! – Friday 20th February 🎟️ https://t.co/CWtlYoxSGw pic.twitter.com/aNGznzn5KQ
— Southwell Racecourse (@Southwell_Races) February 18, 2026
As the 16th horse drawn, Constitution Hill needed two horses to come out at the final declaration stage on Wednesday morning. In the end, the nine-year-old made the final field with a bit to spare, with connections of Secret Squirrel, Jong Gait, Tide Lines, and Summer Appeal all announcing that their runner would not take up the engagement.
Eclectic Field Assembles
Constitution Hill has never run on the flat, with the superstar lacking even a bumper outing to his name. However, a huge reputation and a peak hurdles rating of a stratospheric 175 see him head the market for his 1m4f tapeta assignment. With Oisin Murphy in the saddle, he will no doubt be the crowd favourite on Friday evening.
If raw ability is the best guide, Constitution Hill probably should be up to winning this, but what is good for a 2m turf event over hurdles isn’t guaranteed to translate to this vastly different challenge. If the headline act comes up short, the early betting suggests the following are the most likely to take advantage.
- Square Necker – Hailing from the Newmarket yard of Amo Racing’s number one trainer, Kevin Philippart De Foy, Square Necker is five years younger than Constitution Hill. In addition to his youth, the son of Zarak also has excellent form in this sort of contest. Having finished a close third in a solid Doncaster maiden on debut for Ralph Beckett, he made the switch to the Robson De Aguiar operation in November 2025. Raced only once in Ireland, he sauntered to a 3¾-length success in a 1m4f all-weather event at Dundalk. Now onto his third trainer in as many starts, the mount of David Egan could spoil the Constitution Hill party.
- Daddy Long Legs – Upon hearing of the increased prize money and the presence of Constitution Hill, Willie Mullins suggested he might send only a second ever runner to Southwell’s all-weather track. True to his word, Mullins has tasked Daddy Long Legs with laying down a challenge to the Henderson star. Unlike the market leader, this seven-year-old, owned by Mrs J Donnelly, has appeared on the flat, albeit without managing to win. He finished second on debut in France and a had 9¾-length third at Ballinrobe in May 2025. Perhaps the booking of Ryan Moore, who takes the ride for the first time, can inspire the seven-year-old to greater heights.
- Tripoli Flyer – Continuing the theme of runners more commonly sighted over jumps, Fergal O’Brien sends this Grade 2-winning hurdler into battle. Solid bumper form, including a second in a Grade 2 event at Aintree, hints at flat ability, but a hurdles mark of 142 leaves him a few rungs below Constitution Hill on the National Hunt ladder. How well he copes with this trip on a synthetic surface remains to be seen, but he has the assistance of the excellent Billy Loughnane in the saddle.
- Gambino – The name of Dan Skelton in the trainer column hints at another National Hunt performer. However, the twice-raced Gambino has only ever raced on the flat. Based with Noel Meade in Ireland for those previous runs, he won first time out at Gowran Park and finished second at the same track on his second outing. By 2,000 Guineas winner Churchill and out of a Kodiac dam, he is bred to be a flat horse and could be a popular each-way option at a double-figure price.
Others to note include Grazeon Sunshine, who brings winning bumper form to the table, and Mr McLoughlan, who has scored three times over hurdles. However, this race is all about the latest comeback of the greatest hurdler of his generation. Tune in to Friday Night Live to discover how he gets on.