Constitution Hill was forced to accept a decisive fourth‑place finish behind Pride Of Arras in his much‑anticipated third flat start at Kempton Park’s William Hill September Stakes. The young star, who dazzled during his hurdling career and has been a major attraction since moving up to the flat under Nicky Henderson, found the Group Three contest a significant step up from his earlier wins at Southwell and his previous Kempton outings in February and March. When the odds‑on favourite Gethin broke swiftly and took the early lead over the mile‑and‑a‑half distance, Constitution Hill, listed at 9‑2, settled close behind in a compact fourth. Billy Loughnane also sat in the mix, and the quartet remained within striking distance as they turned for home, still exuding a palpable threat.
Approaching the final two‑furlong marker, Constitution Hill produced a fleeting flash of promise, but it quickly became evident that he would not be able to mount a serious challenge. Instead, it was the Ralph Beckett‑trained Pride Of Arras, a solid 11‑2 shot, who surged ahead and held on to Gethin by a length, securing a comfortable victory. The result leaves Henderson with a reassessment of the horse’s future plans. The colt had arrived at Kempton with the Melbourne Cup lingering as an autumn possibility, but the defeat has effectively closed that door.
"Melbourne is gone now, sadly," Henderson admitted. "Today was always going to tell us what we needed to do next, and now we have another question to answer." He went on to outline the distance range he believes suits the horse best: "I don’t think we want to go under a mile and a half, that is for sure. Twelve, thirteen or fourteen furlongs seems to be the sweet spot for him.
I do think he will improve with a run, given how he arrived as if it were inevitable, but from a furlong out he took a bit of a blow. It will sharpen him up." Henderson also noted that Constitution Hill will now be eligible for handicaps, opening a new set of opportunities: "It will be interesting to see the reaction on Tuesday.
It could allow him into some very lucrative handicaps in England, Ireland or wherever you like. From two novice stakes of very differing strength and depth it was a big step today, and we’ll now just wait to see what it does for his mark." He added a note of optimism about the horse’s future: "We’ll find a nice race for him somewhere and he’s by no means finished yet, I can promise you that." While Australian ambitions may have been dampened for Constitution Hill, the connections of Pride Of Arras are now looking across the Atlantic.
The winner, who previously displayed class in the Dante and Great Voltigeur Stakes on the Sunbury synthetic surface, could be headed to Canada for the Canadian International. Beckett praised his charge: "He’s a good horse, was good in the Dante and Voltigeur last year, and a talented individual. He had a serious foot issue that surfaced just before the John Porter, and he wasn’t fully ready when he ran against Calandagan in the Grand Prix de Saint‑Cloud, but I had to get him into a race." He reflected on the horse’s recent form: "He lugged out when he was second to Item in the York Stakes and I was still worrying about his foot. He looked a million dollars before the International and hadn’t looked better.
It was a great disappointment that we couldn’t run at York – they loaded him before the other horses had gone behind, and I think he was watching the horses walk towards him, which set him off." Regarding the Kempton surface, Beckett offered his assessment: "I think today he probably found the ground a touch deeper than he would like, so you could probably upgrade it a little bit. I think there is a good chance he will really enjoy Toronto when we take him to the Canadian International." On the broader impact of Constitution Hill’s performance, Beckett added: "It’s great that the crowds have turned out – we’re in the entertainment business – but inevitably you have to worry about your own horse. I’m delighted there is a crowd and it was a good race. The first two are good horses and Constitution Hill wasn’t disgraced." The day’s Sky Sports Racing schedule also featured flat action from Ascot and Newcastle, a preview of upcoming races, and a series of expert tips.
Meanwhile, the racing community noted that the Arc will open to geldings from 2027, and Hollie Doyle’s blog highlighted upcoming contests at Ascot, Kempton, and Haydock, with Almeraq leading the Sprint Cup field for husband Tom Marquand. In summary, Constitution Hill’s Kempton outing may have curtailed his immediate overseas aspirations, but both trainer Nicky Henderson and owner Ralph Beckett remain confident that the colt still has plenty of potential to fulfil. The next steps will involve targeting suitable handicap opportunities and possibly a venture to Canada, where Pride Of Arras hopes to showcase his talent on the international stage.