Constitution Hill was forced to accept a clear fourth‑place finish behind Pride Of Arras in his much‑anticipated third flat start at the William Hill September Stakes, held over a mile and a half at Kempton Park. The Nicky Henderson‑trained star, who dazzled during his hurdling career and has remained a marquee name since making the switch to the flat, found the Group Three contest a considerable step up from his previous victories at Southwell and his earlier win at Kempton in February and March. When the race began, the odds‑on favourite Gethin seized the lead and dictated a strong early pace.
Close on his heels were Billy Loughnane and Constitution Hill, the latter quoted at 9‑2, sitting in a tight fourth position and still possessing enough momentum to pose a threat as the field turned for home. By the time the runners entered the final two‑furlong sector, Constitution Hill produced a brief flash of promise, but it quickly became evident that he would not be able to join the leaders. Instead, it was the Ralph Beckett‑trained Pride Of Arras, starting at 11‑2, who surged ahead, repelling a late challenge from Gethin and winning by a length. The outcome leaves Henderson contemplating the future direction of his talented colt.
Constitution Hill arrived at Kempton with the Melbourne Cup still a tantalising prospect for the autumn campaign, but the defeat has forced a reassessment. Henderson admitted, "Melbourne is gone now, sadly. Today was always going to tell us what we were going to do next and I suppose he's posing us another question now. I don't think we want to go under a mile and a half, that is for sure, and 12, 13 or 14 furlongs seems to be the range of where we go with him.
I do think he is going to come on for the run, what with the way he got there as if it was going to happen, but from a furlong out I think he took a bit of a blow. It will sharpen him up.
He's going to be eligible to run in handicaps now and it will be interesting to see what the reaction on Tuesday is. 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. We'll find a nice race for him somewhere and he's by no means finished yet, I can promise you that." While the Australian ambitions for Constitution Hill may have been dampened, the victory has opened new doors for Pride Of Arras. The winner’s connections are now eyeing a trip to Canada, building on the colt’s strong performances in the Dante and Great Voltigeur Stakes last season, which demonstrated his class on the synthetic surface at Sunbury.
Beckett praised his charge, saying, "He's a good horse and was good in the Dante and Voltigeur last year and a talented individual. He had a really bad foot problem that came to light just before the John Porter and he wasn't really ready when he ran against Calandagan in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but I had to run him somewhere. I then thought he lugged out when second (to Item) in the York Stakes and was still thinking about his foot.
I thought he looked a million dollars before the International and hadn't looked better. It was a great disappointment to all of us we couldn't run at York.
They loaded him at York before all the other horses had gone behind and I'd say he was looking at the horses walking towards him and that's what set him off. I thought today he would probably find the surface 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." Beckett also reflected on the atmosphere at Kempton, noting the importance of a lively crowd for the sport. "It's great that the crowds have come out and 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," he said.
The race was part of a busy Sky Sports Racing card that also featured jumps action from Bangor‑on‑Dee, a discussion with Francis‑Henri Graffard about his stable stars, and highlights such as Friendly Soul’s triumph in the Prix Vermeille and Daryz’s dominant preparation for the Arc in the Prix Foy. The day’s roundup also noted Saddadd’s breakthrough in a Group One contest. Looking ahead, Henderson’s stable will likely target a series of high‑profile handicaps for Constitution Hill, testing his stamina over distances between twelve and fourteen furlongs. The colt’s pedigree and proven ability to accelerate in the closing stages suggest he could be competitive in elite events such as the Ascot Gold Cup or the Irish St.
Leger, should he continue to improve. Meanwhile, Pride Of Arras’s connections will finalize plans for the Canadian International, a race that could cement the horse’s reputation on the world stage and potentially boost his future stud value. In summary, the September Stakes at Kempton delivered a clear lesson for Constitution Hill’s camp: the step up to Group Three flat racing is a formidable challenge, but not an insurmountable one. With careful placement and continued development, Henderson believes his star still has many chapters to write, while Beckett’s Pride Of Arras now looks set to embark on an exciting transatlantic adventure.