Constitution Hill was forced to accept a decidedly beaten fourth place 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 horse, once a dazzling star over hurdles under the tutelage of Nicky Henderson, has remained one of the sport’s most compelling attractions since his switch to the flat. Yet this Group Three contest represented a significant leap in class from the victories he had secured at Southwell and earlier at Kempton in February and March. When the race began, the odds‑on favourite Gethin seized the early lead, dictating a strong pace.
Close behind were Billy Loughnane’s mount and Constitution Hill, listed at 9‑2, sitting in a compact fourth position and still displaying a measure of menace as they turned for home. Approaching the final two‑furlong point, Constitution Hill produced a brief flicker of hope, but it quickly became apparent that he would not be able to join the leaders. Instead, the Ralph Beckett‑trained Pride Of Arras, starting at 11‑2, surged forward, holding off a late rally from Gethin and winning by a length.
The defeat was a bitter pill for Henderson’s camp, especially as the horse had arrived at Kempton with the Melbourne Cup still a tantalising autumn target. In the post‑race interview Henderson admitted that the Melbourne ambition had effectively vanished: “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.” He went on to outline his revised distance parameters, stating, “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 range where we’ll aim for him.” Henderson also noted that Constitution Hill appeared to have taken a slight knock a furlong from the finish, which might actually sharpen him for future contests. Looking ahead, Henderson highlighted the horse’s new eligibility for handicaps, suggesting that the upcoming Tuesday meeting could open doors to lucrative handicap opportunities in England, Ireland, or elsewhere.
“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 said, before adding, “We’ll find a nice race for him somewhere and he’s by no means finished yet, I can promise you that.” While Constitution Hill’s Australian‑dreams may have been temporarily dashed, the connections of the victor, Pride Of Arras, are already looking across the Atlantic. The horse, a Dante and Great Voltigeur winner last season, displayed his class on the synthetic surface at Sunbury, prompting Beckett to confirm plans for a trip to Canada.
“He’s a good horse and was good in the Dante and Voltigeur last year and a talented individual,” Beckett said. He recounted a series of foot problems that had plagued Pride Of Arras earlier in the season, noting that the horse was not fully ready for the John Porter and had struggled in the Grand Prix de Saint‑Cloud against Calandagan. Despite those setbacks, Beckett praised the horse’s appearance before the International: “I thought he looked a million dollars before the International and hadn’t looked better.” Beckett explained that the Kempton surface might have been a touch deeper than the horse prefers, but he remains optimistic about the Canadian International in Toronto: “I think there is a good chance he will really enjoy Toronto when we take him there.” On the broader impact of Constitution Hill’s run, Beckett reflected on the spectacle of the day. “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.” The race was part of a busy Sky Sports Racing card that also featured Enceladus taking on Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard in the 250th St Leger at Doncaster, along with a series of Leger Festival stories involving James Doyle, Seb Sanders, Hollie Doyle, and George Scott’s Caballo De Mar.
While the day’s headlines spanned many events, the narrative of Constitution Hill’s setback and Pride Of Arras’s emerging international campaign provided a compelling subplot for racing enthusiasts. In summary, Constitution Hill’s fourth‑place finish at Kempton underscores the challenges of stepping up to Group Three company on the flat, especially after a stellar hurdling career.
Henderson’s reassessment of distance targets and the horse’s forthcoming handicap opportunities suggest that the story is far from over. Meanwhile, Pride Of Arras’s victory has set the stage for a potential trans‑Atlantic adventure, with the Canadian International now looking like a realistic and exciting next chapter for the talented colt.