'I discovered Constitution Hill and he'll definitely win the Champion Hurdle'
irishracing.com news
Warren Ewing
© Photo Healy Racing
Irish trainer Warren Ewing knew from the moment he asked Constitution Hill for his first canter that he was something special. Ewing bought the superstar hurdler as a foal for a bargain price of £16,500 before selling him on for £120,000. He is also a very proud dad to jockey and man of the moment Sam Ewing, who won five Grade 1 races over Christmas.
Ewing was speaking recently to BoyleSports, who offer the latest Cheltenham odds.
When I first saw Constitution Hill I thought he was different class
Barry [Geraghty, former jockey] had him first and I took him home to graze him as a foal after I bought him. Barry broke him and sent him up to me.
He was so laid back. I had a lot of three year olds going at the same stage who would have been further ahead of him when he came and I jumped on him the first day he came, we were trotting around, did a bit of cantering and then I gave him a slap down the neck and he just went. I turned to my head girl and said, ‘This is the one!’ He was just so powerful and when he got going, he was different class.
I would have paid £25,000 for Constitution Hill but we got a great result only spending £16,500
I bought him as a foal at Tattersalls. Blue Bresil his sire was just getting going at that time and hadn’t had many runners. But he had a very good horse in France. A mentor of mine, Wilson Dennison from near me, who sold a lot of good horses — Shaneshill, Yorkhill and Bellshill among them - had a Blue Bresil horse at that time which was quite good. That made me look in his direction.
We would have probably gone to £25k at the time we liked him so much. In the end we paid £16,500. Barry said he thought we had got a right result.
But you always think you have robbed one when they turn out good. You forget it when they’re not up to it and you’re losing money.
He was always exceptionally good from the word go. He was my pick of my bunch of 15 or 20 that year. He is just special with a great attitude. He takes everything in his stride. Nothing bothers him. He eats, sleeps and runs.
Constitution Hill is a place in Dublin where all the traffic merges and there are constant traffic jams. Barry chose it. I sent him down a list of names and that’s the one he came back with.
I told everyone before we sold him on that this was THE horse and that he was pretty special and we expected to make £250,000 on the day but we got half of that
When I actually first ran him in his maiden point to point at Tipperary at the age of four in April 2021, Constitution Hill actually had a virus where he finished second. He got so tired. He tried his heart out in the race.
He was clear going to the last but fell out through the last and the jockey nearly fell off him. He was back to standstill, the other horse went past him, but he rallied and was only beaten a short head on the line.
The two of them were 30 or 40 lengths clear of everything else. He was so tired afterwards we didn’t even take him back to the parade ring. We knew there was something wrong with him. He started falling apart and lost a lot of weight.
That was just before the sales in May and when we got there, he looked absolutely terrible. He was just fading like mad.
Constitution Hill and Nico de Boiville white winning The Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle Kempton 26 12 24 Healy Racing
© Photo Healy Racing
I told everyone at the sales about it. Eddie O’Leary told me to take him home and he would buy him in a month’s time off me. We would have got more money for him. I’m sure Eddie has a few regrets! But that’s the game. It could have gone right or wrong.
We didn’t really know what was wrong with him, so we decided to just sell him on the day. His whole back end just fell away.
When young horses get sick it really knocks them into the ground especially after a run. He’d tried really hard to win that race. I’d seen it happen before.
I told everyone who was anyone beforehand that this was THE horse, that he was pretty special. I told Eddie O’Leary, Nicky Henderson and others what he was like.
Beforehand we had expected to make £250,000 on the day, but because he was sick, he wasn’t showing himself well. He went for £120,000.
We didn’t treat him any differently than any other horses we have - Nicky Henderson is on a par with Willie Mullins
We treated him the same as all the others. Same food, same work, learning too how to train him. When we had him as a point to pointer he was probably only half fit because he was working away with the other horses and he was so much better than them. He was doing everything with ease while the others were having their work cut out. You don’t want to disappoint them so you’re holding him back, so they finish beside him most of the time.
That’s why sending him to someone like Nicky [Henderson, trainer] was the making of him. Nicky is the best trainer in England by a long way, easily on a par with Willie Mullins, Gordon and Henry. Every year he comes up with a good one like Sir Gino too. He is brilliant and a real gentleman.
I was sad to see him move on but when I see the trainers who missed out on him, I say “I told you so!”
You are sad to see him go but he was going to a really good trainer in Nicky. I get a right kick out of him every time I see him running. I still think of his as my own in a way! I had told all the best trainers to buy him. When I see them now, I say, ‘I told you so!’
He is the best horse I have ever sat on. I have ridden a lot of good horses in my time too, Gold Cup horses. He had so much speed, instant speed, his jumping was so fluid he was so quick over his hurdles.
I knew he was always good. We buy a nice type of horse and this time of year you can start to pick up the better ones coming through
We don’t keep them. I like to see them going on. The big trainers have better facilities, nicer gallops, to take those at that high level you need all the proper training set up.
Better Days Ahead is mine as well, just beaten a head in the Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas by Croke Park who was ridden by Sam, my son.
I don’t think anyone can stop him in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham this year
It was disappointing he had to miss last year after winning in 2023. He was my ace card going there!
Realistically he will win. I don’t think anyone can stop him if he turns up on his ‘A’ game. The faster race will suit him. He will be able to sit in behind Better Days Ahead and will have more speed. If he turns up healthy and well, I can’t see anything beating him. He is pretty unbeatable.
Leopardstown 29 December 2024 Brighterdaysahead and Sam Ewing win for trainer Gordon Elliott
© Photo Healy Racing
But I’ll be wee bit divided because hopefully my son [Sam Ewing] will be riding Brighterdaysahead.
Sam had a great Christmas winning on Croke Park over Better Days Ahead. I was standing by the owners and couldn’t help but shout for Sam.
Constitution Hill would be the greatest of all-time if he wins a third champion Hurdle in 2026
I’d say that would be the plan 100%. You’d have to try it wouldn’t you? He would then be one of the greatest of all time, if he isn’t already.
He will never go chasing. Istabraq could have gone chasing but when you’ve got the best why risk it. Why when you have something so good. When you’ve got the best why would you?
You’d have to try to emulate Istabraq wouldn’t you?
British racing needs Constitution Hill to take on the Irish dominance in the sport
It’s great for England to have him because they need horses like that to take the Irish boys on! It would also be better for racing if the English were doing better. The Irish boys have all the money so they can buy the horses. The English need to start spending a bit more!
He is a star. Everyone knows him who’s involved in racing and beyond.
We seem to find a star every year and we have a couple of them in our sights this year
We do seem to pull out at least one good one a year.
Whinney Hill is one. Gordon bought him off me last year at the Cheltenham sale. He is in the Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival next month. I had a few there last year.
Better Days Ahead won the Martin Pipe for me, Bold Endeavour, he was also mine, and finished fourth in the big handicap hurdle.
Git Maker with Jamie Snowden was second in the Kim Muir. Intense Approach won at Cheltenham in October for John McConnell. He’ll be going to the Festival this year too.
My son Sam is flying as a jockey - I’m very proud of him
I’m very proud. Gordon has been very good to him. He was named as number two in the yard and when Jack got hurt, he gets his opportunity. He’s taken it with both hands. He had five Grade 1 winners over Christmas. He is second in the jockey’s title race. He‘s had 50 winners.
Fairyhouse Sam Ewing with Gordon Elliott
© Photo Healy Racing
Sam was always a very good rider. Him and Dylan Browne McMonagle, the best young Flat jockey in Ireland, were always pony racing each other, it was tit for tat every weekend. They both won about 180 races each and the two of them always stood out as being very good.
Sam has a will to win and balance. He is very strong too. He rode his claim out in a year on the Flat with Ger Lyons. You have to be a pretty good jockey to do that.
Then he got too heavy. He was always going to go jumping. I’d always been friendly with Gordon [Elliott] — we rode point to points together. He had been keeping an eye on Sam and asked me to send him down to him when he was old enough.
Jack Kennedy won’t make the Dublin Racing Festival and is a doubt for Cheltenham - if he is fit then Sam will go back to second string
He is getting physio. Sam and he are best friends. Jack is taking his time. I don’t know when he will be back. But when he does he’ll be back in his old job and Sam will have to play second fiddle again! He definitely won’t be ready for Dublin and I’m not sure about Cheltenham. He has to take his time.
Outside of racing, I still run the family fish business with my brother - we supply the likes of Harrods and 300 restaurants in the north of Ireland
I still run the family fish business with my brother! It’s busy. We do all the north of Ireland. We make our own brand of smoked salmon. It goes to Harrods! We serve 300 restaurants a day. There is just about time in the day to do everything.