From See You Then to Constitution Hill, no one does the Champion Hurdle better than Nicky Henderson

No trainer has enjoyed as much success in the Unibet Champion Hurdle as Nicky Henderson.

It is therefore fitting that 40 years after See You Then gave him his first, Constitution Hill could provide a magical 10th triumph in the Cheltenham Festival’s hurdling showpiece.

A whole host of champions have followed in See You Then’s footsteps since the son of the 2000 Guineas and Derby-winning Royal Palace got Henderson off the mark in the feature on the opening day in 1985.

However, it would have been hard for even Henderson to imagine the many great days that would not only lie ahead with his three-time hero See You Then, but also the many others over the subsequent four decades.

Similar sentiments apply for Steve Smith Eccles, who picked up the chance spare ride on See You Then before going on to enjoy a stellar association with the fragile yet brilliant hurdler.

He explained: “He was due to be ridden by John Francome, but he had a fall and got injured in the Arkle and then I stepped in to ride See You Then for the first time. Even though I was Nicky’s first jockey, the owner wanted Francome and he was John’s ride.

“We didn’t know what he was going to be like at the time, but it was probably one of the easiest wins from any horse at the Cheltenham Festival.

“You can’t do it without the horse and he was different class in that time. To step in on him that first year was the start of an amazing journey for me.”

See You Then was often referred to as ‘See You When’, such was his limited appearances during the season, but Smith Eccles sees Henderson’s expert handling of his first true champion as the epitome of what makes him so successful in the training ranks.

“They called him ‘See You When’ because he did have dodgy legs. He would only have one race and then would go and run in the Champion Hurdle because he had legs made of glass and Nicky did a great job managing him – he did an amazing job just getting him to a racecourse and winning one Champion Hurdle,” continued Smith Eccles.

“Nicky’s got a great eye for a horse and is always thinking about the horse at home and in his training. He’ll never do too much with them and what makes him such a good trainer is he’s got something in his head that others don’t know about.”

Henderson and Smith Eccles’ luck with See You Then would eventually run out when preparing for an unprecedented fourth Champion Hurdle, with the Derbyshire-born jockey remembering a horse that hallmarks the type the master of Seven Barrows excels with.

He added: “If there was ever a horse I thought would win four Champion Hurdles, it was him. He won his three and then the following year in his prep race at Wincanton he damaged his leg. It finished him really that injury.

“He was far beyond anything ability-wise in that era and there was nothing that could touch him if you got him to the Champion Hurdle in one piece.

“When Nicky has those types of horses, they are just outstanding and he is capable of getting everything out of them to win those races on the day.”

The baton has now passed down the generations to the one and only Constitution Hill, a horse more than fitting to stand in the pantheon of Cheltenham greats alongside See You Then – and one who could become only the third horse in history to regain the Champion Hurdle crown.

The unbeaten superstar of the modern day will be partnered by Nico de Boinville, a man who has risen through the ranks to become one of Henderson’s most trusted lieutenants and concurs with Smith Eccles’ assessment of his long-time supporter.

He said: “It’s the pinnacle of the hurdling division. Every jockey wants to win the ‘big three’ at Cheltenham and that is one of them.

“It’s the blue riband of hurdling and to be able to do it on a horse like Constitution Hill, who is an absolute superstar and one the public love, is fantastic.

“It’s truly special and I couldn’t be where I am without Nicky Henderson. I try to be as helpful as I can and it’s great to do it for him.

“It’s his attention to detail that makes him so good at what he does. He looks at each horse individually and there is a lot at stake, so you have to get it right.”

Barry Geraghty is another rider who enjoyed a fruitful spell as stable jockey at Seven Barrows in Lambourn, winning the Champion Hurdle aboard Punjabi (2009), Buveur D’Air (2018) and Epatante (2020), as well as finishing second on My Tent Or Yours in 2015.

The Irishman also celebrated a Gold Cup win for Henderson with Bobs Worth (2013) and Champion Chase success with both Finian’s Rainbow (2012) and the mighty Sprinter Sacre (2013) and has simply hailed the greatness of a trainer for all occasions.

“Nicky is just a brilliant trainer at all distances,” said Geraghty.

“He would train a Gold Cup winner just as easy as a Champion Hurdle winner. He covers all bases, Royal Ascot winners, you name it and Nicky will have trained it. That’s what the best do.

“We had lots of great days winning the Champion Hurdle and he’s just a great man to be involved with. He’s a brilliant trainer and just a great man all round.”

Geraghty’s first success for Henderson came aboard Punjabi, who caused a small shock when eclipsing his stablemate Binocular.

Binocular would famously return to Prestbury Park to claim the Champion Hurdle under AP McCoy a year later, and Mick Fitzgerald – who played an integral part in the early careers of both horses – believes their Champion Hurdle victories are proof of his long-time governor’s ability to pinpoint the right horse for the division.

Fitzgerald said: “I won the four-year-old hurdle on Punjabi at Punchestown and I won the Adonis on Binocular. Did I think Punjabi would win a Champion Hurdle? I think a lot fell right for him, but that’s what this game is about.

“You just have to beat what is there on the day and that is exactly what Punjabi did – he was a very honest campaigner and was prepared perfectly for the big day.

“Binocular was a different ball game and he was beaten in a Supreme and his first Champion Hurdle before winning one. To get him back a couple of times when it looked like he was struggling just shows you what Nicky Henderson is all about.”

Deputising for an injured Geraghty in Buveur D’Air’s first Champion Hurdle in 2017 was Noel Fehily, who was grateful to reunite with a horse he knew would be primed to perfection.

Fehily said: “Buveur D’Air was a wonderful horse and I had ridden him the season before when he was behind Altior in the Supreme and then went and won the Grade One at Liverpool.

“I knew he was a very good horse and there is no one better at preparing a Champion Hurdler than Nicky Henderson, so I was definitely looking forward to him and was expecting a really big run. His horses are always so quick and he’s great at getting them to turn up on that big day in March.”

Although he would go on to become a two-time Champion Hurdle winner, Buveur D’Air had embarked on a novice chasing career in 2015-16 before reverting back to the smaller obstacles.

It is yet another example of Henderson quickly identifying an opportunity to succeed with his string, with Fehily 100 per cent confident in the decision that was made.

He added: “He had been chasing that year, but I always knew if anyone could get him right for the big day, it would be Nicky Henderson. It was another masterclass in training from him.”

The Seven Barrows Champion Hurdle journey now returns to Constitution Hill and after the struggles that plagued his aborted title defence 12 months ago before a historic resurgence this term, we could be about to witness Henderson at his magical best once more on March 11.