Michael Buckley – The Envy Of Racehorse Owners

 

Once in a lifetime, a horse comes along that captures the imagination of the horse racing world. These horses have been described by many as the horse of their generation, and in the incredible equine talent that is Constitution Hill, the current generation is witnessing the best jump racing horse the industry has seen for some time.

Owners, trainers, and jockeys the world over search for a horse that can change their lives and careers, particularly the owners who have likely pumped a huge amount of money into the sport on horses that have not quite made the grade.

That has been the story for one such owner, Michael Buckley, who, despite having had some good horses under his name through the years, is currently on top of the world with the new apple of his eye, Constitution Hill.

The Search For Excellence

Owning racehorses is not for the faint-hearted. Whether you are a sole owner like Buckley or you have shares in a racehorse and are involved in a racehorse syndicate, the highs can be quickly replaced by the lows in the blink of an eye.

Racing syndicates do allow the owners to share their experiences with like-minded racing fans at the cost of the price, whilst being a sole owner can be a much more stressful time as you cope with the ups and downs of racing on your own.

Michael Buckley has experienced the highs and lows as much as anyone in racing, but his will to keep following his dream has been rewarded by the arrival into his life of Constitution Hill.

Constitution Hill’s Incredible Career So Far

Constitution Hill was snapped up as a foal by former top jockey, Barry Geraghty, for a mere €16,500 in 2017, and having spent three years under his care, he was subsequently picked up by Buckley for what is now a bargain price of £120,000 after his debut run in the prestigious Point-to-Point sphere.

Buckley, whose previous horses included two-time Grade 1 winner, Beat That, and Cheltenham Festival winner, Rock The World, sent Constitution Hill to the Seven Barrows stable of the legendary trainer, Nicky Henderson, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Constitution Hill burst onto the jump racing scene with a 14-length victory on debut and made the step up to Grade 1 level in his next race look like a walk in the park as he forged clear of a field of talented horses to romp home by 12 lengths.

A trip to the Cheltenham Festival was up next, and it was here that Constitution Hill announced himself on the biggest stage of them all. In the blink of an eye, he put the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle to bed, eventually coming home 22 lengths clear of his stablemate, Jonbon, at the line.

The following season, he would collect two more Grade 1 prizes, before returning to Cheltenham to confirm his status as the best horse in jump racing today by winning the coveted Champion Hurdle. The following month he continued his dominance with another breathtaking win at the Aintree Festival.

Still just 6 years old, Constitution Hill has now won all seven of his racecourse starts by a total of 89 lengths. He is said to be an extremely laid-back animal in everything he does, but once he arrives at the racecourse, he turns into a machine.

The future is bright for Michael Buckley’s star. Future plans are still up in the air for Constitution Hill, some say he may tackle bigger obstacles next season, whilst more see him continue his dominance over hurdles.

Wherever he may end up, he is a special horse that has already created a legendary status in the racing world.