Constitution Hill’s transition from superstar hurdler to Flat racing sensation took its next smooth step as he ran out a comfortable winner on his second all-weather start at Kempton.

They came in their droves, with a bumper crowd of more than 1,400 making Kempton Park the big box office attraction on a bitterly cold late March evening.

With the crowd building up throughout the evening, once Constitution Hill entered the parade ring the noise intensified to a level that Kempton has never experienced before for a midweek all-weather meeting.

It was Ryan Moore who was tasked with the responsibility of seeing if Constitution Hill’s nine-and-a-half length win was a flash in the pan or a glimpse of an exciting new future.

Moore had the former Champion Hurdle winner nicely positioned heading into the final straight. The three times champion jockey switched his mount off the rail for his challenge and the response was immediate. Under hands-and-heels riding, he picked up and soon quickened past main market rival Classical Allusion to run out a cosy winner by two lengths.

Constitution Hill was warmly applauded back to the winners’ enclosure, where he was greeted by winning connections including a smiling Nicky Henderson who deserved some much-needed cheer after 24 hours earlier having his star hurdler Sir Gino put down following a battle with deep-seated infections.

By Peter Moore