The future of Constitution Hill was finally confirmed when Nicky Henderson announced that the former Champion Hurdle winner was ruled out of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, and his jumping days are now over.

Constitution Hill will now focus on the flat after a debut victory in the Road to Cheltenham Novice Stakes at Southwell.

Henderson said that if he’d run Constitution Hill at Cheltenham and something had gone wrong it would have ended his career.

The six-time champion trainer even revealed he’d had letters from lawyers threatening legal action if he’d run the horse in the Champion Hurdle.

Henderson said: “We knew where the risk factor was and it was too high, and the consequences were unthinkable if something happened.

“That’s what it kept coming down to. One minute he goes to Southwell and he’s done the most spectacular job for British racing.

“And then you realise what damage you could do if you went the other way and it went wrong.

“I’d say I would have packed up, it would have been the end of me. If he got hurt, without a doubt.”

Last year's Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin has received heavy support in the market ahead of the big race and is as short as 13-2 with Paddy Power following a massive market move.

By Peter Moore