O’Brien happy to enter the fray when Constitution Hill next runs

It is unknown when Constitution Hill will next be seen on his Flat expedition, but Aidan O’Brien would embrace pitting one of his Ballydoyle team against the former Champion Hurdle hero if paths were to cross later this season.

Nicky Henderson’s A-list star was ruled out of his intended run in the John Porter last Saturday on account of the going, with a lack of rain in the forecasts making another appearance before an intended summer break increasingly unlikely.

The Seven Barrows handler still attended Newbury last weekend, making a point of visiting the parade ring to catch a glimpse of O’Brien’s Albert Einstein before his run in the Greenham.

And in mutual admiration, the master of Ballydoyle revealed he has also been a keen observer of Constitution Hill in his early outings on the level, left fully appreciative of the added interest the Flat convert is bringing following two memorable nights on the all-weather.

“I think it’s been great for the viewing public and it has captured everyone’s imagination. He’s after having two lovely runs and I think Nicky has done a great job,” said O’Brien, who of course won the Champion Hurdle himself three times with the great Istabraq.

“I have enjoyed watching him run and Ryan was smiling after Kempton, it cheered him up. I think Nicky has done the right thing and it definitely wasn’t the wrong thing.”

When asked about a possible clash with Constitution Hill later in the season, O’Brien added: “We’d love it if we raced against him. We wouldn’t be doing it just to try and beat him, but it would be great competition and it gives the season another dimension and brings in the jumping people as well.

“You have never seen anything quite like it (the crowds for the all-weather runs) and wasn’t it great?”