Racegoers attending Sandown Park on Saturday will be given an unusual chance to get up close to one of the sport’s modern greats, with Constitution Hill set to make a special appearance during the closing fixture of the jump racing season.
The 2023 Champion Hurdle winner will be present on the Summer Lawn from 11.45am, where spectators can meet the unbeaten star and take photographs alongside him. He will be joined by Step Back, the track’s official Horses for Courses ambassador, in what promises to be one of the most popular attractions of the afternoon.
The appearance forms part of a broader celebration as the 2025–26 campaign draws to a close. A Parade of Champions, scheduled for 12.30pm ahead of the first race, will bring together some of the standout performers from the season, offering fans a final look at the horses who have shaped the year.
Constitution Hill, now transitioning to a Flat racing programme after eye-catching performances at Southwell and Kempton Park, remains a central figure despite stepping away from hurdles. He will be joined in the parade by fellow Nicky Henderson-trained runners Jango Baie, winner of the Aintree Bowl and runner-up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Old Park Star, who ended his campaign with victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Attention will also fall on Dan Skelton, poised to secure his first Champion Trainer title. His representation includes Grey Dawning, a dual Grade One winner this season with victories at Haydock Park and Aintree, alongside the seasoned Protektorat, who successfully defended his title in the Fleur de Lys Chase at Windsor earlier this year.
Sandown Park’s general manager Sarah Drabwell highlighted the significance of the occasion, noting that both the meet-and-greet and the parade have become key features of the finale. She emphasised the rarity of the opportunity for fans to see Constitution Hill at close quarters, particularly as his career takes a new direction.
Saturday’s card itself will provide a fitting sporting backdrop, with a competitive programme closing out the jumps calendar. Yet, for many in attendance, the chance to connect with the season’s leading equine names—none more so than Constitution Hill—will be the lasting memory from a day that blends celebration with sport.
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