Nicky Henderson left ‘traumatised’ after Constitution Hill is rushed to hospital suffering from suspected colic

NICKY HENDERSON has been left ‘traumatised’ after superstar horse Constitution Hill was rushed to hospital with suspected colic.

The Seven Barrows trainer said his former Champion Hurdle monster – who was forced to miss this year’s Cheltenham Festival – is ‘not completely out of the woods’ yet.

PAHenderson said the past few days with his superstar horse had been ‘traumatic’[/caption]

Colic can be a life-threatening condition in horses and one of the symptoms is sharp belly pains.

But, despite grave fears over his health, Henderson said he hopes to have his stable star home safe and sound soon all being well.

In a shock statement on Sunday morning, Henderson confirmed: “We have had a few traumatic days with poor Constitution Hill as he had to go to the veterinary hospital on Wednesday night in order to monitor suspected colic and I am pleased to sat that they have managed to avoid surgery so far and this morning he is being reintroduced to a normal diet.

“If this goes well he could come home in the next day or so.

“We are not completely out of the woods but very hopeful that he will soon be back which will be an enormous relief.

“This will obviously interfere with our plan to get to Punchestown which is very sad but the only important thing at the moment is to get him safely home.”

Constitution Hill had been as short as 1-3 to retain his Champion Hurdle crown earlier this month and was many people’s banker of the Festival.

But he was pulled after a shocking racecourse gallop at Kempton left Henderson and owner Michael Buckley shellshocked.

The horse was found to have ‘significant mucus’ in his airways and subsequent blood tests revealed he was not well enough to run.

Henderson had reported the horse being perkier and more himself in the days before the Festival.

But this latest development is a shock as it was not thought the unbeaten seven-year-old was so severely ill.

More to follow.