Former Champion Hurdler Constitution Hill could be set to make his first appearance on the Flat after the British Horseracing Authority confirmed a £40,000 1m4f all-weather novice, sponsored by SBK, to be staged as part of the Friday Night Live fixture on Friday 20th February at Southwell.
The race, with backing from SBK, will be the joint most valuable British novice ever run on the all-weather and represents a rare crossover moment, with the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner set to run on the flat for the first time.
The race will form part of Friday Night Live, a five-fixture evening programme running between January and March, designed to attract and engage younger racegoers and create a different racecourse experience. The series is hosted by Arena Racing Company and Invades, in partnership with ITV Racing, with the Racing Post serving as official media partner.
The SBK-sponsored 1m4f novice will be open to horses aged four and above, with prize money set at a level designed to appeal to leading yards.
Adam Baylis, Marketing Director of SBK said: “Supporting British racing is massively important to us at SBK, so when Nicky Henderson spoke about the need for a Flat race with these conditions for Constitution Hill, we took the idea to ARC. We’re delighted to have been able to help make it happen and it’s a great boost to the Friday Night Live series.”
Sam Cone, Head of Communications and Public Affairs at Arena Racing Company (ARC) said: “We are delighted to assist in the delivery of this opportunity, and are grateful to SBK, without whom it would not be possible. The race should certainly add an extra dimension to the Friday Night Live fixture at Southwell on 20 February, to those coming along to experience the evening in person as well as those watching at home on ITV Racing and Sky Sports Racing.”
