Trainer Nicky Henderson has hinted that Constitution Hill could well run in the Aintree Hurdle before potentially competing at Punchestown.

The eight-year-old, who will have a key workout next week before a final decision is made, lost his unbeaten record when crashing out in the Champion Hurdle.

“I spoke to (owner) Michael Buckley and Constitution Hill is ridiculously well in himself," said Henderson. "We're having another look at the Aintree Hurdle. He didn't have a hard race at Cheltenham. He was tanking away before he fell and then he cantered home on his own.

"I don't think we could let a race like this slide away. We know what the gap is between Aintree and Punchestown but at the moment we'd have every intention of running there too. It's a plan, so it's not cast in stone, but at the moment we would be very optimistic in saying we might look at both.

"After the Christmas Hurdle we were probably going to go straight to Cheltenham but surprised everybody by going for the Unibet Hurdle on the way, which was grand. He didn't have a hard race last time for obvious reasons and there's no reason why he shouldn't come again.

"He's taking everything so much better these days than he used to. He's older but is not getting any wiser as he's slipped in these errors. I hope people don't start to brand him as a bad jumper as he made one mistake and had a fall. We've got some schooling to do in the meantime and that's all going to count.

"He'll have one good gallop towards the end of next week, which will tell us what to do. Nico [de Boinville] will ride him and knows him so well. If he's happy then there's every chance he could go to Aintree next month."

Henderson also issued updates on some of his other stable stars including Jonbon who has come out of his defeat in the Champion Chase well and is set to follow the same route as last season by lining up in the Melling Chase before heading to Sandown for the Celebration Chase.

Although it was St Patrick’s Day last week, another Irishman had plenty to smile about on Saturday, with trainer Fergal O’Brien sending out a 1,072-1 across the card four-timer at Newbury and Kelso.

The day started with 22-1 shot Leloopa taking the Class 2m Ladbrokes Herring Queen Series Final Mares Novices Handicap Hurdle at Kelso before bagging a double at Newbury in the space of an hour through Siog Geal and John Barbour.

O’Brien’s day was rounded off in style when Is This For Real took the finale at Kelso to make it six winners in three days.

Another trainer who is in top form at the moment is Jamie Snowden. The Lambourn trainer has sent out an incredible seven winners from his past eight, including a run of six consecutive winners.

Dan Skelton added almost £60,000 to his trainers' championship bid when Kadastral ran out an impressive winner of the Goffs Hundred Grand Bumper at Newbury.

“He's improved since Kempton, where the ground was soft enough for him,” said Skelton.

By Peter Moore