Nicky Henderson is planning to run Constitution Hill in the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday week.

The most talked about horse in jump racing returned from a year on the sidelines with victory over Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle, beating the mare by two and a half lengths.

Such has his well-being since the race, Henderson can see no reason not to run the eight-year-old next week.

“We have all been very happy with Constitution Hill since the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day and he has taken the race particularly well,” he told Unibet.

“Consequently, with that in mind, it is our intention to run him again in the Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham on January 25th en route to, hopefully, regaining his Unibet Champion Hurdle crown in March.

“It is a race we unfortunately had to miss last year but everything has gone very well since Christmas and he will have a gallop tomorrow which will put him spot on for a week’s time.

“The decision was quite easy because he has just been very well in himself, he looks great, and I really am delighted with how he has come through Kempton, so that is our plan.”

He went on: “He doesn’t need to, but he will jump five hurdles between now and then, more so to amuse himself and Nico, because it’s certainly not amusing for me, it’s frightening watching him! Matty Gill, who rides him every day, says he feels great and from what I can see as well, I think this is the right decision.

“He had a spin up the grass on his own earlier in the week and looked in very good order so Prestbury Park here we come!”

Henderson also had news on Palladium, the German Derby winner who was bought for €1.4million at the Arc Sale back in October.

He said: “I’m also pleased to report that everything is going nicely with Palladium who schooled very, very well this morning and we are going to be launching him soon. The plan is to appear over hurdles in the very near future.”