Constitution Hill’s unlikely Melbourne Cup bid gains lifeline after Racing Victoria visit

So there is still a chance?

Could an unlikely Melbourne Cup campaign for champion hurdler Constitution Hill – something his trainer once said wouldn’t happen in a million years – still be a remote possibility?

The 9 year-old is now concentrating on flat racing only. He will compete in a Listed race at Windsor on August 29, with a win potentially making a Melbourne Cup tilt slightly more likely.

There seems to be an adjustment too in the language of trainer Nicky Henderson, revealing Racing Victoria have been lobbying to get the jumps star to Flemington in November.

Henderson said this in March – “He won’t go to Melbourne in a million years,’’ he told TalkSport.

“But let’s just see how we progress.”

Henderson has since revealed on Tuesday night of his ‘’unusual’’ visit from Racing Victoria regarding a Melbourne Cup campaign.

“We had a visit yesterday from Racing Victoria, which was unusual, because they wouldn’t normally find a Melbourne Cup possibility lurking in Seven Barrows. I think they would be very keen for us to try and do it, and I agree it would be a tremendous thing to do, but there are several reasons why it almost certainly can’t happen,’’ he said.

“One is that, as things stand now, he wouldn’t get in the race. They tell me the bottom weight is normally rated around 108, and we’re currently on 101, so we have to go up 7lb [3.175kg] for a start.

‘’I suspect he would need to be mightily impressive at Windsor for the handicapper to raise him by 7lb. That said, there is probably time to get in a second run in September and my assistant George Daly has been scouring the European programme book.”

Constitution Hill is currently $18 with TAB for the Melbourne Cup.