Henderson readying troops to take on Mullins battalion
WITH exactly a month to go until this year’s Cheltenham Festival, Nicky Henderson is preparing his team for another assault on the best four day’s in the National Hunt calendar.
The evergreen 72-year-old has already notched up 72 Festival winners and still holds the same level of enthusiasm in his pursuit of more.
“It’s a very special four days and there’s something magical about the place,” said Henderson.
“I’ve been told off in the past for wrapping my horses in cotton wool just trying to get them to the Cotswolds.”
He will again send a strong team to Prestbury Park but is under no illusion of the task in hand to stop the Irish juggernaut led by Willie Mullins.
“Watching Dublin last week was rather like watching President Putin in Red Square parading his troops and all his missiles,” joked the Lambourn handler in good spirits fresh from saddling a treble on Sunday.
“For two days solid I sat in front of the television watching ‘Putin’ Mullins parading all his weapons.
“It was just so impressive and he just keeps bringing out more and more”.
Here are eight horses to look out for at the Festival…
JONBON (Sporting Life Arkle Novices’ Chase)
I’d take the positives out of last Saturday rather than the negatives.
He’s a good horse. As you saw when they turned down the back straight, all of a sudden Calico swooped rather like a buzzard and it just caught Jonbon unaware.
I think it would have done him the world of good, though, and he had a right good blow afterwards.
It wasn’t very pretty to watch but he jumped and quickened up well.
That’s the first time he has ever jumped a fence behind another horse.
He looks fantastically well and may just have needed it more than we anticipated. He’s sharp, quick and he is a good jumper.
I’ve got to sharpen my own pencil and get him ready now. He is up there with the other good ones I have won this race with.
CONSTITUTION HILL (Unibet Champion Hurdle)
This is an extraordinary animal. He hasn’t done anything wrong, and his greatest asset is his head, as nothing frightens him.
His racing brain is brilliant, as you just switch him off and then wake him up. He’s fine and everything has been going great.
He worked on Saturday and just has a few more bits to do including an away day. I would like him to have a gallop, maybe at Kempton.
There is plenty that can go wrong and that’s the biggest issue as there is still four weeks to go.
FIRST STREET (Unibet Champion Hurdle)
He goes to the Kingwell on Saturday which looks a good race for him.
He would want to win that to go to the Champion Hurdle, but we will see.
He could have run in the Betfair Hurdle last weekend but would have had to carry 12 stone.
EPATANTE (Unibet Champion Hurdle or Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle)
We don’t know at the moment whether she will go for the Champion Hurdle or stick to the Mares’ Hurdle.
We will keep an eye on the weather, and Constitution himself, before making our mind up.
She proved at Aintree that she stays the extra half mile.
The pleasing aspect about her easy win at Doncaster was that she has shown what Constitution Hill is beating.
She jumped superbly too. I’d say it’s 50/50 whether she goes here or the Mares’ Hurdle.
MARIE’S ROCK (Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle or Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle)
It is certainly possible that she could move up and run in the Stayers’.
Tom Palin and I have spoken about it and we will wait and see nearer the time.
I know she has never run over three miles, but she flies up that hill and was impressive at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
There doesn’t appear to be a standout in the Stayers’ division.
We can sit on that decision for a while and the ground will have a fair bit to do with which way we go.
MISTER COFFEY (National Hunt Chase)
I was a bit disappointed he got beaten on the weekend but, to be fair, we wanted to make the running and he stood still at the off after the false start.
Derek O’Connor will ride again, and he’ll head to the National Hunt Chase.
SHISHKIN (Ryanair Chase)
We will find out a lot at Ascot this Saturday.
He has been racing like a horse that wants further, so the Ryanair Chase looks the right race… I hope.
You don’t really like to see horses race off the bridle the whole race and I want to see him do it on the bridle.
I am sure they are watering at Ascot as it doesn’t look like we are getting any rain.
LUCCIA (Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle)
She was impressive over the weekend and the betting tells us what we ought to do.
We did put her in the Supreme, but I’d be in favour of going for this (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle).
Paul (owner) and I will have a chat nearer the time, but I can’t believe we’d throw away the chance to win a Mares’ Novices’ to go for the Supreme.
I do like the Supreme but she’s a good chance in this. I can’t believe going for that would be the right thing to do.