Buzz to be aimed at Flat return, as Henderson rules Aintree out
Nicky Henderson’s strong team of hurdlers for Aintree will not include Buzz or Steal A March.
The Seven Barrows handler, who took his Cheltenham Festival winners tally to 73 when Constitution Hill gave him a record ninth Champion Hurdle, has ruled both out of running at the Grand National Festival.
Dual-purpose star Buzz won the Cesarewitch at Newmarket and Ascot Hurdle in quick succession in the autumn of 2021, but has been off the track since fracturing his pelvis the day before an intended outing in the Long Walk Hurdle.
Whoosh!
Buzz streaks clear to win at @Ascot for @NdeBoinville, @sevenbarrows and @ThurloeThbreds ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/2A26wGcLJ7
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 20, 2020
Henderson felt a tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle would have been a bridge too far and similarly feels bypassing the Liverpool Hurdle allows the nine-year-old grey more time to return to peak fitness.
“We are working away with Buzz, I think really concentrating on a Flat campaign,” said Henderson. “That would be the most likely scenario.
“He is not quite going to be ready for Aintree, anyway. It would be tough to throw him straight into a Grade One.
“So I think we will be looking, as long as the weather holds on for a bit in the summer, at the Flat.
“But he is in good form and it is great to have him back in action. He’s enjoying himself, anyway.”
Steal A March was well-fancied by the yard to land what would have been a popular victory in the Pertemps Final.
The eight-year-old, who gave Henderson huge satisfaction by winning a lowly Worcester handicap hurdle on June 4, providing the Queen with a winner during her Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations, will similarly not make the team for Aintree.
Now carrying the famous purple, scarlet and gold silks of the King, Steal A March was a narrow runner-up on his seasonal bow in a decent Newbury handicap and then scored at Wincanton on Boxing Day.
However, he did not line up at Cheltenham and Henderson revealed he has met with a setback.
“Unfortunately we had a problem with him before Cheltenham and he is going to have to take a bit of time out, which is frustrating, because I was very, very keen to run him in the Pertemps Final,” he said.
“He’d qualified, he won his qualifier and everything was going really well, but we have bumped into an issue, which is very frustrating and that was literally the week before.
“He won’t go to Aintree or Punchestown, sadly.”
