Tag Archive for: Cheltenham Festival

Aucunrisque may be back out quickly in Kingwell Hurdle

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Chris Gordon could attempt to strike while the iron is hot by running his Betfair Hurdle hero Aucunrisque in the Wincanton Jennings Bet Kingwell Hurdle on Saturday.

The Morestead Stables handler, who saddled a double at Newbury at the weekend, is in a rich vein of form and operating at a strike-rate of well over 40 per cent for the last two weeks – with that hot streak well advertised by Aucunrisque’s game success in the prestigious handicap hurdle.

Having switched back to the smaller obstacles with aplomb and bounced out of his Newbury assignment in rude health, Gordon is now preparing another raid on a valuable hurdling pot while conditions remain to the seven-year-old’s liking.

“He’s come out of it like a lion,” said Gordon. “He’s taken it really well, he wouldn’t have lost a pound in weight. He looks exceptional and the handicapper is going to put him up 9lb.

“I was keeping an eye on the Kingwell at the entry stage and there was only about four in it at around 9.50am, but as soon as I put mine in it another two went in.

“But I thought, you know what, we go on this ground at this time of year, he’s come out of the Betfair in good form, the handicapper is going to put us up and it’s a £70,000 race. The next time after this could be either be the Grand Annual or County Hurdle carrying a bit more weight, so I thought we’d have a little look and see how the week goes.”

Aucunrisque ridden by Nick Scholfield (centre) before going on to win the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury
Aucunrisque ridden by Nick Scholfield (centre) before going on to win the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury (Tom Goode/PA)

Gordon went on: “He bounces off ground like this, he broke the track record at Newbury and he’s just a wonderful little horse with a great constitution.”

Aucunrisque is disputing favouritism for the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival, but with his rating set to be identical in both disciplines, Gordon is keeping his options open with the possibility of sticking to hurdles to take on the challenge of either Sandown’s Imperial Cup or the County Hurdle at Prestbury Park.

“He’s going to go up 9lb over hurdles and 2lb over fences which takes him to 147 in both disciplines,” said Gordon.

“People always like to set things in stone, but I don’t like doing that and you’ve got to be fluid with horses as things change so quickly with them.

“I wouldn’t mind going Imperial Cup, if it was the right ground, County Hurdle or Grand Annual. We’ll see which one suits us best and which one we have the best chance in which is the most important thing.

“It’s not all about the Festival, something like the Imperial Cup is a wonderful race, the Kingwell Hurdle is a wonderful race and the Betfair Hurdle is obviously one which is close to me. I would like to give the horse the best chance of winning.”

Burke still full of hope for Queens Gamble at Cheltenham

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Jonathan Burke believes Queens Gamble should not be forgotten if she lines up in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.

Oliver Sherwood’s six-year-old headed to Market Rasen for last week’s Alan Swinbank Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race as the shortest-priced British contender for the Festival bumper following two emphatic victories at Prestbury Park.

However, she lost her unbeaten record when hunted down by Fergal O’Brien’s Dysart Enos and was subsequently eased out to 20-1 by the bookmakers.

The man in the saddle in all of her career starts has explained how he was expecting more of the mare but things did not go to plan in Lincolnshire, with the steady pace of the race against her.

“I was gutted initially,” said Burke. “With the way she has come up the hill at Cheltenham, when I let her down I was expecting her to take off, but she didn’t.

“I was kicking myself thinking should I have held her for longer maybe, but we had gone slow on a completely different track and she just wasn’t seen to her best I don’t think.

“Even at halfway I wasn’t happy, I had it in the back of my head things weren’t happening the way it did at Cheltenham. But she’s fine and if she goes well, I’m sure she will go straight to Cheltenham in March.”

The Listed contest was being run at the third time of asking having originally been scheduled to take place on January 20, before efforts to restage the race the following week also fell foul to the cold weather that played havoc with the racing calendar throughout January.

Burke admits the rescheduling could have played a part in the flat performance, but is backing the course and distance winner to show her true colours if returning to Cheltenham for the third time at the Festival.

He continued: “It probably didn’t help (rescheduling), but it was the same for the others and Paddy (Brennan) and Fergal are just brilliant in bumpers.

“I was gutted as I thought she would take off like she has done at Cheltenham, but maybe it’s just a case she is best seen at Cheltenham. With the mares’ allowance in the Champion Bumper, we’ll have a good go anyway.”

Neville enjoys memorable day with Catterick treble

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Four weeks out from saddling The Real Whacker in pursuit of Cheltenham Festival glory, trainer Patrick Neville enjoyed a memorable afternoon by landing a treble in the first three races at Catterick.

The Real Whacker is the star of a team of around 20 horses Neville trains out of Ann Duffield’s yard in North Yorkshire, having made the move from Ireland in 2021.

The seven-year-old has already won twice at Cheltenham this season, having followed up a successful chasing debut at Cheltenham in November with an impressive front-running display in the Dipper on New Year’s Day, and connections are still considering whether to run in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival or have an ambitious tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Neville provided a positive update on his stable star’s well being after his Catterick hat-trick, saying: “The Real Whacker is in super form at the moment, I couldn’t be happier with him.

“We’re still in the Gold Cup and we’re still in the novice and we’ll just wait another few weeks and see where we are. It’ll depend on the weather and ground and things like that.

“There’ll be a few horses dropping out in the next few weeks, as we’ve seen with Allaho today missing the Ryanair.”

The Real Whacker was Neville’s only previous winner this season, but Fiston Du Mou put that right in Catterick’s curtain-raising Jumping For Joy On Racing TV Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Ridden by Gavin Sheehan, the 15-8 chance made every yard of the running and had enough in the tank at the finish to see off Creative Control by three-quarters of a length.

Neville saddled two of the three runners in the Meetings That Matter On Racing TV Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and it was 9-1 shot Not Staying Long who emerged victorious under Brian Hughes, with her better-fancied stablemate Beauty To Behold last of the trio.

An excellent day’s work was completed in the racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle, with the Hughes-ridden Kavanaghs Cross leading home a one-two for Neville as Glentruan was a half-length runner-up.

“I had a double in Ireland, but I’ve never had a treble before, so we’ll take it. The horses are in good form and I’m delighted with the way they all ran,” the trainer added.

“The first race was a tricky enough race with only two runners and we had to make the running and do it the hard way, then in the mares’ race I was hoping there’d more runners to give Beauty To Behold some cover, but she ran very keen.

“The other mare did it well though and I’m happy enough with both of them. Hopefully we can keep them all in good form.”

Jonbon expected to improve for Warwick workout

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Nicky Henderson believes it would be dangerous to underestimate Jonbon in the Arkle Trophy at next month’s Cheltenham Festival following his workmanlike success at Warwick on Saturday.

Best of the rest behind his brilliant stablemate Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season, the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old pursued a career over fences this term and was hugely impressive in winning on his debut at Warwick and in landing the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

He was a 1-16 favourite to see off a solitary rival and make it a hat-trick in last weekend’s Kingmaker Novices’ Chase – but it was not as straightforward as expected, with Calico challenging and even passing Henderson’s charge racing down the back straight.

Jonbon reeled him back in on the home turn and eventually pulled clear on the run-in, but was nevertheless replaced as the Arkle favourite by Irish Arkle winner El Fabiolo.

While many were unimpressed, Henderson, who has won the two-mile novice chasing championship on a record seven occasions, has not lost any faith in his latest contender and is confident he will be at concert pitch for the day that matters.

“He’s a good horse. Constitution Hill beat him quite a long way, but after that he’s been very good,” said the Seven Barrows handler.

“On Saturday I think Aidan (Coleman, jockey) had just taken his foot off the gas going down the back, he’d just got into a nice rhythm and didn’t see any reason to go any quicker. Then all of a sudden this thing swooped like a buzzard, it caught him unawares and he was four lengths down.

“I think it will have done him good, personally. He had a right good blow, like he’s never done before, so I’m going to take positives.

“I wanted a lead, that’s the first time he’s ever jumped a fence behind another horse, which didn’t worry him but it just hurried him up a little bit.

“Warwick is sharp and going down the back straight flat to the boards just caught him out for two fences and he had to chase him round the bend.

“I’d better just get on and sharpen my own pencil and get a bit more work done.”

While Jonbon is very much the star of Henderson’s novice chasing team, two other horses for whom the trainer holds high hopes are City Chief and Mister Coffey.

City Chief impressed in winning the Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby earlier in the month, but looks set to sidestep Cheltenham, while Mister Coffey is in line for the National Hunt Chase despite suffering defeat under his planned Cheltenham rider Derek O’Connor at Uttoxeter on Saturday.

Mister Coffey (centre) in action at Sandown
Mister Coffey (centre) in action at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

“I don’t think City Chief is ready for it – I think he needs another year,” reasoned Henderson.

“He was great at Wetherby, and the time before. He’s learning but he’s got a bit more to learn and I don’t want him in there this year. He will be there, he’s going the right way all the time but no. He has an entry but I’d rather not.

“Mister Coffey will go for the National Hunt Chase. I was a bit disappointed he got beaten the other day, but we wanted to make the running, they had a false start and then a standing start and the trouble is he stayed standing!

“After that he got caught horribly wide the whole way round and personally I think he should have won, but we got a run into him and he ran a good race and the National Hunt Chase is what we’ve been aiming at all along – that was why Derek was there (Uttoxeter). The plan is for him to ride.”

No rush to commit to Cheltenham target with Marie’s Rock

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Nicky Henderson is likely to make a late call on whether Marie’s Rock runs in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle or steps up in trip for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Winner of the Mares’ Hurdle last season, she beat the boys on her only outing to date this term in the Relkeel, but she has yet to run over three miles.

“Marie’s Rock is in very, very good form. There is a question with Marie’s Rock and it is definitely possible she can move up and run in the Stayers’ Hurdle,” said Henderson.

“Tom Palin (of owners Middleham Park) and I have discussed it and no doubt we will discuss a lot more. It certainly won’t be a decision we’ll make in the near future and we’ll just have to wait and see.

“I know she hasn’t run over three miles, but she won very well in the Relkeel on New Year’s Day. She’s stayed well both times she has won at Cheltenham, she flies up the hill and I thought she was very impressive on New Year’s Day. She’s fit, fresh and well and all things are ready to go and we will have to consider.

“The horse who won yesterday (Blazing Khal), I don’t know the horse at all to be honest with you and there are a few around at the moment – Gordon’s horse (Teahupoo), he looks the best I’ve seen. You have got to always respect old Paisley Park. They are not bad but there is no standout.

“Now in the Mares’ you are going to have Epatante, you are going to have Honeysuckle, you might even have Theatre Glory. So there is a bit to be said for at least considering the Stayers’, but we can sit on that and the ground might have a good bit to do with it.”

Theatre Glory is also trained by Henderson and was very impressive at Warwick on Saturday.

Theatre Glory has improved markedly with each outing this term
Theatre Glory has improved markedly with each outing this term (Tim Goode/PA)

He said: “Theatre Glory would want really good ground. She has to be supplemented as does Epatante, but you can take it they are intended runners.

“I’ve said from the beginning when it appeared Epatante hadn’t been entered, she should be treated as a runner for betting purposes because it’s 50-50 whether she goes Champion Hurdle or Mares’. Just because she’s not in the race, doesn’t mean she won’t run. She can be in the race and so could Theatre Glory.”

Epatante’s options are another crack at the Champion Hurdle which she won in 2020 or to take on her own sex.

“Epatante has run once over two and a half miles at Aintree and she stayed very well, she won very easily that day,” said Henderson.

Nicky Henderson and Epatante on Monday morning
Nicky Henderson and Epatante on Monday morning (David Davies/PA)

“It was great to see her win like that at Doncaster the other day, it was very impressive. I know she beat nothing but at least she has shown what Constitution Hill is beating.

“What she showed the other day is how good Constitution Hill is, given he keeps slamming her and then she can come out and beat her own playmates as easily as that. I thought she was superb the other day and she jumped excellently.”

Should she run in the Mares’ Hurdle she will face Honeysuckle, who has beaten her in the Champion the last two seasons.

“I can see their point to be fair. Both her runs this year would suggest she is just not quite where she was last year and I think an extra half a mile is going to help her, so I think it is the sensible thing to do,” Henderson said of the decision to keep Honeysuckle to her own sex.

“Having got a couple of mares of our own, I think I would have preferred her in the Champion Hurdle, but she’s been great and really great for the game.

“Most people would like to see her go out in a blaze of glory winning the Mares’. I’m afraid I’m probably one of the only people who wouldn’t find that so popular.”

Henderson is still leaning towards running Luccia in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle despite her impressive display at Exeter on Sunday.

She holds an entry in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, for which she would get a 7lb mares’ allowance, but Henderson would need convincing to roll the dice.

The fact she is around 10-1 for the Supreme and 7-4 favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ is also weighing on Henderson’s mind.

“Luccia ought to go for the Mares’. She was impressive yesterday. Nico (de Boinville) was tempted by the Supreme but the betting tells you what you’ve got to do, surely?” said Henderson.

“You don’t have to decide yet. We did put her in it, which I thought was ambitious at the time anyway. I would be in favour of sticking to the Mares’ I must admit.

“Paul (Sandy, owner) and I will have a chat nearer the time and if there was a forfeit stage tomorrow we’d leave her in, but I can’t believe you’d throw away the Mares’. I’m not saying she will win that, but at least you know you’ve a very good chance of having a winner.

“I do like having the winner of the Supreme because it sets you up for the rest of the week, but we haven’t anything else so we’ll see. I’ll have a look but I can’t believe it’s the right thing to do.

“In the years of Altior and Shishkin, we were heading to the Supreme with confidence. I couldn’t come out and say we thought we’d win, but I remember in Min’s year all we heard was Min, Min Min and I just thought ‘good luck because you won’t beat Altior’. I couldn’t say that about Luccia.”

Henderson eager to unleash ‘extraordinary’ Constitution Hill

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Nicky Henderson is facing a nervous four weeks until the Cheltenham Festival as he prepares to unleash the “extraordinary” Constitution Hill in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

In little over a year, the son of Blue Bresil has emerged as the pre-eminent star of National Hunt racing, with two wide-margin novice hurdle wins at Sandown last winter followed by a jaw-dropping 22-length success in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park in March.

Any notion that blistering performance may have been a flash in the pan has been blown out of the water this season, with Constitution Hill slamming his 2020 Champion Hurdle-winning stablemate Epatante in both the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, ensuring he will return to the Cotswolds as a red-hot favourite to provide Henderson with a record ninth Champion Hurdle success.

The master of Seven Barrows again waxed lyrical when discussing the six-year-old after opening his doors to the media on Monday, but warned there is still plenty of water to pass under the bridge between now and the big day, with a racecourse gallop viewed as a crucial part of his preparation.

“Constitution Hill is fine and everything’s been going great. He worked on Saturday. He has a few more bits of work to do and he’ll probably have an away-day,” said Henderson.

“We usually go to Kempton. I would be thinking of Newbury, but the ground is too quick there at the moment anyway, so unless the weather changes dramatically, we’ll have to see if we can go to Kempton as I would like Constitution Hill to have a gallop.

“I would have loved to have run him and the Contenders Hurdle was lovely, but I think they got fed up with me! I was actually going to say I’ll have an open day and let people come and see him gallop, but someone said ‘don’t be stupid, you’d get a crowd and where are you going to put them all!’

“I really seriously thought of doing it, but I don’t think it’s feasible.”

Henderson has been at this game long enough to know nothing can be taken for granted, but in Constitution Hill he feels he has unearthed a rare talent with no flaws.

Constitution Hill is a superstar in the making
Constitution Hill is a superstar in the making (David Davies/PA)

He added: “He’s been around the track and broken records. He’s done most things and hasn’t done anything wrong, but there’s plenty that can go wrong and I think that’s the biggest issue.

“We all know between now and four weeks’ time, most days there’ll be a story that somebody’s out (of the Festival). You’ve just got to keep your fingers crossed and pray you’re going to get a clean run.”

Henderson admits it would be particularly satisfying to win a Champion Hurdle for Constitution Hill’s owner Michael Buckley, who is a long-time friend of the veteran trainer.

He said: “Michael has been with me an awful long time and we’ve had some wonderful times together, highs and lows.

“He’s had some very good horses actually, but he’s had some horrible luck along the way with horses like Spirit Son. I thought he was going to be a world beater and he died after a ridiculous accident while he was on holiday.

“We’ve had some great times with horses like Finian’s Rainbow and Brain Power, but this is an extraordinary animal.

“His greatest asset is his head – his whole mind game is absolutely brilliant.

“Nothing frightens him and you could go three miles with him if you wanted as you can just switch him off and he’d go to sleep. Then you wait for the right moment, Nico knows where the button is, you press the button and it works. It really is as simple as that.”

While keen not to look beyond Cheltenham, Henderson believes the world is Constitution Hill’s oyster.

Constitution Hill winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle
Constitution Hill winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Mike Egerton/PA)

“He could go chasing, without a doubt. That will be a decision for the summer,” he added.

“You go back five or six years after Altior won the Supreme and Buveur D’Air finished third and we had to decide what to do.

“I said to Pat Pugh (Altior’s owner) ‘you will win the Champion Hurdle, but it’ll be too late to go chasing if we wait another year, so what do you want to do?’. We schooled him over fences and there was no doubt that he was a chaser.

“In the meantime Buveur D’Air went chasing as well and he didn’t find it as easy – he was hurdling fences and that’s always dangerous. So he went back over hurdles and won two Champion Hurdles.

“With Constitution Hill you could go chasing, you could go two and a half miles and you could even go three – I think you could go as far as you like.”

Nicky Henderson on the gallops
Nicky Henderson on the gallops (David Davies/PA)

Whether Constitution Hill will face opposition from his own yard at Cheltenham remains to be seen.

Epatante has been beaten 12 and 17 lengths by her stablemate so far this season and while she could take him on again following a recent confidence-boosting victory at Doncaster, she also has the option of running in the two-and-a-half-mile Mares’ Hurdle on the same day.

First Street, meanwhile, has the opportunity to earn himself a tilt at Champion Hurdle glory in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday.

Henderson said: “Epatante and First Street are still in it and First Street goes to the Kingwell on Saturday, which I think will be a good race for him. He’d have to win it very impressively to go for the Champion, but what else can you run in? I suppose you’d put him in the County, but we’ll see.

“We don’t know where Epatante goes at the moment, she’ll run in the Champion or the Mares’ Hurdle. We’ll keep an eye on the weather and Constitution Hill himself as he’s got to get there.

“The Champion Hurdle is four weeks tomorrow, which is a very long time away. A week is a long time in a horse’s life, four weeks is an eternity.”

Pace key to Paisley Park’s Festival hopes

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Emma Lavelle believes a quicker pace in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle is vital if Paisley Park is to reclaim the title.

Winner of the race back in 2019, he has finished third behind Gavin Cromwell’s Flooring Porter for the last two years.

Despite being 11, he showed he is still a force to be reckoned with when winning the rearranged Long Walk Hurdle at Kempton, but he was almost 10 lengths behind French raider Gold Tweet in the Cleeve Hurdle last time out.

“Paisley Park has come out of the Cleeve Hurdle well and seems in good order,” said Lavelle.

“He has had an easy time of it since, but we will start to build him back up for the Stayers’ Hurdle this week and roll into Cheltenham.

“I only feel he needs to step back up a little bit and if he does, then he won’t be far away in the Stayers’ Hurdle. They just didn’t go quick enough in the Cleeve.

“He hasn’t suddenly sprouted wings, the only reason he was in that position (handy) is that they hadn’t gone quick enough for him and then the quickening happened too late.

“When that happens he can’t then hit his flat spot and stay on while the others are coming back to him, which is what happened in the Cleeve.”

Lavelle also feels the form of her yard at the time may have played its part.

Emma Lavelle has her horses back in form
Emma Lavelle has her horses back in form (David Davies/PA)

“Our horses, until recently, haven’t been running great and we have had a number of them coughing and a few with snotty noses,” she said.

“I know he won a Grade One through all of that at Kempton Park over Christmas, but why wouldn’t he have something on him when everything else in the yard appears to have had it.

“He has been great for us for a good few seasons but we know it isn’t going to last forever as he is 11 years old now.

“He has been rated in the 160s for five seasons and there are not many horses, as the statistics show, that are rated above 150 in this country.

“When you look at how hard it is to get horses to be vaguely competitive at Cheltenham, we are lucky to have him.”

Allaho to miss Cheltenham due to abdominal bleed

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Dual Ryanair Chase hero Allaho will not bid for a hat-trick at next month’s Cheltenham Festival after suffering an abdominal bleed.

The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Ryanair in 2021 under Rachael Blackmore and successfully defended his crown with a sublime front-running performance last season in the hands of Paul Townend.

He stepped up to three miles to win the Punchestown Gold Cup the following month, but has not been seen in competitive action since, with an autumn setback ruling out a possible tilt at the King George VI Chase at Kempton Boxing Day.

Hopes were high that Allaho would return to action at the Festival – but Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, has confirmed he will miss the showpiece meeting after suffering a further setback.

A statement issued to PA Media read: “Having worked pleasingly this past Saturday, Allaho was found to be uncomfortable after working and was then taken to the Fethard Equine Hospital, where he was found to have suffered some sort of abdominal bleed.

“Although a very rare condition, this was obviously of great concern. However, following treatment his condition appears to have stabilised.

“According to Willie Mullins this morning, Allaho is bright and comfortable with a normal heart rate, so obviously this is most encouraging, but we have to play things day by day.”

John McConnell readying strong Cheltenham team

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Autumn course winners Encanto Bruno and Fennor Cross are set to be part of John McConnell’s team for next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

Encanto Bruno, a £210,000 purchase after winning his sole start in the point-to-point field, made a winning debut under Rules at Cork in July before powering up the Cheltenham hill in October.

The form of the latter event could hardly have worked out better with the runner-up Strong Leader winning each of his three starts over hurdles, while Encanto Bruno has enjoyed a mid-season break.

The five-year-old is a 20-1 shot for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Prestbury Park and is reported to be firmly on course for that Grade One assignment.

“He got a break after Cheltenham and is back in full flow now, so the plan is to go straight to Cheltenham with him,” said McConnell.

“It was a good bumper he won and hopefully he’s developed a bit more physically since and we can get more out of him.

“The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede horse that won in Navan (It’s For Me) is probably the standout in the Champion Bumper, but we can only turn up and see how our horse does.

“Certainly the form of his race is solid, he’s won at the track and he’s a laid back character, so we’re very happy to have a go at it.”

Fennor Cross won a maiden hurdle at Cheltenham in October and returned to the track to claim a Grade Two prize at the November meeting.

Fennor Cross in action at Cheltenham
Fennor Cross in action at Cheltenham (Tim Goode/PA)

He too has been kept fresh for a spring campaign, with McConnell adding: “He goes straight to the Festival as well. I’m not sure what race he’ll run in yet, it could be the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle or it could be the Martin Pipe. He’ll get an entry in both and we’ll see.”

Another likely Festival contender for the County Meath handler is the resurgent Seddon, who won over hurdles at Cheltenham in October before bolting up over fences at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival.

McConnell said: “He’s gone up a lot in the weights, but he was entitled to I suppose.

“He’ll be entered in the Coral Cup and the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase (Festival Plate) and we’ll have a look at both races nearer the time and decide then which way we go.”

The trainer confirmed Anna Bunina will head for either the County Hurdle or the Coral Cup after finishing fourth behind Gaelic Warrior at last weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival, while he has a couple of potential runners in the Triumph Hurdle.

Jackpot de Choisel won by 32 lengths on his second start over obstacles at Ayr last week, while multiple French Flat winner Hypotenus has not even run over hurdles or made his debut for McConnell yet, but he is considered an exciting prospect.

“Jackpot De Choisel will have another run and we’ll see then. He’ll be qualified for the Boodles as well as the Triumph Hurdle and we’ll have a better idea of where we’re going after his next run,” the trainer added.

“Hypotenus will probably run in a Grade Three in Fairyhouse in a couple of weeks and we’ll see how he gets on. He’s a big horse and he’ll be a lovely horse to have as a novice for next season, so we’re in no big rush with him, but if he ran very well in Fairyhouse we might be tempted to go for the Triumph.”

Luccia impresses with Exeter stroll

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Nicky Henderson’s Luccia opened up further Cheltenham Festival options with a straightforward victory in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices’ Hurdle at Exeter.

Unbeaten in three starts prior to the run, the chestnut brought forward flawless bumper form and an existing Listed hurdle win gained at Newbury in November.

Not seen since after her Tolworth preparations were interrupted by an unsatisfactory scope, Luccia was nevertheless the 8-13 favourite under Nico de Boinville.

She travelled happily throughout and swept past her rivals with ease when asked, only giving connections a sole moment of doubt with a cat-leap at last.

Her 11-length Listed victory was still easily achieved, however, and she remains undefeated.

“She’s good, isn’t she? She’s been amazing because she had two bumpers last year and then we seriously nearly lost her,” Henderson told Racing TV.

“She had an extraordinary incident and she was as close to being put down as you’ll see. We didn’t know if she’d come back at all or if she’d be able to jump, it was a hind-end injury.

“We were a bit brave, we started her in a Listed race and she won that really well, then she had a dirty scope like one or two of them over the winter.

“This was the perfect race and the perfect timing just to get one more run into her. To be fair, it looked competitive and like it was going to be a good test but it didn’t seem to phase her at all.”

Of her less fluent attempt at the last flight, the trainer added: “She jumps well, we do a lot of extra schooling with her in the indoor school. Nico loves going round there on her, it just helps her technique a little bit.

Luccia on her hurdling debut
Luccia on her hurdling debut (John Walton/PA)

“Rather than just hurdling, she learns to jump properly and she does jump well, she was just untidy at the last but otherwise she was very quick and economical all the way round. I’ve got to say I was impressed.”

The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle was always the intended target for Luccia, but the triumph has brought the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle into the equation come March.

“I’d say the mares’, personally,” said Henderson.

To the suggestion that she is good enough for the Supreme, he then added: “That’s what my jockey said – we’ve got four weeks to discuss it.”

Henderson and De Boinville enjoyed a treble on the card with The Carpenter (7-4) on the mark in the Virgin Bet British Stallion Studs EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle, while Walking On Air (15-8 favourite) proved too good in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

Venetia Williams’ Pink Legend returned to winning ways to land the Listed Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Mares’ Chase under Charlie Deutsch.

Charlie Deutsch and Pink Legend at Ascot
Charlie Deutsch and Pink Legend at Ascot (Simon Marper/PA)

The nine-year-old was a 4-1 chance for the contest and made all of the running over the three-mile trip, her main pursuer being Jeremy Scott’s 11-10 favourite Kissesforkatie.

Four from home the two locked horns and it was Pink Legend that pulled away and stayed on well to claim a five-length victory ahead of Scott’s mare, with the Williams-trained stablemate Kapga De Lily a further half-length behind.

“I’m really delighted, obviously we wanted to get a bit of black type for Kapga De Lily,” said Williams.

“Pink Legend can sometimes be a bit of a law unto herself. Frank Mahon, who owns her, has always been assertive about the ground and said on good ground she likes it.

“He’s absolutely right and Charlie said as soon as she jumped off she was straight into the bridle, she jumped the first and she was off.

“It’s her first time back over three miles for a while, she enjoyed the tempo and everybody was very happy to have somebody to make the running. It was great.”