Tag Archive for: Cheltenham Festival

Shishkin heads Ryanair dozen

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Shishkin leads the way among 12 confirmations for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday.

Nicky Henderson worked his magic to get the nine-year-old back to his brilliant best at Ascot last month where he produced a scintillating display.

He was pulled up in the Champion Chase 12 months ago when it later transpired he was suffering from a rare bone condition, and was then beaten on his return in the Tingle Creek, after which he underwent wind surgery.

However, just like he did with Sprinter Sacre a few years ago, the master of Seven Barrows has seemingly coaxed back to his best ahead of his return to the Festival next week.

Henderson told Unibet: “It was great and everyone was very kind at Ascot, but to compare it with Sprinter’s comeback was a bit much as he’d only actually had two misses.

“If you go back to the Clarence House last year and that wonderful race with Energumene, he was flat out the whole way, at the second last we looked beaten fair and square but then his stamina turbo kicked in.

“In the Champion Chase he could have literally been pulled up after a fence and a scan showed he had these five hotspots, he was lame everywhere.

“We took our time, came back for the Tingle Creek but again, it looked quite laboured and he was just that yard short of pace so we got him to Ascot over two-five and he came through that. He was impressive, I must admit.

“It wasn’t until he jumped the last and I thought ‘phew’ that I realised how far clear he went.”

French Dynamite, Ga Law, Blue Lord and Envoi Allen are among Shishkin’s potential rivals.

Mighty Potter will be a banker for many in the Turners
Mighty Potter will be a banker for many in the Turners (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

Gordon Elliott’s hot favourite Mighty Potter is among 14 left in the first race on day three of the Festival – the Turners Novices’ Chase.

Hugely impressive over fences to date, he appears to be one of his trainer’s best chances of the week.

Balco Coastal, Banbridge, Sir Gerhard and Stage Star will ensure it is far from a cake walk if they all run, though.

In the Jack de Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Henderson’s Luccia heads the market, with 25 left in.

Magical Zoe will be Henry de Bromhead’s big hope in a race named after his late son.

Surprisingly only 28 remain in the Pertemps Final, in which a maximum field of 24 will go to post.

Elliott has the top three in the weights with Salvador Ziggy, The Bosses Oscar and Maxxum.

There are 38 left in the Magners Plate, with Willie Mullins’ Haut En Couleurs heading the weights, while 35 are still in contention for the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

Blazing Khal given go-ahead for Stayers’ Hurdle challenge

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Charles Byrnes has given Blazing Khal the go-ahead for the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Thursday.

The seven-year-old won back-to-back Grade Two novice prizes at Prestbury Park in the autumn of 2021, but missed the rest of the season through injury and did not ultimately not return for 14 months.

An impressive comeback in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan in mid-February catapulted Blazing Khal to the head of the Stayers’ Hurdle market, but Byrnes later revealed his stable star had returned with a “a few bits of nicks” that required treatment.

However, while his preparation has clearly not been ideal, Byrnes confirmed Blazing Khal will take his chance in a race the County Limerick handler won with Solwhit 10 years ago.

He said on Friday: “He worked at the Curragh earlier this week. We decided against taking him back there today as we felt it would be counter-productive.

“But I had a chat with the owner this morning and we decided we’re going to run him.”

Blazing Khal is set to lead a small but select team of five Festival runners for Byrnes along with Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle contender Byker, Coral Cup hopeful Run For Oscar, Pertemps Final favourite Shoot First and Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle runner Grozni.

Trainer Charles Byrnes (right) after winning the Stayers' Hurdle with Solwhit
Trainer Charles Byrnes (right) after winning the Stayers’ Hurdle with Solwhit (David Davies/PA)

“I’m bringing five and it looks a nice team,” the trainer added.

“The preparation for all the rest of them has gone very well.

“Soft ground would inconvenience Run For Oscar more so than any of them, I would say, but I’d say it won’t be too bad.”

Blazing Khal is one of 15 horses in Stayers’ Hurdle contention following Friday’s confirmation stage, with France’s Cleeve Hurdle winner Gold Tweet and his compatriot Henri Le Farceur both supplemented at a cost of just under £15,000.

Flooring Porter on his way to winning last year's Stayers' Hurdle
Flooring Porter on his way to winning last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle (Steven Paston/PA)

Flooring Porter will bid for a third successive victory in the race for Gavin Cromwell, Gordon Elliott is set to be represented by Teahupoo and Sire Du Berlais and Willie Mullins still has three in the mix, with Asterion Forlonge, Klassical Dream and Sharjah all standing their ground.

Marie’s Rock is a leading contender for Nicky Henderson, with connections planning to make a late call on whether she will run in Tuesday’s Mares’ Hurdle or take on the boys two days later.

Ashdale Bob (Jessica Harrington), Beacon Edge (Noel Meade), Dashel Drasher (Jeremy Scott), Home By The Lee (Jessica Harrington) and Paisley Park (Emma Lavelle) complete the acceptors.

Longsdon keen on Edition’s Supreme claims

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Charlie Longsdon retains full faith in Rare Edition and believes he has a genuine each-way chance in the curtain-raising Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

The six-year-old won his only bumper and his first three novice hurdles, including a convincing victory over subsequent Dovecote winner Rubaud at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Longsdon had hoped he would rubber stamp his Cheltenham claims in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon last month, but he was turned over at a short price by Fergal O’Brien’s Marble Sands.

“I think Rare Edition’s probably the best novice hurdler we’ve trained to date and he really does have a good each-way chance in the Supreme,” Longsdon told Betdaq.

“We’ve drawn a line through his run in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon, but his run at Kempton on Boxing Day was very good and the form looks strong.

“I think we’ve got him back to the right form now and if he can run up to the form we know he’s capable of, I think he’ll definitely be knocking on the door.”

Longsdon has yet to taste glory at the Festival, coming closest with Pendra who was beaten less than in length in the 2017 Kim Muir, and he admits it is a scratch he needs to itch.

“It’s a sore point, not having had a Cheltenham Festival winner. It’s been a topic of conversation leading up to the Festival every year. It’s slightly different this year in the fact that we’ve actually got horses that might have a little bit of a chance,” he said.

Joining Rare Edition on the trainer’s Cheltenham team is Hector Javilex and Glimpse Of Gala in the Pertemps, Snow Leopardess in the Glenfarclas Chase and possibly Guetapan Collonges in the Kim Muir, though he may wait for the Midlands National at Uttoxeter.

Neville favouring Festival novice option for The Real Whacker

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Patrick Neville will leave the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup door open, yet admitted he is leaning towards running The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at next week’s Festival meeting.

The promising seven-year-old has won both his starts over fences and crucially both victories have come at Cheltenham this term.

In November, he won a five-runner novices’ chase over an extended three miles when partnered by Gavin Sheehan and, on New Year’s Day, followed up in the Grade Two Dipper over an extended two and a half miles, this time ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies.

The Real Whacker took the scalp of Grade One winner Monmiral in the latter race and is now a general 9-2 third favourite for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on Wednesday.

However, Neville has not ruled out a tilt at Friday’s Gold Cup, for which he is a 50-1 shot.

The Irishman, who trains at Leyburn in North Yorkshire, said: “The horse is in super form – we couldn’t be happier with him.

“We are, at the moment, probably going to the Brown Advisory, but we will make a decision at the weekend, as there is another stage for the Gold Cup on Saturday.

“We’re just hanging in there. It is tempting, but we will wait and see. I think there will be a few who will come out of it because of the ground.”

Neville spent almost two years as assistant trainer to Ann Duffield and was a key player in N’Golo’s Swinton Hurdle success last May.

The trainer has had seven winners from 39 runners in his own name since taking out his licence in November and is eager to get back to Prestbury Park.

“It was great to take on the big boys and beat them there,” added Neville.

“It is great to have a horse like that going there. He stays well and he’s not short of speed either. His jumping is unbelievable.

“Everything has gone great since his last run. He is lightly raced and physically he has improved a bit, even from his New Year’s Day run – he’s getting stronger.

“He will probably go for the novice chase this year and then hopefully, if we get back next year, we will have a go at the Gold Cup, as then he would have more experience under his belt.

“We are leaning that way, but we’ll keep it open for another few days and dream away.”

‘No firm decision’ as connections of Marie’s Rock weigh up Festival choice

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Connections of Marie’s Rock are still no nearer to determining whether she will defend her Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle or instead attempt to land the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next week.

The Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old made a sparkling return to action, winning the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day, having not run since taking a second successive Grade One victory in the Mares’ Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last April.

The Middleham Park Racing-owned mare will be seeking a fifth consecutive victory regardless of which race she contests.

She is a general 3-1 joint second-favourite behind Honeysuckle for the two-and-a-half-mile Mares’ Hurdle on Tuesday and a general 7-2 second-favourite for Thursday’s three-mile Stayers’ Hurdle.

Middleham Park racing manager Tom Palin said the weather will play a major part in their decision.

He said: “There are no firm plans, I’m afraid. I know Nicky is championing the Stayers’ but in our conversations, there isn’t a firm decision.

“He wouldn’t be solely in the Stayers’ camp, nor am I solely in the Mares’ camp.

“I think I’d be right in saying neither of us would want to try her over three miles on the testing course at Cheltenham in soft ground.

“We do need to see just what the weather does and that is obviously very unsettled at the moment.”

Blazing Khal has headed the Stayers’ Hurdle market since winning the Boyne Hurdle at Navan last month, on his first start in 14 months.

However, he subsequently suffered a setback and trainer Charles Byrne will give him a final piece of work on Friday before determining whether or not he will take his chance.

“Blazing Khal has a date with destiny tomorrow by all accounts, so that is something to factor in,” added Palin.

“If the Stayers’ Hurdle favourite isn’t in the race tomorrow afternoon, that is something sizable to take in. There is nothing set in stone.

“We will probably make the decision at 9.50am on Sunday. If there hadn’t been any rain around and Blazing Khal was out, I would say that would have a very, very big swing on where we go, I would imagine.

“But it doesn’t look like it will be guaranteed good ground at this point.”

Henderson also has the JP McManus-owned Epatante – who was overturned by Marie’s Rock when odds-on favourite at Punchestown – entered in the Mares’ Hurdle.

Potentially the race registered at the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle is one the most competitive events of the four-day meeting.

Nicky Henderson also has Epatante in the Mares' Hurdle
Nicky Henderson also has Epatante in the Mares’ Hurdle (David Davies/PA)

Palin added: “If it is soft ground, like it is probably going to be on Tuesday, the extra stamina that we might have in a Stayers’ will surely come to the fore in the Mares’.

“Soft ground, up that hill, is Epatante guaranteed to get it in soft ground? That is a question.

“Lest we forget, we are 1-0 against her, having beaten her at Punchestown.

“It could be a mouthwatering race. The winners of the last three Champion Hurdles taking each other on, and you put in there Marie’s Rock, who is no slouch and is defending champion, and arguably the best filly in training this side of the Irish Sea, then chuck in young pretenders like Love Envoi, Brandy Love and Theatre Glory, and it really is the race of the meeting!”

Longhouse Poet booked for National prep at Down Royal

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Martin Brassil will send Longhouse Poet to Down Royal next Friday for his Grand National prep run.

The nine-year-old was a well-supported sixth behind Noble Yeats in the Aintree marathon last year and is currently a general 16-1 chance for the four-and-a-quarter-mile spectacular on April 15.

He reverted to hurdles on his first three runs this season, including when scoring at Limerick on Boxing Day.

However, he unseated JJ Slevin at the first on his return to fences in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse last month.

Brassil, who enoyed Grand National success with Numbersixvalverde in 2006, said: “He will probably run in a three-and-three-quarter-mile chase at Down Royal on St Patrick’s Day. That will be his last run before Aintree. I’ve been happy with him.

“I’m reasonably happy with his National weight at 154. As long as the weights don’t go up, he has a grand racing weight.

“He ran a nice race last year, but probably over-raced a bit. He probably got a bit exuberant. You have to remember it is a long way round there twice.”

Fastorslow (right) was touched off by Commander Of Fleet in the Coral Cup last year
Fastorslow (right) was touched off by Commander Of Fleet in the Coral Cup last year (David Davies/PA)

The Kildare handler is still no nearer to deciding which race Fastorslow, who is similarly owned by Sean and Bernardine Mulryan, will contest at Cheltenham next week.

The seven-year-old, who was runner-up in the Coral Cup at the Festival last March, holds entries in both the Ultima Handicap Chase on Tuesday and the Magners Plate Handicap Chase on Thursday.

Fastorslow has run just twice over fences in Ireland, both coming in Grade One company this season.

He finished fifth of six to Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown and last of five to Gentlemen De Mee in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.

Brassil lamented the lack of options for Fastorslow, who won his only other chase outing when scoring for Arnaud Chaille-Chaille at Auteuil in September 2019.

“The conditions of a lot of the races over here excluded him from having a run, because he won in 2019 and the conditions said you couldn’t have won before May 2021, and that is why I had to run him in a couple of Grade Ones,” he said.

“They have given him plenty of weight, too, especially for a horse who hasn’t won a hurdle race since he was three.

“He won a chase when he was three – now he’s seven and rated 150 over fences and 147 over hurdles.

“At the moment we will go to the Ultima, but we will confirm him for the Plate as well. The weights have already gone up 4lb in the Ultima, but we’ll wait and see.”

He added: “He is hugely inexperienced, even though he does jump very well and we wouldn’t have any worries about that. At the same time, it is a big ask. If he has a bit of class, it will have to come out.”

Jockey Niall Madden (left) and Martin Brassil with 2006 Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde
Jockey Niall Madden (left) and Martin Brassil with 2006 Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde (Niall Carson/PA)

Brassil will run An Epic Song in either the Coral Cup or the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle next week, although he would welcome slower conditions for the six-year-old.

“He would be very much ground dependent,” Brassil added. “He would want a real nasty turn of weather.

“I confirmed him for the Coral Cup. If he doesn’t make the cut there, he’ll go in the Martin Pipe.

“He’d want a lot of rain and about a foot of snow to melt, like at the old-fashioned Cheltenham – the Desert Orchid days or days of The Thinker.”

Adamantly Chosen added to Brown Advisory field

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Willie Mullins has supplemented Adamantly Chosen for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Second to Gordon Elliott’s Mighty Potter in Grade One company at the Dublin Racing Festival over two miles and five furlongs, it appears connections are now keen to step him up to three miles.

He is one of six possibles for Mullins among 14 left in, although that does include Gaillard Du Mesnil, the red-hot favourite for the National Hunt Chase.

Bronn, I Am Maximus, Ramillies and Sir Gerhard complete his sextet.

Gerri Colombe on his way to victory at Sandown
Gerri Colombe on his way to victory at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

Elliott’s Gerri Colombe, Patrick Neville’s The Real Whacker and Thyme Hill from Philip Hobbs’ yard all stand their ground along with Dan Skelton’s mare Galia Des Liteaux.

A total of 22 remain in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, eight trained by Mullins.

That does include Facile Vega and Il Etait Temps, both towards the head of the betting for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Stablemate Impaire Et Passe has been heavily backed for the race in recent days, with Gaelic Warrior another with leading claims.

Leading the home team is the Paul Nicholls-trained Hermes Allen, so impressive when winning the Challow Hurdle at Newbury – form which has worked out incredibly well.

Delta Work (right) denied Tiger Roll the perfect send off last year
Delta Work (right) denied Tiger Roll the perfect send off last year (David Davies/PA)

Barry Connell’s Good Land is another major contender.

Delta Work and Galvin give Elliott a very strong hand in the Glenfarclas Chase, while Elliott’s Andy Dufresne is set to carry top weight in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual for which 40 remain, including Gavin Cromwell’s prolific winner Final Orders.

Mullins still has 11 engaged in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper as he seeks to enhance his already incredible record in the race, however, it is John Kiely’s A Dream To Share who heads the ante-post markets.

Camprond, HMS Seahorse and Run For Oscar are among the confirmations for the Coral Cup.

Hanlon poised for epic celebration should Hewick realise Cheltenham dream

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Bars across Cheltenham should brace themselves for a Shark attack of Jaws-like proportions if Hewick can complete his fairytale rise by claiming Gold Cup glory.

In an era when National Hunt horses are readily selling for half a million and more, the Hewick story is one that gives hope those rags-to-riches tales can still come true.

You will do well to find a more ebullient trainer than John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, who gained his nickname from a hurling game when he was still a teenager.

A towering figure in stature with ginger locks, Hanlon looks like a man who could guzzle a gallon of Guinness without batting an eyelid – and would be quite happy to show you given the opportunity.

Shark Hanlon at Galway
Shark Hanlon at Galway (Niall Carson/PA)

“I wouldn’t have been the best son in the world in fairness,” he admitted after welcoming a gaggle of the British racing media to his yard on a beautiful February morning in County Carlow.

“My mother always said to me ‘there’s one thing I can’t work out about you John, you leave here at 7.45pm on a Friday to go to 8pm mass in Kilkenny’ and I said ‘yep, and I’m often there before the priest is!’.

“Then she said ‘but you can get to Kilkenny in 15 minutes and it takes you two or three days to come home!’. So you can imagine what kind of son I was when I was 18 or 20.”

Hanlon opened his doors to the press pack on the same morning those in attendance had been to see the astonishing firepower his more illustrious neighbour Willie Mullins has at his disposal for the Festival.

It took no more than 15 minutes to travel by coach from Closutton to Fennis Court yet they are a world apart, with former cattle dealer Hanlon’s string adding up to to around a quarter of the 200-plus Mullins army.

While the most successful trainer in Cheltenham Festival history is regularly able to spend the big bucks thanks to multiple wealthy owners, Hanlon has had no option to dip his hand in the bargain bucket from time to time – but in Hewick he has unearthed a diamond in the rough.

“The story is brilliant as he came from five minutes down the road at Goresbridge and at €850 he was some value,” said the trainer.

“I actually went to look at another horse but he wasn’t there, so we came out of the bottom gate to come home and met him (Hewick) walking in. I came home and was thinking about the horse, so I went back and and bought him.”

If things had worked out differently Hewick could well have been moved on four years ago, with Hanlon’s business model built around preparing unraced horses for point-to-points before selling for a profit.

Hewick on the gallops at Shark Hanlon's yard
Hewick on the gallops at Shark Hanlon’s yard (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

But in a twist of fate, his current stable star failed to complete in three outings in the pointing field and as a result ended up staying put to run under Rules.

Hanlon said: “If he’d won his point-to-point he would have been sold then as all my point-to-pointers get sold, but everything went wrong for him.

“In his first point-to-point a horse fell in front of him and brought him down, the second day it was good ground and then lashed rain and he slipped and skidded along the ground, and then the third day Shane Fenelon fell off him at the first.

“After that we said we’d give him a bit of time and run him in a few hurdle races. It took him a bit of time, but he won one night in Kilbeggan and from that day to this he’s after being a real horse.”

Hewick’s rise, particularly in the last season and a half, has been nothing short of astonishing.

Since a relatively low-key win in the Durham National at Sedgefield less than 18 months ago, the eight-year-old has plundered the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and the Galway Plate, while he may well have added the Kerry National at Listowel to his big-race haul but for tipping up at the final fence.

But it is his most recent triumph that made the most headlines as an ambitious trans-Atlantic trip to New York paid off spectacularly as Hewick ran out a brilliant winner of the American Grand National.

It was a trip Hanlon will not forget in a hurry, while Hewick’s subsequent visit to the trainer’s local pub made national and even international news.

He said: “It was amazing and we let them all know that we were there, that’s for sure!

Hewick is washed down after exercise
Hewick is washed down after exercise (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

“They give you the trophy out on the track and the whole thing had to be delayed 40 minutes as they couldn’t us off the track.

“Gordon Elliott was there and had a car hired and I had a car hired. Gordon went off and filled his car with drink, I went off filled mine with food and then we all joined together.

“It’s a great story and something you dream of. We didn’t leave the track that early and did a bit of celebrating – I’d say they mightn’t let the Irish in again!”

Hanlon has since returned to the States after his charge was nominated for and ultimately won the prestigious Steeplechase Horse of the Year title at the Eclipse Awards, reducing the trainer to tears at a glittering ceremony in Florida.

“It was mighty and to go back and win an Eclipse Award, I never dreamt we’d get that. They sent me an email to say he was in the last three and told me where it was, but they gave me no inkling that he’d won. When they called it I couldn’t believe it,” he said.

“I was quite emotional as a lot of things hit my head. Obviously Jack de Bromhead died last year and I thought of my own two sons and Jack after it – I had a lump in my throat.

“I’ll never win an Eclipse Award again and it would have been nice to have my two sons there with me. Jack was a great kid and my chaps here were very fond of him.

“I got emotional thinking about things, that’s all.”

With Hewick having enjoyed a well-earned break since his American adventure, the Hanlon bandwagon will roll into the Cotswolds ready to take part in Cheltenham’s most prestigious race.

Connections could likely have recouped his purchase price 100 times over if they had wished, but Hanlon is fully aware he may never be in this position again and is keen to make the most of it.

He said: “We’ve had some big offers – more than any horse is worth. I own part of him myself and I would have loved to sell him, but I’d only sell him to stay in the yard and the other chap didn’t want to sell at all, which made it easier for me.

“Maybe we shouldn’t be going for the Gold Cup, but when will we ever have a horse to run in a Gold Cup again? That’s the way I’m looking at it. The owners wants to run in a Gold Cup, so why not bring him – isn’t he entitled to be there?

“I think Cheltenham will suit us as it’s a good, tough track and I think you want a horse to stay three and a half miles to win a Gold Cup and he’s already won over three and a half in Sandown.

“I’d be delighted to finish in the first four, but you always dream about winning it and if you’re not in, you can’t win. It’d be a great story to win it with an €850 horse, wouldn’t it?

“He’s earned us some money and as well as that he’s given us some sport and some fun.”

Hewick rolls in mud at Shark Hanlon's yard
Hewick rolls in mud at Shark Hanlon’s yard (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

The Gold Cup is only one half a dream double on Hanlon’s mind, with a tilt at the Grand National at Aintree next on his agenda.

If Hewick wins one or both of National Hunt racing’s biggest prizes, one thing is for certain – there will be a party to end all parties somewhere in Britain or Ireland.

“If we win a Gold Cup, and then go back and win an English National, I’d say it could take a week or a fortnight to go home,” said Hanlon.

“He went into a pub the last time, so I don’t know where we’ll bring him the next time!”

Henderson hoping for royal approval on the march to Cheltenham riches

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Unquestionably Constitution Hill would be the best chance. Jonbon would hold a fair shout. A victory for Marie’s Rock, Shishkin, Luccia or Epatante would be a bonus.

Yet arguably victory for any of those Nicky Henderson runners at the Cheltenham Festival would not give the Seven Barrows handler more delight than seeing Steal A March land the Pertemps Network Final.

The eight-year-old is one of five – or possibly six – runners the 72-year-old Lambourn handler will saddle in the race on March 17, insisting with a customary chuckle: “I’m doing a Willie Mullins.”

Unlike his good friend and rival Mullins, and while not averse to running stablemates against each other, Henderson is seldom keen to tread that path.

However, he is blessed with a particularly strong team of hurdlers who have few options but to take each other on.

Hot Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill could be joined by a former winner of the race in Epatante, while First Street is another contender.

Marie’s Rock is a potential runner in an open-looking Stayers’ Hurdle, while Luccia heads a top team of novices, with Balco Coastal and Jonbon a pair of chasers who have massive potential.

Steal A March is a particular favourite, though. He gave Henderson huge satisfaction by winning a lowly Worcester handicap hurdle on June 4, as the Mount Nelson gelding provided the Queen with a winner during her Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations.

Barbers Shop produced some memorable results for Henderson and The Queen
Barbers Shop produced some memorable results for Henderson and The Queen (David Jones/PA)

Henderson and the Queen enjoyed some fantastic and hugely-popular successes together, most notably with the classy chaser Barbers Shop.

Now that the purple, scarlet and gold colours have been transferred to the King, they will be carried in the Pertemps, a fiercely-competitive handicap hurdle over three miles.

Henderson is looking forward to seeing a royal presence at the Festival in a race where he could saddle stablemates Scarpia, Walking On Air, Captain Morgs, Call Me Lord and Mill Green.

“I very much hope there will be some representatives of the owners, which will be good for racing and good for Cheltenham,” said Henderson.

“He won on Derby day, which was very special. We were all trying to get winners that weekend for the Queen.”

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.

“He has always been capable,” added Henderson. “He has improved a fair bit all of a sudden.

“I like his chances in the Pertemps. We have got quite a strong team for the contest to be fair, but I was impressed with him the last time. It would be nice for the King should he win. It would be absolutely great for the sport.”

The team at Seven Barrows will hope that a winner or two will be in the bag by the time the Pertemps is run on the meeting’s third day.

“The first day is our strongest day, so we need something to happen on Tuesday, because it gets harder work from there on. We start panicking after that,” he quipped.

Yet there is no stronger favourite at the meeting than Constitution Hill, who will bid to give the trainer a record ninth success in the Champion Hurdle following the victories of See You Then (1985, 1986, 1987), Punjabi (2009), Binocular (2010), Buveur D’Air (2017, 2018) and Epatante (2020).

Unbeaten in five starts, he has barely been tested and was 17 lengths too good for Epatante on his last run in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park.

Nicky Henderson with Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill
Nicky Henderson with Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill (David Davies/PA)

He might potentially be the best in a very long line of superstars that Henderson has trained and arguably could become the highest-rated hurdler in history, higher even than the legendary Night Nurse.

Despite hearing all the perfectly valid reasons for thinking the Michael Buckley-owned six-year-old is the horse of a lifetime, Henderson is quick to quell such talk.

“Constitution Hill is doing freakish things, but he’s only had five runs in his life and you have to remember it is very early days in his career,” he said.

“Normally, when you are going to a Champion Hurdle, you go with a horse who has had 10 or 12 races or something.

“It is hard to gauge him really, except he has just done nothing wrong.

“He has a long way to go before I’d say he is potentially the best horse I’ve trained. It took me 10 years to say that Sprinter Sacre was.

“I like the involvement in a horse like this as you feel like you have achieved something, and people want to be part of a horse that has touched them somewhere.

“Horse racing is still a great sport and there is a great community involved. It is a great game that a lot of people really enjoy. What they do is appreciate very good people and very good horses.

“Everybody wants to know what he is up to in the village (Lambourn) but there are a lot of other horses here, and in other yards, that are just as important that have big days ahead.

“We all want him to be this superstar. We have been lucky having the Sprinters and Altiors, however you never get blase about it.”

Luccia is nominated as a horse with a big future
Luccia is nominated as a horse with a big future (David Davies/PA)

This time last year, Henderson nominated a horse outside of the obvious big guns that excited him. He offered up Marie’s Rock, who duly won the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle.

Ask him the same question 12 months on and he replies: “I think Luccia looks pretty promising for the future. Steal A March would be nice, wouldn’t it?”

At the meeting considered the Olympics of National Hunt racing, over the years he has saddled 72 winners, including six in 2012.

The last time he came away from Prestbury Park without a victory was 2008, so it would be a major shock should he fail to add to the laurels in any of the 28 races.

And with only Mullins fielding a stronger team over the four days, Henderson is heading there with plenty of hope.

“Cheltenham is very special isn’t it? Anybody who is in this game can’t deny it,” he added.

“It’s the four days which we all look forward to. I know it gets over-hyped. It gets everywhere, but there’s nothing quite like it.

“We all look forward to it, but you are tip-toeing on eggshells in the build-up, hoping the horses stay sound. Getting them there fit, healthy and in one piece is a major job in itself, never mind winning.”

Theatre team happy to go for glory in red-hot Festival feature

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The list of owners who will employ the services of Nicky Henderson during the Cheltenham Festival is a roll call of the rich and powerful racing elite.

But the owners of Theatre Glory hail from much closer to home as the upwardly-mobile Warwick winner prepares to tackle one of the week’s hottest contests.

That is because the six-year-old is owned by Canter Banter Racing – the brainchild of Katie Croft and David Fehily, who are both head staff at Henderson’s Lambourn base.

To continue the Henderson connection, Theatre Glory – who is set to take her chance in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle – came into their possession via another graduate of the Seven Barrows academy – former jockey Jerry McGrath, who has become a key player in the Canter Banter set-up.

“Myself and David are both head staff for Nicky and we’ve been here for 12 or 13 years. We just wanted to do something different and for ourselves,” explained Croft.

“Jerry gave us this filly which was actually unsold at the sales for under £5,000 as a three-year-old. They broke her in, liked her and then said to us ‘why don’t you have a crack with her, we think she’s quite nice’.”

Although unwanted in the ring, Theatre Glory has attracted plenty of admirers following her performances on the track – including the bookmakers, who made her around a 10-1 chance for the Coral Cup.

However, that race barely crossed Croft’s radar and the 145-rated mare will attempt to give syndicate-owned horses back-to-back victories in the day one contest having scooped her second Listed prize in style last month.

She continued: “I believe you need an awful lot of luck in a handicap and she’s not the biggest girl. For us as a syndicate to have a runner in a Grade One is great and if she was to finish in the top four, you would be delighted.

“It’s very exciting, just to have a live chance is very exciting.”

Nico de Boinville and Theatre Glory return after securing Listed honours at Warwick
Nico de Boinville and Theatre Glory return after securing Listed honours at Warwick (PA)

The Warwick Mares’ Hurdle was supposed to be a simple tune-up mission for last year’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle winner Love Envoi.

She was trading at odds-on before her late withdrawal from the Listed event, but the Canter Banter team always fancied their chances against Harry Fry’s charge – especially having seen the form of Theatre Glory’s Boxing Day third at Kempton franked by Grey Dawning.

“We were quite confident beforehand, even with Love Envoi in the race,” said Croft.

“It might sound bullish now after the race because of the performance, but we were. At Kempton when she ran in the handicap, she was giving away a stone to a Grade Two winner and to be honest, we came back with excuses.

“She took a good blow and you could obviously see she was running on again at the finish. She also came back with a slight dirty nose and she could have just been better on the day, so we were confident there were bigger performances than that in her.”

It is costing connections £4,599 to supplement Theatre Glory for the Mares’ Hurdle – which may be small change for the might of JP McManus who owns stablemate Epatante – but a hefty outlay for a fledgling syndicate still in its infancy.

However, it appears the Canter Banter posse were in no doubt about ensuring their flagship mare lines up in Grade One company.

“They were all sort of revved straight away,” added Croft. “The hype she built up that day (at Warwick), it gave them a sort of a ‘oh my god, we have a chance’ feel and they are all very excited.”

With both Epatante and defending champion Marie’s Rock also possible runners in the Mares’ Hurdle, it would be easy to envisage loyalties towards each of the Henderson-trained mares causing a Seven Barrows cold war in the build up to the Festival.

However, for the Canter Banter team at least, there is no cloak and dagger from the spies in the camp, and no iron curtain splitting Upper Lambourn.

“We’re quite laid back about it as we’ve got it to prove,” continued Croft.

Theatre Glory ridden by Nico de Boinville goes on to win The Follow At The Races On Twitter Maiden Open NH Flat Race at Worcester
Theatre Glory ridden by Nico de Boinville goes on to win The Follow At The Races On Twitter Maiden Open NH Flat Race at Worcester (David Davies/PA)

“We’re the underdog and if we’re good enough, then great we’re good enough, but we’re under no illusion we will beat two champion hurdlers.

“Between the other two (Epatante and Marie’s Rock) there isn’t much in it and obviously it all depends if Marie’s Rock switches.

“Although without being biased towards our syndicate, I always thought Marie’s Rock would win a Stayers’ (Hurdle) anyway. I thought she should have been going to the Stayers’ before – she wasn’t stopping at Cheltenham in the Relkeel.”

Win or lose on Tuesday, Theatre Glory is set to stay in training for another season and the Canter Banter team are relishing the chance to put their racing club in the shop window on the big stage.

“It’s sort of the dream day to promote yourself. It’s very nice when you think she was unsold for £5,000,” said Croft.

“We’ve managed to persuade the breeders to keep her for another year. So we’ve got the whole of next season to look forward to, depending on what happens at Cheltenham.

“We’re in the process of finding some new horses and hopefully we will make a nice strong team.”

For now though, all eyes will be on Theatre Glory in her bid for Cheltenham success and after 25 years combined service to the Seven Barrows cause, the carriage clocks and gold watches are being put to one side – it is a Mares’ Hurdle gold medal that would be the perfect reward from the guv’nor.