Shishkin will face eight rivals as he goes for a third Festival win in Thursday’s Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
Nicky Henderson’s charge landed the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2020 and followed up in the Arkle over fences the following year, but 2022 ended in disappointment as he was pulled up when sent off favourite for the Champion Chase.
A rare bone condition was blamed for that defeat and after an initial lacklustre return in the Tingle Creek, Shishkin took a switch up to two miles and five furlongs in his stride when blazing home by 16 lengths in the Ascot Chase last month.
Blue Lord will take on Shishkin (Donall Farmer/PA)
Shishkin is a short price for the extended two-and-a-half-mile Ryanair, but he faces a stern test headed by the Willie Mullins-trained Blue Lord, who forms part of a triple Closutton assault along with Chacun Pour Soi and Janidil.
Envoi Allen represents Henry de Bromhead while the Gordon Elliott-trained Fury Road and Mouse Morris’ French Dynamite round out the Irish challenge.
Ga Law, winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, has a first crack at Grade One level for Jamie Snowden and the Paul Nicholls-trained Hitman completes the line up.
Mighty Potter is the favourite for the Turners (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)
The Elliott-trained Mighty Potter has dominated the ante-post market for the Turners Novices’ Chase after winning each of his three starts over fences, including twice at the top level.
James Du Berlais came home a distant last that day but tries his luck again for Mullins, who also has Appreciate It in contention.
Banbridge is a leading contender for Joseph O’Brien as Henderson’s Balco Coastal and Stage Star for Nicholls head the home defence. Christopher Wood, Notlongtillmay and Unexpected Party complete the field.
Luccia is another leading contender for Henderson (John Walton/PA)
Favourite Thanksforthehelp heads a maximum field of 24 for the Pertemps Final, with So Scottish the early favourite for the Magners Plate Handicap Chase, which also has a full field of 24 runners.
The Jack de Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle has attracted a top-class line-up, with key names including Luccia, Lot Of Joy and Group One Flat winner Princess Zoe. However, Ashroe Diamond did not feature among the 21 declarations.
The race is run in memory of Henry de Bromhead’s son, and the trainer mounts a strong challenge with no less than five contenders, spearheaded by Magical Zoe.
Stumptown and Mr Incredible lead the way in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase with another maximum field declared.
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Constitution Hill is all set for his crowning moment when he lines up in the Unibet Champion Hurdle on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.
Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten six-year-old has had this date with destiny circled on the calendar since leaving a packed house at Prestbury Park staggered with an imperious display in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
His outings this season have only added to anticipation surrounding his return to the Festival and Grade One contests throughout the season have simply been reduced to tasters building up to the big day.
He brushed aside stablemate Epatante to win both the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle at a canter and Henderson finds it hard to argue with the evidence as racing’s latest superstar prepares to headline the opening day.
“You’d have to say he’s been round the track and broken records, so he’s done most things you’d want to see and he hasn’t done anything wrong,” said Henderson.
“He’s doing freakish things, but he’s only had five runs in his life and you have to remember that it’s very early days in his career. Normally when you’re coming to a Champion Hurdle you’re doing so on the back of between 10-12 races or something, so it’s hard to gauge really apart from the fact he’s done nothing wrong.
“His racing brain is brilliant. You could go three miles with him because you’d just switch him off and put him to sleep and then wait until you get the right moment and press the button. It really is as simple as that.”
See You Then helped put Henderson on the map with a hat-trick of Champion Hurdle victories in the 1980s and no man has won the race as many times as the master of Seven Barrows.
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Constitution Hill during a visit to Nicky Henderson’s stables at Seven Barrows in Lambourn (David Davies/PA)
However, it is easy to envisage that Constitution Hill could prove to be the best two-mile hurdler to have stepped foot in his Upper Lambourn base if providing him with victory number nine at Cheltenham on Tuesday and Henderson would love to reward the gelding’s long-serving owner Michael Buckley.
“It would be fantastic to win the Champion Hurdle for Michael Buckley,” he continued.
“He’s been with me an awful long time and we’ve had great times together, both highs and lows. He’s had a lot of good horses actually, but he’s also had some horrible luck on the way with what were going to be good horses that didn’t make it.
“I thought Spirit Son was going to be a world beater and he sadly died from an accident while he was on holiday, so various things have gone right and wrong.
“We’ve had some wonderful times with the likes of Finian’s Rainbow and Brain Power, but this is an extraordinary animal.
“His greatest asset is his head – not that it’s the prettiest – but his whole mind game is brilliant.”
State Man won the County Hurdle with ease at the meeting 12 months ago and has quickly progressed into a top-level operator.
He returns to the Cheltenham Festival as the Willie Mullins number one and second-favourite following his all-the-way success in the Irish Champion Hurdle.
He has the perfect profile to lay down a serious challenge to the overwhelming race favourite, but Mullins is well aware of the task at hand.
He said: “From everything he’s shown us all the time and the way he’s improving, we think he’s good enough.
“We’re living the dream at the moment anyway. If you beat Honeysuckle around Leopardstown you’d normally be thinking there’s only one more step to go, but Constitution Hill is there and a few more too.
“Constitution Hill looks the full package. He’s got speed, he can jump and he stays and he’s going to be very tough to beat.”
Vauban ridden by jockey Paul Townend wins the JCB Triumph Hurdle during day four of the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 (David Davies/PA)
The master of Closutton is also represented by Vauban who picked up the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival last year and was third behind State Man at Leopardstown last month.
Improvement will be required to see him bridge the five-length gap with his stablemate, while the other Irish challenger in the seven-strong field is Gordon Elliott’s Zanahiyr.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ I Like To Move It has a fine record on the old course at Cheltenham – winning the Greatwood Hurdle there in the autumn.
He was back to his best when tuning up with a wide-margin victory in Wincanton’s Kingwell Hurdle, while the cast is complete by last year’s fifth Not So Sleepy (Hughie Morrison) and Jason The Militant (Phil Kirby).
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Jonbon gets the chance to emulate his brother Douvan and land the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy when he takes on El Fabiolo in a powerhouse clash on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The duo fought out a thriller over hurdles at Aintree last year, where Nicky Henderson’s seven-year-old prevailed by a neck to gain compensation for his annihilation at the hands of Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle a few weeks prior.
That Prestbury Park reversal remains Jonbon’s sole defeat and he quickly shot to the top of the Arkle betting with an ultra-professional display on chasing debut at Warwick.
A first Grade One over the larger obstacles quickly followed when taking the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown in fine fashion before returning to Warwick to add the Kingmaker to his CV last month.
Different gravy.
Jonbon makes Monmiral and West Cork look like ordinary rivals as he coasts home in the@agentbloodstock Novices' Chase @WarwickRaces 👀
Although far from perfect in that two-runner tune-up mission, Henderson admits he left plenty to work on and believes the guaranteed hot pace of the Arkle will play to his charge’s strengths.
“We’re looking at Warwick as a good wake up call for him, he’ll be sharper for it,” said the Seven Barrows handler.
“He had a good blow and while he looked fantastically well, he looked ready to go to the show ring – not the racecourse – and I think he just needed it more than he anticipated it.
“It wasn’t pretty to watch. He did jump very well and eventually he quickened up and he’s done it nicely – as he ought to have done to be fair, as he should have beaten that horse (Calico) comfortably.
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Jonbon during a visit to Nicky Henderson’s stables at Seven Barrows in Lambourn (David Davies/PA)
“They’ll go a good gallop in the Arkle and that should suit him. That’s why I was keen for him to get a lead (at Warwick).
“He’s up there with my other Arkle winners. I know Constitution Hill beat him quite a long way, but other than that he’s been very good.”
Douvan famously sauntered to a seven-length success over future Gold Cup winner Sizing John in 2016 but the Henderson-trained sibling might not find things so easy as he takes on the might of Closutton.
Willie Mullins’ challenge is headed by impressive Irish Arkle winner El Fabiolo, who although only 9-2 in the betting at Leopardstown was the only runner able to keep up with the breakneck fractions set by Danny Mullins aboard Dysart Dynamo and pulled 10 lengths clear of the opposition at the finish.
He now has a familiar foe to reverse form with, but Mullins feels he has every chance of turning the tables.
He said: “El Fabiolo did everything right (at Leopardstown) and his run against Jonbon last year puts him right in the picture, I think.
“It was only his second run for us and Jonbon was in his own backyard, whereas we had to travel over to England, so he goes there with a huge chance.”
Saint Roi ridden by jockey Mark Walsh (left) wins the Brand New Racing Post App Novice Chase at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)
Dysart Dynamo is engaged once again and is sure to be leading the field at speed, while former County Hurdle winner and last year’s Champion Hurdle third Saint Roi is another for the Closutton squad.
The Mullins quartet is complete by Ha D’or, while Gordon Elliott’s Hollow Games and Cian Collins’ likeable mare Effernock Fizz are others making the trip from Ireland.
Sheila Lewis’ course-and-distance winner Straw Fan Jack returns from a 109-day absence to take his chance at Grade One level with Samuel Drinkwater’s Chepstow winner Ballybreeze the likely outsider of nine.
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Hot favourite Constitution Hill will take on six rivals in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.
The Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old has been sensational since making his debut at Sandown in December 2021, winning all five of his starts under rules, including the last four at the top level.
👑 Constitution Hill – all class in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle
He has not raced since sauntering to a 17-length defeat of stablemate Epatante in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, but is long odds-on to give Henderson a ninth victory in the extended two-mile showpiece.
Willie Mullins saddles State Man, who has a little more experience and is unbeaten in six completed outings for his Closutton trainer after falling on his Irish debut.
State Man is one of two Willie Mullins’ representatives in the Champion Hurdle (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)
State Man has similarly won his last four Grade One contests and heads to Prestbury Park as the Irish Champion Hurdle winner.
Mullins is double-handed with last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Vauban lining up, while Gordon Elliott is responsible for Zanahiyr, who finished third in the race last year but has subsequently been disqualified.
Phil Kirby has declared Jason The Militant, while Nigel Twiston-Davies relies on I Like To Move It, who won the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in November and also the Grade Two Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on his last run.
The field is completed by Not So Sleepy, who represents Hughie Morrison.
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Marie’s Rock will defend her crown in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle with the eight-year-old one of three to line up in the race for Nicky Henderson.
Owned by Middleham Park Racing, she got the better of Gordon Elliott’s Queens Brook to triumph 12 months ago and will arrive at Cheltenham on Tuesday unbeaten in four having followed up last year’s success at both the Punchestown Festival and on reappearance in the Relkeel on New Year’s Day.
Much of the speculation in the build-up to the Festival has centred around the possibility of Marie’s Rock stepping up to three miles for a crack at the Stayers’ Hurdle, but with conditions forecast to be on the slow side throughout the week, connections have plumped for the shorter option which could steal the show on the opening day.
Marie's Rock wins the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle
Middleham Park’s Tom Palin said: “There’s a bit of an unsettled forecast at the back end of the week and that kind of made our decision for us.
“We’d love to see her over three miles and I’m pretty sure we’ll go to Aintree and see her there in the three-mile Grade One hurdle on Grand National day.
“That’s probably her next target and I’d love to see her over that, but I think the New course is stamina-sapping at the best of times and if you chuck in there soft, or maybe worse than that, you might just be asking a few too many questions in one big hit.”
Marie’s Rock is joined in the line-up by stablemates Epatante and Theatre Glory, who were both late supplementary entries at the six-day stage, while last year’s Mares Novices’ Hurdle winner Love Envoi also takes her chance.
Nicky Henderson saddles three in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival (Zac Goodwin/PA)
The race is also the place for Honeysuckle’s farewell to the racecourse as the dual Champion Hurdle heroine looks to record her fourth straight Festival victory and recapture the prize she won in 2020.
“She’s gone over and it’s exciting having her going over there again,” said trainer Henry de Bromhead.
“We’ll see what Tuesday brings, she seems in great form and everyone seems happy.”
On it being a hot renewal, De Bromhead added: “Absolutely, but no more than you’d expect. We’re delighted to have her going and we’ll see how it unfolds.”
Willie Mullins saddles four as 14 go to post for the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Facile Vega heads the bookmakers lists looking to give the master of Closutton a sixth victory in the race in the past 10 years, while his Dublin Racing Festival conqueror and stablemate Il Etait Temps is also in the mix.
Facile Vega looks to bounce back at the Cheltenham Festival (Donall Farmer/PA)
Royal Bond scorer Marine Nationale, Tolworth champion Tahmuras and one-time Derby favourite High Definition are all other notable entries.
Two powerhouses are set to clash in the Sporting Life Arkle with El Fabiolo and Jonbon the main players among the nine declared, while Gaillard Du Mesnil is the choice of Patrick Mullins in the concluding Wellchild National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase.
There are 23 declared for the Ultima Handicap Chase where Corach Rambler looks to defend his crown, while a full field heads to post for a typically ultra-competitive edition of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
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Sir Tony McCoy sees Constitution Hill as the horse that can generate all the right headlines ahead of his bid for Champion Hurdle glory at the Cheltenham on Tuesday.
The former jump jockey, a 20-time champion, mentioned Nicky Henderson’s gelding alongside some of the great names who have graced the sport under both codes in the past.
Though Constitution Hill can not quite yet be hailed as a champion, McCoy feels he has the potential to elevate the sport to the front pages if his performance in the Champion Hurdle is as sparkling as expected.
He said: “We all see horses and sportspeople that have moments of brilliance and Frankel’s 2000 Guineas (in 2011) was one of the wow moments.
“As jump horses you have to achieve a lot to elevate yourself from the back page to the front. There have only been few jumpers that have been capable of doing that – other than Desert Orchid, Red Rum, Kauto Star and Best Mate there have not been many.
Constitution Hill winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival (Mike Egerton/PA)
“I look back at the hurdlers in recent times, Hurricane Fly is the best of the most recent ones, while Istabraq is the best one I’ve seen in my time. What Constitution Hill has done the last two times has had the wow factor about it in the ease in which he has won.
“He has beaten a good mare in Epatante a couple of times, but after the Champion Hurdle we will get a different reading as if he is able to do the same to those rivals then he might be able to get on the front page.”
The six-year-old is unbeaten under rules and has won five races, including four Grade Ones, by a combined 77 lengths having never looked remotely beatable thus far.
“There is no doubt he is a talented horse and if you picked one of the jump horses you would love to own or train he would be the pretender you would pick that could be the superstar,” McCoy added
“Hopefully, Constitution Hill can live up to his reputation and deliver that success under Nico de Boinville that we all want to see happen.”
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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.
Really thrilled to see SHISHKIN ⚫️🟡 bounce back to form in great style in the G1 Ascot Chase on his first start up in trip under a brilliant ride by @NdeBoinville. pic.twitter.com/EkADA7o9Zl
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 (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.
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.”
Another thriller! 🏇
The lightly-weighted Abuffalosoldier stays on best under James Bowen to edge out royal runner Steal A March in a cracking finish to the @Coral Committed To Safer Gambling Handicap Hurdle @NewburyRacing.
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 (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 (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 (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.”
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2.69954073-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-03-09 14:00:442023-03-09 14:00:44Henderson hoping for royal approval on the march to Cheltenham riches
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.
🥇 THEATRE GLORY produces a performance out of the top-drawer for her owners @CanterB_Racing in the Warwick Mares’ Hurdle to win by 11 lengths. She is an exciting young mare with the potential to improve even further! pic.twitter.com/jWBpxn9ZYq
“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 (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 (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.
https://devplatform.ggzssd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2.63629262-scaled.jpg12802560DaveMhttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngDaveM2023-03-09 14:00:382023-03-09 14:00:38Theatre team happy to go for glory in red-hot Festival feature
One of the things that makes the Cheltenham Festival so great is it sees equine superstars from both sides of the Irish Sea do battle for top honours on the sport’s grandest stage.
There is no doubt the balance of power has very much been with the raiding party in recent years – a theory which came into sharp focus in 2021, when 23 of the 28 races went to Ireland.
The home team did make a better fist of it last season with 10 victories, but Willie Mullins managed that tally on his own and it is certainly not out of the question the most successful trainer in Festival history could reach double figures once more.
In truth, it is hard to see anything other than another victory for the ‘away’ side in the annual Anglo-Irish turf war – but with Nicky Henderson seemingly as strong as ever and Paul Nicholls assembling his most powerful squad for a while, there is hope Britain can avoid another landslide loss in the Cotswolds.
Ahead of this year’s meeting, we assess five of the chief hopes for the ‘home’ team, and five horses likely to ensure Irish eyes are smiling once again as the battle for the Prestbury Cup resumes.
The British
Jonbon – Nicky Henderson – Arkle Trophy, Tuesday
Jonbon on his way to victory at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)
Jonbon is set to fly the flag for Britain in an otherwise Irish dominated renewal of the Arkle. The seven-year-old has been beaten only once in nine starts for the master of the Seven Barrows and that was when finishing best of the rest behind esteemed stablemate Constitution Hill in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. He subsequently pipped Arkle rival El Fabiolo in a Grade One at Aintree and was pretty much foot-perfect in his first two starts over fences earlier at Warwick and Sandown. He was not quite so impressive on his return to Warwick in the Kingmaker last month, but that match race turned into a game of cat and mouse and he is expected to bounce back to his best at Prestbury Park.
Constitution Hill – Nicky Henderson – Champion Hurdle, Tuesday
Constitution Hill winning last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Mike Egerton/PA)
Without any shadow of doubt Britain’s biggest gun of all at this year’s Festival, Constitution Hill puts his unbeaten record and huge reputation on the line in the day one feature. Since his 22-length demolition of Jonbon 12 months ago, the six-year-old has blown away Champion Hurdle-winning stablemate Epatante in both the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and is already being talked about as one of the greatest two-mile hurdlers of all time. Irish Champion Hurdle winner State Man might give him something to think about, but Constitution Hill is very difficult to oppose.
Hermes Allen – Paul Nicholls – Wednesday, Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
Hermes Allen has already won at Cheltenham (Tim Goode/PA)
It has been a while since champion trainer Nicholls was dominating the Festival with the likes of Kauto Star, Master Minded, Denman and Big Buck’s. In fact, he has not enjoyed a winner at the showpiece fixture at all since Politologue landed the Champion Chase three years ago. But the master of Ditcheat is slowly but surely rebuilding his team and the ace in this year’s pack appears to be Hermes Allen. The £350,000 purchase bolted up by 27 lengths on his hurdling debut at Stratford and has not looked back – gaining valuable Cheltenham experience with a Grade Two win in November before providing his trainer with a fifth victory in the Grade One Challow at Newbury on New Year’s Eve. That success marks him down as comfortably the best of the British in this year’s Ballymore and he can see off a formidable Irish contingent.
Edwardstone – Alan King – Queen Mother Champion Chase, Wednesday
Edwardstone winning last year’s Arkle at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)
Several horses have won the Arkle before claiming the Champion Chase 12 months later and there must be every chance Edwardstone can become the latest to complete the double. The nine-year-old was undoubtedly the star two-mile novice chaser of last season, with his Arkle success making it five wins on the bounce. He was beaten at the end of the season at Aintree, but was brilliant on his return in the Tingle Creek at Sandown before an uncharacteristic jumping mistake led to him unseating Tom Cannon at Kempton over Christmas. The key form line going into Cheltenham is from the rescheduled Clarence House at Cheltenham in January, in which the front-running Editeur Du Gite had just enough in the tank to hold Edwardstone by a head, with last year’s Champion Chaser Energumene a little disappointing in third. Mullins is confident the latter will be seen to better effect on the big day, but that may well be the case with Edwardstone too and the prospect of better ground might just give him the edge.
Shishkin with connections following his Ascot Chase success (Steven Paston/PA)
Shishkin is already a dual Festival winner having claimed the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle three years ago and the Arkle in 2021, but was pulled up when bidding to make it a hat-trick in last year’s Champion Chase, with a rare bone condition subsequently put forward as an excuse. A laboured third on his Tingle Creek comeback suggested he may just be past his best, but not for the first time Henderson has worked wonders with an apparently faltering stable star. Having undergone wind surgery, Shishkin successfully stepped up in trip with a glorious display in last month’s Ascot Chase and if he is in that sort of form on his return to Cheltenham, the rest may well be playing for places.
The Irish
Honeysuckle – Henry de Bromhead – Mares’ Hurdle, Tuesday
Honeysuckle on her way to winning last year’s Champion Hurdle (Nigel French/PA)
Honeysuckle’s place in Cheltenham history is assured as a three-time Festival heroine, with back-to-back Champion Hurdle victories preceded by success in the Mares’ Hurdle three years ago. After an unbeaten run of 16 races, she met with defeat for the first time when only third in her bid for a fourth Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse earlier this season, and again had to make do with minor honours when runner-up to State Man in last month’s Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. But while her aura of invincibility has gone, she clearly retains plenty of ability and even a reproduction of her most recent performance will make her hard to beat on her return to Gloucestershire.
Delta Work – Gordon Elliott – Glenfarclas Chase, Wednesday
Delta Work (right) after beating Tiger Roll last year (Mike Egerton/PA)
Delta Work played the role of pantomime villain as last year’s Festival as he denied his popular stablemate Tiger Roll a sixth Festival victory on his final appearance before retirement. It will be a different story 12 months on though, with the 10-year-old one of the shortest-priced favourites of the meeting as prepares to defend his crown. Delta Work has been beaten in his last couple of races, but there was not much wrong with his third place at the track in January under a big weight, while his most recent outing in the Boyne Hurdle was no more than a readying run for Cheltenham. He will be at concert pitch for the big day and looks one of the bankers of the week.
Mighty Potter – Gordon Elliott – Turners Novices’ Chase, Thursday
Mighty Potter in action at the Dublin Racing Festival (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)
Mighty Potter won twice in Grade One company over hurdles last season, but already looks set to do even better now he has set his sights on the larger obstacles. The six-year-old is three from three since being sent chasing and has bagged two more top-level prizes at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown. His finishing effort at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival was particularly impressive and he will rightly line up for the Turners’ Novices’ Chase as a hot favourite. It is a slight concern that he disappointed at last year’s Festival, but he appears a more mature horse this time around and it is difficult to find fault in him.
Willie Mullins won the Triumph Hurdle for a third time with Vauban last season and in Lossiemouth he has another outstanding candidate. The French recruit was thoroughly impressive in winning her first two starts on Irish soil at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown and has headed the betting for the juvenile championship at Cheltenham ever since. She was very unfortunate not to complete her hat-trick at the Dublin Racing Festival after serious traffic problems stopped her in her tracks at a crucial stage and she was ultimately unable to recover in time to reel in stablemate Gala Marceau. The Mullins pair will renew rivalry, with another stablemate in Blood Destiny also prominent in the market, but Lossiemouth might be the one.
Galopin Des Champs – Willie Mullins – Gold Cup, Friday
Galopin Des Champs leads the way in the Irish Gold Cup (Donall Farmer/PA)
Bar his stumbling final fence fall in last year’s Turners’ Novices’ Chase, Galopin Des Champs has been pretty much faultless over fences thus far and is justifiably a warm order for the biggest race of all at this year’s Festival. The seven-year-old was brilliant in slamming his rivals in the John Durkan at Punchestown on his first start of the current campaign and looked better the further he went when winning over three miles over fences for the first time in last month’s Irish Gold Cup. The extra couple of furlongs he will encounter at Cheltenham is a step into the unknown, but Mullins is adamant he will not lack for stamina and there is no doubting his class, with last year’s winner A Plus Tard perhaps the only one able to match him in that department and he returns with questions to answer after just one listless performance this term. All in all Galopin Des Champs looks the most likely winner and is expected what looks set to be another successful week for his trainer.
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