Tag Archive for: Nicky Henderson

Shishkin spearheads super six for Ascot Chase

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Shishkin will face five rivals as he steps up in trip for Saturday’s Betfair Ascot Chase.

Nicky Henderson’s nine-year-old was unbeaten in his first seven starts over fences, winning up to two and a quarter miles, but he was pulled up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and trailed home a distant third behind Edwardstone on his Tingle Creek return in December.

That performance has prompted Henderson to move up to two miles and five furlongs this weekend, with Shishkin a three-mile point-to-point winner in his younger days.

Fakir D’oudairies won the race last year
Fakir D’oudairies won the race last year (Tim Goode/PA)

Shishkin faces a stern test on his first start since undergoing wind surgery, with last year’s winner Fakir D’oudairies defending his title for Joseph O’Brien after returning to winning form in a Thurles Grade Two last time out.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls fields Pic D’Orhy, who has won each of his three starts this term, including Grade Twos at Huntingdon and Kempton.

Nicholls said of the gelding: “The big difference with him is he’s a big horse and he’s just matured at last. He’s twice the horse he was last season as a model, he’s well and strong and he keeps improving.

“He wasn’t really jumping that well, the first season he had a couple of falls so he was a novice for a second season.

“Last year at Newbury in the Ladbrokes meeting, he was going to absolutely bolt in in the Grade Two novice chase and he took a fairly heavy fall at the first in the straight.

Pic D’Orhy at Ascot last season
Pic D’Orhy at Ascot last season (Steven Paston/PA)

“I think that shook him a bit and woke him up, he’s been very careful and good after that.

“This season his jumping has been fantastic, he’s a Betfair Hurdle winner so he’s always had plenty of ability.

“He’s a little bit like Bravemansgame, massive horses that just take all this time to reach full maturity. He’s probably the finished article now and hopefully he can keep improving.”

Of the dangers to his runner, Nicholls, speaking on a call organised by Great British Racing, added: “Fakir D’oudairies is a good horse, he won the race last year.

“I think it’s quite an open race, Millers Bank – it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran a good, solid race. He was staying on strongly at Huntingdon and he likes that better ground, I think. It’s a good looking race.

Pic D’Orhy and Harry Cobden
Pic D’Orhy and Harry Cobden (Steven Paston/PA)

“If we’re going to compete in a Grade One in the Ryanair and then Aintree, we need to be right in the mix.

“He’s in form, with Shishkin there are questions about him. He hasn’t been in form, at Cheltenham he had a problem and he must have been disappointed with him in the Tingle Creek.

“They’d be hopeful of a good run, two and a half is going to suit them better than two nowadays, that’s what Nicky is thinking, and if he’s in form he’ll go well but he’s got questions to answer.

“I’ve got a feeling Pic D’Orhy will run very well, the ground is right for him, he’s in good shape. That’s what you want.

“He loves bowling along and if someone wants to go faster than him, it’s not a problem. You can take advantage if you jump well and you’re in the driving seat, they’ve got to come past you. I think it’s a really thrilling race, we’re looking forward to it.”

First Flow, winner of the race in 2021, represents Kim Bailey with Aye Right for Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford, plus Alex Hales’ Millers Bank completing the line-up.

Donald McCain’s Minella Drama was the only horse not declared.

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.”

Shishkin ready to step up in Ascot Chase test

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Shishkin is poised to make his eagerly-awaited step up in trip at Ascot on Saturday, with the nine-year-old amongst the seven five-day confirmations for the Betfair Ascot Chase.

Since pulling up when sent off favourite for last year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, Nicky Henderson’s two-time Cheltenham Festival winner has only been seen once, when a well-beaten third in the Tingle Creek before Christmas.

That Sandown disappointment signalled a move up in distance and the son of Sholokhov now gets to test the waters over further, where his chief danger appears to be Joseph O’Brien’s defending champion Fakir D’oudairies.

Shishkin after defeat at Sandown
Shishkin after defeat at Sandown (PA)

A good showing at the weekend could pave the way for a tilt at the Ryanair Chase at Prestbury Park in a month’s time – a race that now has an open feel with Allaho ruled out of his hat-trick bid due to injury.

Although the Seven Barrows handler admits he should have entered Shishkin in the Champion Chase in case this exploratory move ends in disappointment, he is certain the 11-time winner is in need of a longer trip to showcase his best.

“He probably should have been in it (Champion Chase), but I was impressed with Gary Moore’s horse (in the Clarence House) to be fair and Edwardstone looked like he would come on for his race,” said Henderson.

“It does look more open this year, but Shishkin has been racing like a horse who wants further to me and I hope I’m right.”

Shishkin returns to the scene of one of his finest hours at Ascot – a place where he won an all-time classic against Energumene in the 2021 Clarence House Chase.

It was Shishkin’s stamina that helped him see off Willie Mullins’ Champion Chase hero and Henderson believes the writing was on the wall from that day regarding his charge requiring further.

He continued: “It was a tough race and you don’t really like to see horses racing off the bridle for so long the whole time.

“That’s what he’s had to do the last two times. I want to see him going round on the bridle and he’s got to be better for it.”

One slight concern for Henderson ahead of Saturday is the prospect of quick ground, but he is confident the Berkshire track will be able to water sufficiently ahead of the fixture to avoid a repeat of November’s Ascot Hurdle card where Constitution Hill was a non runner on the day of the race.

Trainer Nicky Henderson and Shishkin during a visit to Nicky Henderson’s stables at Seven Barrows in Lambourn
Trainer Nicky Henderson and Shishkin during a visit to Nicky Henderson’s stables at Seven Barrows in Lambourn (David Davies/PA)

“I want to talk to Chris Stickles and we’ll see,” continued Henderson. “It was quick, it was too quick for Constitution Hill that day. I’m sure they are watering, there’s only Newbury that can’t water, so I’m hoping Ascot will have done so.

“It is possible if it was that quick (he would go straight to Cheltenham). He would have to.”

Paul Nicholls is represented by Pic D’Orhy, who looks to extend a three-race winning run and the Peterborough Chase winner could have the chance to confirm Huntingdon form with Alex Hales’ Millers Bank (second) and Kim Bailey’s First Flow (third), with the latter another former Clarence House winner who could take his chance in the Grade One contest.

Musselburgh scorer Minella Drama could step out of handicap company for Donald McCain, while Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford’s popular 10-year-old Aye Right is another possible for the north.

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.”

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.”

Theatre Glory takes starring role at Warwick

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Theatre Glory could be set for bigger and better things following a facile victory in the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Warwick Mares’ Hurdle at Warwick.

The late defection of Mares’ Hurdle candidate Love Envoi saw Nicky Henderson’s charge sent off the 4-7 favourite for the Listed event and she duly obliged, scoring by an eased down 11 lengths having beaten off the challenge of 2021 winner Molly Ollys Wishes.

Winning rider Nico de Boinville was impressed by the performance, with the quick ground at the midlands venue a bonus for the rapidly-improving six-year-old.

He said: “I’d say she’s stepped up again today. The way she went through the race, I was trying to look for a lead, but she just wanted to get on and every time she saw a hurdle she just pricked her ears and couldn’t wait to get at them.

“She loved that quick ground there, its proper quick ground there today and it’s an exciting time for the yard with all these good mares.”

The daughter of Fame And Glory, who is owned by the Canter Banter Racing syndicate, does not hold an entry for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and would have to be supplemented to line up.

Theatre Glory in action at Huntingdon racecourse
Theatre Glory in action at Huntingdon racecourse (Tim Goode/PA)

With a handicap mark of 137 no doubt set to rise, Betfair go 12-1 from 20s for her to replicate another Henderson trained mare, Dame De Compagnie, and land the Coral Cup.

However, De Boinville refused to be drawn on her next move with Seven Barrows housing some of the best female talent around, which includes defending Mares’ Hurdle champion Marie’s Rock and former Champion Hurdle winner Epatante.

He continued: “Possibly (the Mares’), she’ll definitely benefit from a stronger pace and something to tow her along, but she’s been very well placed so far in her career and it’s not for me to decide.

“She’s definitely grown and matured this year and there’s definitely more to come.”

‘Rusty’ Jonbon stays unbeaten over fences in Kingmaker at Warwick

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Jonbon was replaced as Arkle favourite, despite maintaining his unbeaten record over fences in the Virgin Bet Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick.

Sent off at 1-16 to beat just one rival – Dan Skelton’s Calico – following the morning withdrawal of two others, his trademark zip appeared to be missing at times.

Aidan Coleman sent Nicky Henderson’s charge into an early lead and while he was doing things easily enough, he was not getting away from Calico.

Halfway down the back straight Harry Skelton sensed an opportunity and sent Calico up Jonbon’s inside, met the next fence on a perfect stride and soon found himself three lengths clear.

It took Jonbon a couple of fences to realise he had a race on his hands and Coleman was happy to challenge around Calico’s outside on the final bend.

Once in front the race was never in doubt, but was rather workmanlike in winning by five and a half lengths.

He was pushed out by the bookmakers for the Arkle at Cheltenham next month, with Betfair going 2-1 from 11-8 and making Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo their 11-10 favourite. Coral make El Fabiolo their 5-4 favourite from 7-4, with Jonbon out to 13-8 from even money.

“It was a prep run and we knew we had plenty to work on,” said Coleman.

“We schooled him the other morning and he schooled very well, but he was very fresh.

“He jumped super again there, I was just coming down to that fence there and we were going an honest gallop and I didn’t want to be pressing on too much considering it’s a trial. Harry set his alight and winged it and although he didn’t make a mistake, Harry got going and I was somewhat chasing him a little.

“But I was always quite confident from three-quarters of a mile out – I met the next three fences well and put it to bed well. He was probably a bit rusty, but he won well on the line and I was happy with him.

“It’s the exact same thing (as Haydock last year). We’re coming here with something to work on and not trained for this in particular. Look, he came here ready to win and we were sweet on him, but it is a trial for the Arkle and that’s why we are here. It was the exact same in Haydock last year.

“He likes good ground and he was fine on it. I was very happy with him. It was still a good performance and he got the job done.”

On shifting right at his fences he added: “He only did it once and that happens a lot at that third one away from the stands. You’re coming into it on a bend and he was a bit right there.

“It probably looks somewhat worse than it was and when you straighten up you have to get him back on the near lead and get him going forward. The odd time he can shimmy left, he’s just a very clever and accurate and sometimes he does just adjust one way.”

Henderson was at Newbury, where he said: “I’m going to look on the bright side. Because he’s had such easy races I think he got taken by surprise when the other horse attacked him.

“He just sort of shook his head. It will do him no harm as he hasn’t had a race since Aintree last year. I’m going to look on the bright side.

“That was his prep and by the looks it shook him a little bit, but I’ll talk to Aidan.”

Jonbon now has a few questions to answer
Jonbon now has a few questions to answer (Steven Paston/PA)

Sir Anthony McCoy, representing winning owner JP McManus, said: “They’re all contenders and we’ll have to see, but he’s trained by a man who knows more about training horses like that than I do.

“He was happy with him and you would imagine he is looking at March and not today. I would say he was just ready to have a run – he looked a bit rusty. The Arkle is in March, not today.

“He isn’t going to win an Arkle running like that, but that isn’t the Arkle. I wasn’t worried watching him and he actually won quite well in the end.

“He’s grand, he won and he will have learnt a little bit more from that today.

“The Arkle will be different and he will need to be sharper than that, but the man who trains him knows what he’s doing and you’re just going to let him get on with doing his thing.

“March is what he’s being trained for.”

Luccia ready to light up Exeter in pre-Cheltenham prep

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Luccia is aiming to book her Cheltenham Festival ticket in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices’ Hurdle at Exeter on Sunday.

Nicky Henderson’s talented mare has only been seen once this season – but just like when she ran in her two bumpers, she displayed a good deal of talent.

Henderson took the unusual step of letting her make her hurdling debut in Listed company at Newbury which she won with ease and then he wanted to test her at the highest level in the Tolworth at Sandown.

Unfortunately she was ruled out of that engagement with a dirty scope, but she is ready to go again now in a Listed event against Paul Nicholls’ Lallygag and Charlie Longsdon’s Western Zephyr among others.

“She has done everything right so far and made a very impressive debut over hurdles at Newbury. She is in great form and has been working well,” said Henderson.

“It was very annoying that we had to miss the Tolworth Hurdle with her as that is where I wanted to go, but she had a little bit of a dirty scope and we had to miss a little bit of time with her.

“She is all good now and we need to get another run into her for more experience over hurdles before we go to Cheltenham.

“I could have found an easier race for her to run, but this is a decent prize to aim. Although she does act on soft, this ground will be fine for her.”

Marie’s Rock options open, with Festival picture ‘changing daily’

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Connections of Marie’s Rock are set to leave a decision over her Cheltenham Festival destination as late as possible.

The star of Middleham Park Racing’s National Hunt string won the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park in 2022 and is as short as 5-2 to defend her crown following a successful reappearance for the Nicky Henderson-trained mare in the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day.

That race gained a new favourite on Tuesday when connections of three-time Festival winner Honeysuckle confirmed the Henry de Bromhead-trained nine-year-old for the two-and-a-half-mile event, while Marie’s Rock’s stablemate Epatante, Harry Fry’s Love Envoi and the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Brandy Love and Echoes In Rain are others in the mix for what is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the week.

However, she also holds an entry in the Stayers’ Hurdle later in the week and the ever-changing picture of both possible races has the Marie’s Rock team contemplating a step up to three miles for the Paddy Power-backed Grade One – a race for which she is priced at 5-1 with the sponsor.

“I saw her this morning and she is in great form – we are really happy with how she is,” said Middleham Park Racing’s Tom Palin.

“She’s in both races, we kept her in both races and are keeping both options open. We are considering both options pretty much equally and the situation seems to be changing on a daily basis at the moment.

“We don’t actually need to make a decision until March 12 which is declaration day for the Mares’ Hurdle. That is only the day we need to come down on a decision and that is probably when I will make it until something becomes painfully obvious before then.”

In possession of the defending champion, Palin is excited about the prospect of being part of a red-hot renewal of the mares-only contest, but admits Marie’s Rock’s dominant display at Prestbury Park in the Relkeel is making the move to three miles a tempting proposition.

“The Mares’ Hurdle is a mouthwatering race this year,” he continued.

“It has been slated over the past five or six years, but I think it is arguably the race of the meeting – how many Grade Ones has that field won?

“It will be a fascinating race and we won’t be afraid to take the challenge on if that’s what we decide at the time.

“It’s just at the back of my mind how well Marie’s Rock saw out the Relkeel when we knew she was a little bit short.

Nico De Boinville and connections of Marie’s Rock celebrate after winning the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle during day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse
Nico De Boinville and connections of Marie’s Rock celebrate after winning the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle during day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse (Nigel French/PA)

“At the start of the year I wasn’t really on board with it (three miles), but after that Relkeel we need to see it. She’s bred to get the trip and I don’t think she is a nightmare to settle anymore because Nico (De Boinville) and the team have done a fantastic job.

“She improved a stone if not a little bit more for two and a half and if she does that again moving up, then that puts her bang there in any Grade One over three miles.

“We will be looking at three miles in the not too distant future, if it’s not Cheltenham it will be Aintree, so its very much up in the air and both races at Cheltenham are being considered equally.”

Explaining some of the variables that will make up the decision-making process, ground features highly, as does the well-being of some potential rivals over the extended distance – with many heading to the Festival under a cloud.

He went on: “If it was shaping up to be bottomless on the Thursday for the Stayers’, would it really be sensible experimenting over three miles on really soft or heavy ground. That would also play into Teahupoo’s strengths as well the soft ground.

“But there are also plenty of marginal horses – Flooring Porter, Blazing Khal and Klassical Dream. Those three have all been quoted as being 50-50 to make the Festival.

“So let’s just see how it all pans out. I would love to say it’s definitely this race but the news is changing daily – Honeysuckle was being retired a few days ago and now she’s in the Mares’ Hurdle.

“Lets just see how it all pans out and I would love to be on her side in whatever race we come down on.”