Going to the last it looked like the eventual runner-up, sent off at 28/1, was set to land the prestigious prize for the Skeltons but on the inside of the track the winner was the last to play his hand.
It was decisive too, the Greatwood winner running on strongly to score by two-and-a-quarter lengths with a further six back to Go Dante in third.
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“Thanks to JP and his team for keeping the faith and letting me ride him. It’s nice that I could repay him.” the winning rider told ITV Racing as get backs to full fitness after a spell on the sidelines with a collarbone injury.
“He saw it out really well on this ground which is very hard work. I’d say the ground was against him at Ascot last time and he made amends for it today. His best form is on soft and heavy and it was good to see.”
The winning trainer added: “I think you have to say that is a pretty masterful ride in a race like that which is ultra-competitive and run at a ferocious speed. I thought he had no chance and AP (McCoy) kept saying ‘they are going too quick, they are going too quick’. If they were (going too quick) we had a chance, but if they weren’t we had no chance.
“Nico got it absolutely to the button right, he’s gone a proper brave route down the inner and saved every inch. It was very brave. Doddiethegreat has done the same thing and ran a great race – he will want two and a half.
“I had given up on Iberico Lord at half time and he still had a lot to do two out. But then that little white cap appeared and he was motoring then.”
Iberico Lord had disappointed in a race at Ascot before Christmas, but having been given a clean bill of health and no reason discovered for that underwhelming display, he bounced back in style to pick up his second big hurdles pot of the campaign.
“I don’t know what happened at Ascot and I can’t blame the ground. We got lucky that Luccia was in there to pick up Iberico’s bits,” continued Henderson.
“I said to Nico last weekend when he was off, ‘why don’t you have a little think what you would like to ride in the Betfair’ and he said as long as it is soft it will be Iberico Lord – which was a brave thing to say after the last run. He was convinced. He isn’t in anything yet at Cheltenham and the handicaps haven’t closed yet. He doesn’t look like he needs two and a half yet, but you never know.”
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