Unibet ambassador, Nicky Henderson, gives an update on some of his stable stars heading to the Cheltenham Festival.
Constitution Hill – Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Tuesday 15th March
I bought Constitution Hill off Barry Geraghty and he’s just an extraordinary horse. Several times I rang Barry early on and said, ‘I thought you said this was a good horse’. When we were walking and trotting him in the early part of the season he couldn’t keep up. Suddenly one morning he did a piece of work, I stuck him in behind a couple of horses and didn’t expect him to even get to them. Not only did he get to them, but he also then shot off 20 lengths in front! I was rather bemused, but we’d found there was a button and that it worked.
He has all the pace in the world. He does exactly what you want him to do. He was very impressive in the Tolworth. Everything has gone well and like any race you have to have a bit of luck in-running. There’s sure to be pace in the race, he’s got such a high cruising speed, and he can kick off it and that’s what I’m hoping will happen after the last.
Jonbon – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Tuesday 15th March
There are no similarities between Jonbon and Constitution Hill at all, except they’re very good. They are complete opposites. Jonbon has calmed down a lot and is much more relaxed than he used to be. He was easily upset and you had to be very careful with him and keep the whole thing calm. We took him to Kempton recently and he was very sensible. He will wear earplugs and if everything goes right we’ll take them out at the start. They will just help him get through the preliminaries without too much fuss. He’s certainly a different horse to what he was at the start of the year.
It was pretty messy ground when he won at Haydock. It’s hard to look impressive in horrible ground but he quickened up and won well in the end. We haven’t really ever discussed the Ballymore, I think it’s just been a given that both him and Constitution Hill are going to run in the Supreme. We’ll probably need two runners as Willie (Mullins) has some smart horses in there. It’s a very important race the Supreme for a multitude of reasons. If you can win it, it just takes all the pressure off and you can crack on from there. If you can get that first one out the way in the first race, you can march on with confidence.
Epatante – Unibet Champion Hurdle, Tuesday 15th March
Everything’s gone well with Epatante. At the beginning of the season we decided she had two objectives – the Fighting Fifth and then the Christmas Hurdle, anything else would be a bonus. We nearly got away with winning both! We had to halve one (after dead heating in the Fighting Fifth) and she was very impressive at Kempton at Christmas.
We’ve had a good break, freshened her up and started again. She seems in good form and has been working very well. We’re getting all the right vibes from her but you’ve still got the problem of Honeysuckle. That’s why we originally said if we win the Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdle we’ll have had a good year but we’re keen for more and she’s well up for this. She’s undoubtedly in better shape than she was last year. Both at Newcastle and Kempton she has raced like her old, enthusiastic slick-hurdling self. I can’t tell you she’s going to beat Honeysuckle, but we’ll give it a jolly good go.
Marie’s Rock – Mares’ Hurdle, Tuesday 15th March
I was impressed with her last time at Warwick. To be fair, two years ago we thought she was going to win the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and she went wrong the week before which was tragic for the Middleham Park team.
She was very impressive at Kempton on Boxing Day, then she got knocked over at the first in the Lanzarote Hurdle. We then went for a listed race at Warwick where I thought she was very good. What she did do was run right through the line, she was very strong at the finish. She’s gradually looked as though she is improving.
Dusart – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, Wednesday 16th March
Dusart doesn’t have much experience. He’s only had two hurdle runs in his life. He was very impressive at Newbury and then I ran him in a 2m Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree, which was blatantly too short for him yet he still managed to finish third. It was a remarkable performance but we knew he needed further. I didn’t anticipate him needing 3m as soon as this I must admit, I thought he was sharper than that.
His two runs over fences haven’t been electrifying. He hasn’t had the easiest preparation and his form doesn’t tell you he is good enough. On the other hand, we all know what he is capable of and he is a very good horse. Going left-handed will make a big difference, but he’s coming into a very hot division. Whoever wins this will be favourite for next year’s Gold Cup.
Call Me Lord – Coral Cup, Wednesday 16th March
Call Me Lord has managed to get himself into a fierce position as far as the handicap is concerned; he’s just short of Grade 1 quality. He’s won the International Hurdle at Cheltenham. This is what he’s got to run in because he’s a Cheltenham horse. He could pop up quite easily, he would be quite capable of it.
I Am Maximus – Coral Cup, Wednesday 16th March
I Am Maximus has quite a tempting mark. We’re also looking at the Ballymore where we would be taking on 140-rated horses off equal weights. If you’re thinking you can do that, then you’ve got to be relatively hopeful about running in a handicap off 134. It must make some sort of sense to run him in the handicap. We’ve still got both options.
Shishkin – Queen Mother Champion Chase, Wednesday 16th March
Shishkin has come out of the Clarence House Chase well. He’s a tough devil because he had a tough race. It was built as one of the epics and rightly so. It looked as though they had us in trouble. Shishkin is a fighter if nothing else, but he’s got class and he’s got stamina. He won by a length and a length is nothing in six or eight weeks. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.
It’s a different day, at a different track and on different ground. It’s just as good a race on paper as the Clarence House Chase was and then you bring Chacun Pour Soi into it too. The fact that we’re going left-handed is slightly in our favour, it will suit Shishkin better as will the hill. His temperament is his biggest asset, he’s very professional. He isn’t the showoff that Sprinter Sacre or Altior was. He is very efficient and just the ultimate professional.
Dame De Compagnie – Pertemps Network Final, Thursday 17th March
Dame De Compagnie ran a horrible race at Wincanton to be honest with you but she did work very well at Kempton. If she’s back to her best that is great, and she’s won a Coral Cup before. A lot of these mares can tend to come right in the spring.
Mill Green – Pertemps Network Final, Thursday 17th March
Mill Green wasn’t as tuned up as I would have liked when he ran at Haydock. We’d been chasing with him and he’d had a bit of a break. All I said to his jockey was, ‘keep counting what’s in front of you to make sure you finish in the first six’. He finished a good second and that was a solid performance so I’m rather looking forward to running him.
Mister Fisher – Ryanair Chase, Thursday 17th March
Mister Fisher is ground dependent. He ran in the Ascot Chase the other day which had always been the plan but it was just too soft. He still ran well for a long way. If it’s good ground he will run, otherwise we’ll wait for Aintree.
Champ – Stayers’ Hurdle, Thursday 17th March
Champ never looked happy all the way round in the Cleeve Hurdle. He didn’t travel in the same way he did in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. He was hard on it that day and tanked through the race. We had no real excuses last time out so fair play to Paisley Park. I hope we’re a bit better than that. I’d like to see little green shoots start to appear from him and I think they might be. He’s top class.
Fusil Raffles – Plate Handicap Chase, Thursday 17th March
Fusil Raffles has already won the Charlie Hall this year, he’s a lovely horse. He needs to be fresh. He’s very much like Mister Fisher in that he does want good ground. He’d be very effective if he gets that ground as he is a class horse.
Falco Blitz – Plate Handicap Chase, Thursday 17th March
Falco Blitz has to have good ground. He really likes small fields which would suggest this isn’t the ideal contest. We’d certainly look at this if the ground is right.
Pistol Whipped – Plate Handicap Chase, Thursday 17th March
Pistol whipped worked well at Kempton. He essentially wants a small field on good ground. He’s quite a decent horse but is badly handicapped.
Ahorsewithnoname / Tweed Skirt – Mares Novices’ Hurdle, Thursday 17th March
They’re both good mares. Ahorsewithnoname had won three on the flat and we’ve been campaigning her since day one in ‘Listed’ races. She’s got oodles of black type. Winning any novice hurdle isn’t going to increase her pedigree. She’s in great shape and all ready to go before she heads to stud. Tweed Skirt is a good mare who may want decent ground. She has some solid form to her name and the boys are keen to give it a go with her.
Mister Coffey – Kim Muir Handicap Chase, Thursday 17th March
Mister Coffey ran a good race at Kempton on Boxing Day and you have to say if he hadn’t jumped out to his left that day he would have won. He ran a good race in the Scilly Isles, albeit beaten a long way. So now we’re going to run him in a handicap, the right way around and over a trip he has been crying out for. He’s yet to win a chase but he’s very solid.
Janika – Kim Muir Handicap Chase, Thursday 17th March
Janika might well run if we’re happy with him. He seems in good form. He’s hiding his light somewhere because he comes out of his box every morning squealing and bucking. Then he goes and works and doesn’t seem very bothered about it. He’s very capable.
First Street – County Hurdle, Friday 18th March
First Street has been a revelation. He’s meant to be a flat horse but never made it to the track in that sphere. Since he’s gone hurdling he’s been very good and has went from winning a novice hurdle to finishing third in the Betfair Hurdle. Consequently, he’s now on a mark which is probably high enough for a novice.
Broomfield Burg – County Hurdle, Friday 18th March
Broomfield Burg was the best fancied of ours in the Betfair Hurdle but he came back from that race with a little hind injury. We’re not sure he’ll make it to Cheltenham but he’s a classy horse.
Chantry House – Gold Cup, Friday 18th March
He didn’t look like the Gold Cup winner when he won the Cotswold Chase last time, although you’ve got to give Santini a bit of credit who has finished second in a Gold Cup. We did win, but I wasn’t overly impressed. Within a couple of days we found something which would suggest we could sharpen him up a little bit.
Nico said he feels great and he looks sharp. He’s a completely different horse now. The one thing about this race is it looks absolutely wide open, there is no standout horse. I wouldn’t be surprised if Chantry House won it.
