Nicky Henderson has outlined plans for Altior, Epatante, Santini and Beware The Bear after they took part in racecourse gallops at Newbury ahead of the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival.
“Today was a day out, an away day,” the champion trainer told Racing TV. “Its not a race, not a trial, it’s just to give them a day out a little bit of spark comes into it. It freshens them up. I’m not saying they get bored of doing it at home but it does them good to come away an we’ve always done it. It sharpens the pencil a little bit.”
Altior flying ahead of Tingle Creek
Sharpness is one thing Altior has been showing at Seven Barrows ahead of his return in the Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown next month.
“The spark is there. If you’d seen him school last week, you’ve never seen anything like it, and you’d have said what on earth are you doing running him over two-and-a-half miles. He was the fastest thing to cross a fence you’ve ever seen. On good ground he’s terrifying to watch,” Henderson said.
“The Tingle Creek is the plan and then we’ll take it from there."
McManus pair on road to Champion
Epatante will follow a familiar path as she defends her Unibet Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham in March.
“This time last year she was heading into the Gerry Feilden off 135 – that was hardly telling you she was about to become the Champion Hurdler. It was JPs call to go straight to the Christmas Hurdle after Newbury which It thought was an ambitious stepping stone but he was proved right.
“We never intended to run her again before Cheltenham because she was so good at Cheltenham.”
Missing from her rivals at Prestbury Park was stablemate and former winner of hurdling’s blue riband, Buveur D’Air. However that may not be the case in 2021.
“At the beginning of the season it was very much a question of if not when we could get Buveur D’Air onto a racecourse but everyone has done brilliantly with him. It was a horrible injury he suffered but he’s working away and miles ahead of where I expected to be at this stage,” Henderson admitted.
“Where we start I’ve no idea, he won’t be ready for the Christmas Hurdle and if all goes well in the Fighting Fifth that’s where Epatante will hopefully head again. Then it’s over to Buveur D’Air to prove his case and scow he’s back. He has a long way to go but so far, touch wood, we’re heading in the right direction.”
Bear back for more as Santini waits
Beware The Bear will be in action at Newbury as he bids to make it a case of third time lucky in the feature Ladbrokes Trophy.
“He’s been fourth in the last two years so it’s a race he nearly quite likes. He runs very well in it and I don’t see why he won’t do so again. He’s in very good form and working very well at home. He’s just a bit chubby and needed that gallop there which will put him right and the Ladbrokes Trophy is his first objective with the Grand National his principle one. That’s a long way away though.”
It’s Aintree next for Santini after connections opted to swerve Haydock at the weekend.
“With Santini things are more difficult,” Henderson said. “We set out with the plan of the Betfair Chase but both Richard (Kelvin Hughes) and I weren’t exactly that confident Haydock was his sort of track. He’s not even in the King George, our plan at the moment is probably go to Aintree for the Many Clouds and then we’ve got Champ to join in the parade,” the trainer said.
“It’s a nice position to be in but causes a few headaches. Champ could easily go to Ireland over Christmas as he’ll be ready for that. He’s coming along well.
“Santini takes huge amounts of work and is very heavy at the moment but lights up when you put a fence in front of him. He’s going alright.”
