The dual Champion Hurdle winner will line up at Newcastle against two more Grade One winners at the last Cheltenham Festival, including potential superstar SamcroNicky Henderson has been immersed in jumps racing for almost half a century, but he still struggles to think of a better race over hurdles at this stage of the season than the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday. Buveur D’Air, his dual Champion Hurdle winner, will line up against two more Grade One winners at the last Cheltenham Festival including Samcro, a potential superstar but one with a slightly dented reputation. Bedrock, the horse who dented it, is in the field too.“This will be as big a test as Buveur D’Air has faced anywhere,”...
Nothing has gone right for the novice chaser, who could be overpriced at 16-1 for Cheltenham’s Arkle TrophyBrain Power was one of the names I had rattling around in my head after yesterday’s media morning at Nicky Henderson’s yard. It has become a disappointing season for the zippy seven-year-old, who hasn’t finished a race with his jockey aboard since November, and he’s 16-1 for the Arkle at next month’s Cheltenham Festival, but his trainer is keeping the faith. Related: Nicky Henderson hopes Buveur D’Air can get Kempton workout Doncaster Continue reading...
Top Notch (2.45) should take the Peterborough Chase at Taunton for trainer Nicky Henderson with a minimum of fussThere seemed to be some glimmers of optimism overnight that one or both of the meetings under threat from the weather would survive, but both Warwick and Newcastle succumbed to the elements to leave Taunton as just the second jumps card in Britain since Saturday. Related: Melon looks tasty for Cheltenham return as thaw enables resumption Continue reading...
JP McManus combines with Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty for the day’s most interesting runner Somebody, somewhere appears to think it’s funny to spoof the betting market with apparent gambles on Daniel Steele horses. There was a 2015 plunge on four horses he owned, which went nowhere in particular as all four were stuffed, and there was another last night on three horses he trains under permit for today’s races which immediately looked silly when Steele himself said one of the trio, Landscape, had scoped dirty and wouldn’t run. Related: Many Clouds’ fate could not have been predicted, insists BHA vet Continue reading...
Altior has just one rival to beat as he makes the transition from hurdles to fences but an upset may yet be on the cardsLess than a fortnight after my last stint in the BHA’s disciplinary dungeon, I shall be back in the jug again this morning for the Jim Best rehearing. If anyone had ever made a t-shirt with ‘I’d rather be at Kempton’ written on the front, I’d be wearing it today. “A massive improver. Last season he was lean and light and much too keen, but he´s a different animal now.” Continue reading...