Nicky Henderson Stable Tour
29 Feb 2008
Now that Martin Pipe has stepped down, Nicky Henderson is the active trainer with the most Festival winners.
Hardly a season has gone by without him producing at least one winner over the four days but 2007 saw a rare blank.
However, this season has sent out a steady flow of potentially top class bumper horses and some very smart novice hurdlers. There are also some useful older hands amongst the handicappers.
Please note: figures in brackets indicate horse's official ratings. A figure of (120>134) would indicate a horse has improved 14lb during the course of the season.
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TUESDAY
2.00 Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novice Hurdle (2m 1f)
“From nine entries the two that come out of the hat first are KHYBER KIM and SENTRY DUTY. I am fairly confident for a number of reasons that you will see the impressive Newbury winner Khyber Kim and not the one that was beaten next time at Doncaster. From his work I’d be pretty hopeful that we are back to where we were. Above all I think he bounced at Doncaster because all of a sudden I had a very edgy horse, sweaty before the race and he had been like that during the week and I should have taken notice. He is working very well now. Sentry Duty has got very good tactical speed in a race and although he got two miles on the flat I am still thinking more this race than two five on Wednesday. If there isn’t a clash here then there would be one in that race with Aigle D’Or.”
3.15 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle (2m ½f)
“PUNJABI’s (152>156) second in the Totesport Hurdle under ten stone was fantastic and I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t more to come. He did too much too soon in the Supreme last year and he’ll be ridden with more restraint because he has got tactical speed. My biggest worry with AFSOUN (161>163) is does he perform at Cheltenham? I know he was third in the race last year but the atmosphere of the place has got to him quite badly in the past.”
4.00 William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase (3m ½f)
“JUVEIGNEUR (147>145) is usually second in this so he might just as well do it again. He’s as good as ever and his run in the Great Yorkshire Chase when he was fourth to An Accordion was good.”
5.20 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (2m ½f)
“The whole idea of running DOUBLY GUEST (124>121) in the Adonis at Kempton was hopefully to get her a mark which would get he into this race. She was much better behaved at Kempton and she might have been feeling her previous win at Ascot which was pretty close.”
WEDNESDAY
2.00 Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle (2m 5f)
"Four entries but AIGLE D’OR is the one by miles. Doesn’t matter what the ground is. He’s very good."
4.00 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (2m 5f)
"Of those entered, SHATABDI (135>134) would be the one to run but she has got the mares race as an option on Friday."
5.20 Weatherbys Champion Bumper (2m ½f)
"I hate the race at the best of times but it is wonderful that The Queen has got a horse good enough to run in it with GOLD AWARD. He’s a big horse with a flat pedigree that wants good ground and it was a very good performance to win with a penalty at Ascot last time. He’s got plenty of pace."
THURSDAY
2.00 Jewson Novices Handicap Chase (2m 5f)
“It’s a case of who’s going to get into the handicap and BARBERS SHOP (136) is sure of a run, and so is FLEET STREET (135). My preference is for Barbers Shop if there were cut and BOOMSHAKALAKA (122>131) if it were good but isn’t certain to get in.”
3.15 Ladbroke World Hurdle (3m)
“THE MARKET MAN had been off for over three years when he was second in a novice chase at Sandown in early February. If you go back to his old form when he was a head second to Mighty Man he’d have a chance is this — providing he doesn’t bounce — and there is a question over Inglis Drever. We certainly have place chances.”
4.00 Racing Post Plate Handicap Chase (2m 5f)
“CROZAN (150>144) is going to come into something and it might this race — he’s had a wind operation and is working very nicely now. If he doesn’t go here it could be the Grand Annual.”
5.20 Pertemps Final (3m)
“TEMOIN (146>145) would be the only runner. He ran alright the other day when he was eighth at Haydock without blinkers and he’ll have them back on. It would suit him better if it were soft.”
FRIDAY
2.00 JCB Triumph Hurdle (2m 1f)
“I would like to run BINOCULAR in this even though he has other entries. I do think there will be lot of things I can iron out between his last run when he won the Adonis at Kempton by just over a length and Cheltenham. I don’t think Kempton suited him and I suspect he’d like some cut in the ground. The other thing is that he takes a huge amount of work so I would be hopeful of improving on that score. You will definitely see a better horse at Cheltenham that you saw at Kempton.”
4.35 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (2m ½f)
“GREENHOPE (140-139) won it off 132 in 2006 and will go again. He’s had a few problems and hasn’t run since May but is now in rather good form and for the first time in his life he can breath. Previous wind ops haven’t worked but he’s now had one that has. I’d be a bit happier if I could have got a run into him.
“I’d be very keen to get MY PETRA (128>131) in after she was just over a length second to Noland at Sandown last time. The whole reason for running was for her to go up a few pounds to get in and I hope she does. She jumps beautifully.”
5.10 David Nicholson mares Only Hurdle (2m 4½f)
“CHOMBA WOMBA (136>153) has won three from three this year over two miles and two five. She’s just got better and better and is surely the one they all have to beat. I dropped her back to two miles at Doncaster and she won but this is her ideal trip. Goes on anything and is in very good order.”
5.45 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle (2m 1f)
“The soft ground just got to CARACCIOLA (135>132) when he was behind in the Totesport at Newbury — couldn’t handle it and I’d got him ready for it, too. He was upsides at the final flight last year when he was a close sixth off 137 and you’d have to say that his flat form last season went to a different level when he was second to Leg Spinner in the Cesarewitch off 92. TARLAC (135>134) hasn’t run since this race last year and he could have a run in the Imperial Cup at Sandown before this but I’d expect him to run very well.” - attheraces.com
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