Nikki Henderson’s Steady Tour: Rookie Stars Put together For The Nice Conflict

Trainer Nicky Henderson watching horses gallop at Newbury

Nicky Henderson has confirmed that each Structure Hill and Johnbone are nonetheless heading in the right direction in a showdown within the opening race of the Cheltenham Competition, the novices’ prime hurdle.

The unbeaten duo are anticipated to line up for a curtain-raising match at Cheltenham, whereas Strolling On Air and I Am Maximus look set to run into the Ballymore Novices hurdle.

Henderson additionally offers a synopsis of lots of his different stablemates, together with Shishkin, Champ, and Chantry Home.

The champ was lifted home to victory by Barry Geraghty at the 2020 RSA Chase.
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The champ was lifted house to victory by Barry Geraghty on the 2020 RSA Chase.

a hero

hurdle survival

He is good, possibly slightly annoyed on the day of the trials and I do not assume he jumped in addition to he did at Ascot.

He made a small mistake, and I stated on the time and full credit score to Emma (Laville) and her crew with Paisley Park that he gave us 20 distances at the beginning and nonetheless received and it was a really stable efficiency.

If I might take him again to the place we had been in Ascot, he must be there or shut. Ascot was actually his first race for a extremely very long time as a result of he did not have a Gold Cup race.

The final race he really ran was at Sport Spirit in Newbury and whether or not he simply bounced again after Ascot we do not know. He was a greater horse in Ascot than he was on the day of the trials.

His downside with the Gold Cup was that he handed the primary and knocked down the second and was pulled earlier than falling to the third cup and it was a catastrophe.

One thing was hurting him, and we needed to work on it and the final feeling was that the much less strain you needed to leap correctly to scale back it to a minimal, so it was simpler to leap hurdles than fences. He was within the Gold Cup, nevertheless it appeared like the plain factor was going to the survival hurdles.

Nico de Poinville rides Chantry House and wipes the latter to win the Buddy Power Cotswold Chase Race at Cheltenham
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Nico de Poinville rides Chantry Home and wipes the latter to win the Buddy Energy Cotswold Chase Race at Cheltenham

Chantry Home

gold cup

He will certainly go to the Gold Cup. The trial wasn’t a wreck however we have now cause to imagine we have now extra up our sleeves.

He hasn’t actually had a race since Aintree – he is been going solo round Sandown, and he is had two mare miles in King George that hasn’t labored out in any respect.

We placed on the cheek items at Cheltenham and talked about her sporting King George however the best way he studied and labored earlier than the race he was flying.

He was getting back from working like a two 12 months previous, however I believed he did not want a cheek reduce and I used to be incorrect. We put them within the Cotswold and I am not saying they made an enormous distinction, however they helped him focus.

It was good and it stumbled. I do know very nicely that runner-up (Santini) was second within the Gold Cup. It is in all probability a really sturdy type and I believe the Gold Cup has opened up quite a bit.

Nothing jumped off the entrance web page and stamped his authority on the race which is as much as him.

Constitution plateau as short as 2/1 for senior beginners'  Hurdle after the victory of the Tolworth Hurdle
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Hill’s structure is as quick as 2/1 for the highest junior hurdle after Tollworth Hurdle’s win

Structure Hill, Junpon

Senior newbie hurdle

Structure Hill will stand there all day and lie down for you and that is how he behaves by means of life.

They each labored on Saturdays, didn’t work with one another and wouldn’t work with one another. They’re going to each get two and a half, and it may spoil the social gathering if we work collectively.

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Seven Barrows handler Nicky Henderson talks solely to Sky Sports activities Racing about six of his Cheltenham Fest hopes, together with the blocker duo of senior novices Structure Hill and Johnbone.

I do not need them to chop down timber and dirt in right here as a result of they’d do an excessive amount of. They’re very, superb. With Structure Hill, nothing will fear him, and he is very easy and simple.

Each are good racing rides – Jonbon is usually a little excited within the race at instances however there is no such thing as a hazard of Structure Hill being too eager.

Nico (De Boinville) will trip Structure Hill and Aidan (Coleman) will trip Junbon. If we performed it once more, no person would take it and there was nowhere else to go the place you’d have had greater than 4 or 5 riders on this case, it might have achieved the identical factor.

Jonbon Drives To Victory At Ascot
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Jonbon Drives To Victory At Ascot

They each have been glorious this Saturday and shall be working this Saturday and the next Saturday and that shall be about it.

Structure Hill could be very laid-back and would in all probability wish to do extra work than Junbon, however Junbon had that further run at Haydock, and also you would not wish to throw it away.

They’re going to leap an impediment sooner or later – we’ll allow them to leap 4 hurdles, however we’ll in all probability do this the week earlier than.

Willie (Mullins) has a pair and there shall be a whole lot of opposition however that is the most effective race to win the entire card as for those who get one on the board it takes the strain off.

Epatant

Hero Boundaries

She’s going to in all probability go to Kempton for the mare, and she or he has achieved so earlier than. She is in superb situation and we’re very happy.

We acquired off to the beginning of the season and JB (McManus) stated we had two targets this 12 months — the Fifth Battle and the Christmas Handicap — and we had been getting there. We have now one and a half anyway.

I believed she was cool in Kempton, and she or he actually regarded like her previous self. She was stumbling like she used to, and to be sincere, she pushed Nico into the race, we do not all the time wish to go that far early, nevertheless it was all for getting house and again in mattress as a result of she was out and she or he was good.

Epatante admired her superb jump when she won the 2023 Christmas Hurdle in Kimpton
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Epatante admired her excellent leap when she received the 2023 Christmas Hurdle in Kimpton

Nico is totally adamant that it’s unattainable to have two and a half. She’s been in a very totally different form this 12 months, and final 12 months it was all a bit pear formed after her fifth battle win.

I believe it is at the very least again to the place it was when she received her hurdles championship – possibly not the strongest area on the planet, however I believe we’re again in the precise place.

We have now acquired very constructive suggestions from her, she appears good and I cherished the best way she was doing it and the best way she was doing it at house.

It could be very onerous to beat honeysuckle, it regarded and sounded flawless, however all of us have horses that seem like that and in the future it is over. Altior turned 19 and one thing went incorrect.

I am Maximus, I stroll on air

Ballymore Newbie’s Hitch

Strolling On Air and I Maximus are going to have us in Ballymore.

I Am Maximus type is excellent – Henry Daly’s Hillcrest is an effective horse and I believe we virtually made him go to the latter, however he could have stayed slightly higher than we did nevertheless it was nonetheless an excellent efficiency, and he will certainly run.

I believe it is a neat horse.

We determined to not run Strolling On Air on Wednesday – it is superb and took Newbury nicely however there have been two weeks the place it wasn’t transferring like I’d have preferred.

I’d have preferred to satisfy him once more, however Nico is assured that if any horse can do it in a single spherical, it’s him as a result of he’s so skilled. Nico is pleased sufficient to take action.

rock mary

hurdles

She’s going to the anchor race, and I am quietly wanting ahead to that. I believe it is good – I acquired two and a half.

Thought it was an absolute rocket to start with after which actually missed it the week earlier than Cheltenham when it was the Mares’ newbie’s favorite.

Rock Marie enjoyed a win at Kimpton on Boxing under jockey Adrian Heskin
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Mary Rock loved a win in Kimpton over boxing below jockey Adrian Heskin

Final 12 months I could not discover it in any respect however this 12 months it got here proper again aside from Lanzarote the place I jumped proper into the again of one other horse.

It wasn’t her fault or else it might have been superb. I then parked it at Warwick and sped up and ran all the best way to the road and it was fairly sturdy on the finish.

You’d assume two and a half there would match. I look ahead to managing it.

Shishkin

Champion Chase

There isn’t any means he might be a banker – it was a terrific race at Ascot and everybody besides Willie and I cherished it and one in all us knew we had been going to go down.

It was nice that Shishkin got here out entrance however there wasn’t a lot in between, and it regarded like we had an issue too. He is such a troublesome horse – Willy Chakun Por Sui can even throw you and also you’d by no means wish to underestimate him, and he can nonetheless be a terrific participant.

There was solely size between them the opposite day and two months later, possibly the opposite technique would assist us however there wasn’t a lot to it. He appears superb, hasn’t studied since, however he does not want both however he’ll subsequent week.

Nico de Bouinville and Shishkin
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Nico de Bouinville and Shishkin

I count on the identical form of techniques shall be used and I will be there with an excellent tempo it doesn’t matter what. He has a distinct model of racing to the Altior or Sprinter Sacre and does not have the identical abundance and does not stand a mile away.

You may assume he’d get two and a half miles however no rush, Champion Chase is Champion Chase and the one we would like.

Everybody acquired the race they needed at Ascot and but Chase did not spoil the champ – there’s loads of room for a second spherical. If one in all them received ten lengths, you might need thought in any other case however you did not.