Trainer, Nicky Henderson, pencils out the highlight plans for the National Hunt season
This National Hunt season has to be the most memorable for the trainer, Nicky Henderson. Right now he might be going through a nightmare keeping track of all the entries for all the big meetings, but once he gets the rewards rolling back in the form of titles, prize money and the headlines, there will hardly be anything that he will regret. The trainer has already decided the Hennessy Gold Cup for Bobs Worth after scrutinising the ground conditions at Newbury.
The highly accomplished trainer has also laid out the names of his hopefuls for the Grade 1 King George VI Chase. With the retirement of the Paul Nicholls’ trained, Kauto Star, Henderson has to be the one who will target the feature race from all ends. He has secured his chances with the last season’s runner-up, Long Run alongside Riverside Theatre and Finian’s Rainbow.
His representation in the hurdles could have gone more smoothly, as currently the trainer is finding the situation quite testing. The five-time winner of the Cheltenham honour is struggling with the JP McManus’ owned, Darlan. He won at Aintree and qualified as the runner-up in the Supreme and missed on his chances at the Cheltenham’s Open meeting. The trainer fears that he will also get deprived of participating in the StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday.
Henderson said: "I was talking to AP McCoy and we don't think he likes soft ground so we'd be loathe to run him at Newcastle. Even if it was called off and moved to Newbury, as they have done before, it would be heavy ground there too. I'm not sure JP would want to run them both at Kempton either. It's an impossible situation."
His entries for the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton include three candidates, but by the looks of it, the only absolute sure runner has to be, Binocular.
"He'll definitely go straight to Kempton - he's in good form and might have a racecourse gallop," Henderson said.
He has decided for Grandouet to compete in the StanJames.com International Hurdle that will be staged at Cheltenham.
Henderson said: If he runs at Cheltenham, he wouldn't go to Kempton."
The trainer for sure will soon get to cherish the fruits of his hard work.
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