Henderson Builds Supreme Dream Team

Nicky Henderson has a stable stacked full of talent and many trainers must look at his strength in depth with envy. It is with his novice and juvenile hurdlers that the Lambourn based trainer is at his strongest and Henderson will be fancying his chances of dominating the novice events at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

In the opening race, the Supreme Novice Hurdle, he looks to hold a particularly strong hand. Spirit Son and Sprinter Sacre have both won two novice hurdles this season and they have not come off the bridle in doing so.

The latter of the pair was beaten on his first start over obstacles at Ascot, however that run came over 2-miles 3-furlongs, and he might also have needed the outing. Since returning to 2-miles though the Carloine Mould owned gelding has looked right out of the top drawer and he could prove the stables number contender for the festival opener and anyone looking to bet on Cheltenham 2011 .

Spirit Son was the trainer’s novice hurdler who came into the season with the big reputation and nothing he has done on the racecourse has damaged that opinion. He has won twice at Huntingdon and Exeter and his second win at the Devon track saw him destroy a field of promising sorts. The one concern about Spirit Son is that he could be betrayed by his lack of experience at the festival, by winning on the bridle in both those outings he hasn’t been in a battle and it isn’t likely he’ll win at the Festival on the steel.

Henderson hit the bar in the Supreme last year, his Oscar Whisky loomed up looking like the winner two furlongs from home, but like Spirit Son he hadn’t been off the bridle in his previous wins and his lack of experience put pay to his chance.

It is a concern that lightning could strike twice, but it is unlikely that Henderson would swap his team for any other contenders in the race.

Meanwhile, there are currently four horses contesting favouritism in the Grand National betting and the race, which takes place on April 9th, looks set to be very close indeed.

Tags: cheltenham 2011, cheltenham festival, nicky henderson trainer, spirit son horseShare

Voy Por Ustedes in shock move to Henderson yard

Sir Robert Ogden: fresh approach

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  "If that level of form is not forthcoming, the horse will be retired and will return to Sir Robert's farm in Yorkshire."

King's stable jockey Robert Thornton used his column in the Racing Post on Monday to pay tribute to the horse he credited with raising his own profile.

Thornton said: "Voy Por Ustedes is one of the best horses I've ridden. I've been aboard him for 29 races, winning 11 and being placed in another 11. His career earnings to date are just £6,000 short of £1 million."

Thornton added: "He raised my profile enormously, and I put him in the same bracket as My Way De Solzen and Katchit when it comes to the top horses I'm lucky to have been associated with."

View Voy Por Ustedes's glittering career in pictures with our photo gallery

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Super Saturday For Highflying Henderson

When A Media Luz fell at the second last whilst holding a winning chance in the opening race of Kempton’s King George fixture on Saturday, trainer Nicky Henderson must have wondered if it was going to be one of those days, writes Elliot Slater.

As things transpired, had the filly gone on to win the race she would have been the first of an amazing six winners on the card for her popular handler. As it was, he had to settle for just five, including sending out the first two in the William Hill King George VI Chase with the tremendous Long Run (9/2) and the tough as teak Riverside Theatre. Henderson’s 357/1 five-timer stole the show on a day when many had expected his arch-rival Paul Nicholls to bask in the limelight once again with Kauto Star. But it wasn’t to be for Nicholls, who left the Sunbury track empty-handed.

French import Nadiya De La Vega (4/7f) made a winning start to her career with Henderson, landing the novices’ chase in some style, earning quotes of as short as 16/1 for the Arkle Trophy. In the next race Henderson’s 15/8f Chablais impressed most observers with an authoritative display in the novices’ hurdle after which he received quotes of around 12/1 for the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Skint failed to justify favouritism in the handicap hurdle finishing second, but normal service was resumed in the next when Polyfast (9/2) returned from a long absence to carry top weight to victory in the handicap chase, to complete a hat-trick for Barry Geraghty. Those who had placed horse racing bets on Henderson’s charges would have been very pleased by events.

Tony McCoy was aboard Henderson’s Binocular (13/8f) a brilliant winner of the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle and now a strong favourite to retain his title in the Champion Hurdle, before Sam Waley-Cohen gave Long Run a superb ride to lad the ‘King George’ from stable companion Riverside Theatre. The party at Seven Barrows on Saturday night must have been something special and Henderson could be forgiven for not surfacing too early on Sunday morning after a truly memorable performance the day before.

Tags: horse racing, king george, Nicky Henderson, odds, tipsShare

Henderson and Geraghty flying at Kempton

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Binocular shines for Henderson and McCoy

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Henderson Waiting On Weather For Binocular

Posted by Leigh on November 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Trainer Nicky Henderson fears that bad weather may put an end to the planned come back to the track for the current Champion Hurdle victor Binocular at Saturday’s Newcastle fixture.