Nicky Henderson: “I don’t think she’s stopped improving”

Sir Gino did what he hoped he might at Kempton yesterday – and he was simply awesome on his chasing debut winning us an 11th Wayward Lad novices chase. His only mishap in the race came at the first fence which he got all wrong, and yet ironically it’s also probably the best thing he could have done too, as that made him concentrate and put his brain into gear. I’ve been asked where we might go next with him, and although there are no firm plans I must say the Game Spirit at Newbury looks ideal as it’s a track and a race I like: we’ve won it five times in the past and we’ve also won it with a novice before too! As you may remember Altior won it in 2017 before winning his Arkle. Another reason it might be a good target is that Jonbon, who we also train, is Ascot bound. There are other races – Warwick’s Kingmaker Chase comes to mind. Decisions to be made in the future.   

12.05 Newbury

Despite pulling up on the course last time, Spring Note has an excellent record at Newbury having won three times there – twice over this two miles trip. Her run last month at the course was her first since April and it will have brought her along nicely in an attempt to win this race for the second consecutive year. Our conditional jockey Freddie Gordon is on board today taking a handy 5lbs from her back. We also run Break My Soul who wears a hood for the first time and will be ridden by Nico. She didn’t settle early in her last race at Ascot and hopefully the hood may help her in that regard today. She had previously run very well at Ascot to be beaten by just a nose having won maiden and novices events last spring. I don’t think she’s stopped improving.

 

12.37 Newbury

We run two here with Nico riding Akimos who makes his debut. He’s been going nicely at home and is a well related, with plenty of winners in his pedigree; his dam’s a half-sister to Duffle Coat who won a listed chase and was second in the Galway Plate. We’re looking forward to seeing on the racecourse this afternoon

Noble Park has only had a couple of runs for us having made his bumper debut at Sandown only last month before we upped him to 2m 5f for his debut over hurdles at Warwick. We’ve dropped him back down to the minimum trip today and this looks a competitive enough race, but he is learning all the time, as we are about him. Sam Twiston-Davies takes the ride, Sam doesn’t often ride for us – in fact this will be just his fourth ride for us this calendar year – but he was successful aboard Doctor Kildare at Bangor On Dee in April and won a bumper for us last year on East India Express.

 

1.45 Newbury

We have three in the this competitive handicap hurdle. Hooper was coming back from a 529 layoff at Newbury in November and then ran down the field at Warwick earlier this month. He has had his problems over the last few years but has won four times over hurdles for us and better ground will suit as he wouldn’t want it too soft. Another one who will enjoy the better ground today is Go To War who ran second for us on stable and handicap debut last time out at Huntingdon. We’ve upped him in trip today and both the way he has run and his pedigree suggest that he should enjoy the extra distance. Sam Twiston-Davies rides Blairgowrie on his return to hurdles. Things haven’t gone right for him over fences so we’ve returned to hurdles today and added a set of blinkers and hopefully this combination will see him return to something like his old self.

 

3.35 Newbury    

On the face of it Shangah Bob was a bit disappointing on his chasing debut at Uttoxeter, but his jumping there wasn’t as good as it has been at home and we’re hoping he will jump better for that track experience. He won a Grade two novices hurdle last season but we’ve always thought he’d be more of a chaser than a hurdler and he should improve as he gains that valuable experience over the larger obstacles.

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