Nicky Henderson: “Never rule out old Top Notch, but he might just need the run”

Cheltenham – Friday

1:50 G2 Peterborough Chase

For starters, it’s great that the BHA and Jockey Club Racecourses have managed to restage this race and I’m glad that we can still support it. It looks a typically strong renewal but we stick with the original plan from Huntington and have two very good chances.

I toyed with the idea of running Mister Fisher in the Caspian Caviar on Saturday but the ground is currently good to soft and if it were to rain overnight on Friday we could find ourselves in the same situation as last time when in hindsight I should never have run him at the November meet because the ground turned soft very quickly which effectively ruled out his chance and he also managed to rip off a near fore shoe so nothing really went right for him; but he went around for two miles which will have done him plenty of good fitness-wise. To be honest the conditions of this race probably suit him better than the handicap and he already has a great record on the track so we go into it quite hopeful but one should never rule out dear old Top Notch who shouldn’t have any issues with the ground and bids to win this for a third time. However, I would be slightly worried that he might just need it because he takes a little longer to get ready nowadays and he’s had his wind tinkered with but he’s been working well and I leave all his training to Sarah Shreeve so you’re better off asking her what she thinks. As well as riding Top Notch every day she also looks after Mister Fisher so I have no idea where her loyalties will lie come 1:50 on Friday afternoon!

Wishing trainer Nicky Henderson a very happy 70th birthday@SevenBarrows pic.twitter.com/MrPSn9kTAm

— Unibet Racing (@UnibetRacing) December 10, 2020

3:35 Handicap Hurdle

On The Blind Side (Nico de Boinville)

He rather surprised some people when winning at the November meeting but there was lots in his favour that day and everything panned out well. We’ve probably come to the conclusion that he’s happier over hurdles for the time being and the Handicapper put him up 5lbs for his win which means he’s now up to 150 but he’s very lightly raced for a horse of his age, won’t have any issues with the ground and arrives there in good form.