Nicky Henderson: “There is no such thing as a racing certainty, but he arrives here in fantastic shape and is raring to go”

IT was nice to see Palladium make a winning Hurdles debut at Huntingdon on Thursday, and I think he will have learnt plenty from it. There was understandably lots of attention and pressure on him to get the job done, which thankfully he did, and he will now head to Kempton for the Adonis on February 22nd which will then tell us where we go after that.

Lucky Place is in good shape, and the plan after the Relkeel Hurdle was always to come straight back for the Stayers’ in March. He doesn’t need a hard slog on soft ground in something like the Cleeve so he’ll arrive at Cheltenham in seven weeks’ time a nice fresh horse.

We have a few entries in the Newbury Hurdle on February 8th but I can’t say who will take their chance because it’s all dependant on gallops this weekend.

At the moment we would certainly be looking at it with Joyeuse, who was quite unlucky at Cheltenham last month, and if she pleases me in her work, I’d seriously consider her for that.

 

CHELTENHAM

2:25 Cotswold Chase

Chantry House (Nico de Boinville)

I must admit I didn’t think we’d be running this a few months back, but he was very good on New Year’s Day, so we thought we might as well give it a crack, and let’s not forget he’s won this race before! The Gold Cup isn’t something we’re thinking about, but he may be given an entry in the Grand National, which is something we could, and I emphasise the word ‘could’, consider depending on the outcome here. The blinkers obviously help, he stays this trip and handles soft ground so is not out of it.

Unibet are BOOSTING the price of the favourite in this race!

 

3:00 Unibet Hurdle

Constitution Hill (Nico de Boinville)

This may have taken a few of you by surprise to be running here; in fact it has taken me by surprise as well, but he came out of Kempton so well, and told us he is ready to go again, so it’s great to be running in the Unibet Hurdle which will hopefully lead us on to an attempt at regaining his Unibet Champion Hurdle crown in March.

Everything has gone well this week, and he schooled over five hurdles on Monday morning. He doesn’t need any more practice; as you’ve all seen, he’s quite good over them, but it’s something we’ve always done, and it sort of flicks a switch in him.

He is well ahead on ratings, but as we all know, there is no such thing as a racing certainty, but he arrives here in fantastic shape and is raring to go.

 

UTTOXETER

2:32

Either Or (Freddie Gordon)

She’s a likeable mare who is very lightly raced and will appreciate the step back up in trip, because she’s a Point to Point winner, and there is hopefully some improvement in her. This is her Handicap debut, and she could be nicely treated with Freddie Gordon’s 3lbs claim.

Unibet are BOOSTING the price of the favourite in this race!

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