Nicky Henderson: “There is some unfinished business over hurdles. I rate Birchdale’s chance quite highly here”

CHELTENHAM- WEDNESDAY

1:55 G1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

Dickie Diver (Aidan Coleman)

As many of you will know this wasn’t the original plan but sadly we ran out of time and were unable to get another run into him over fences to qualify for the National Hunt Chase so we are sort of here out of default, but he deserves to take his chance off the back of an excellent effort at Newbury when he would’ve badly needed it so I do expect plenty of improvement fitness wise. This is obviously a very tough ask on just his second run over fences, and if he doesn’t win he remains a novice for next season, if he does, it’s not a bad race to break his maiden tag in. Any more softening in the ground would aid his cause and he’s been in good form at home so with a bit of luck he can run a nice race.

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2:30 Coral Cup

Monte Cristo (Daryl Jacob)

He won what has subsequently turned out to be a pretty decent race at Kempton over Christmas but  has been given quite a hike by the handicapper for it and is now 12lbs higher so quite whether he is able to defy a rise like that only time will tell, but he’s been in good form at home and this seemed the most suitable Cheltenham target. He shouldn’t have any issues with the ground and Daryl came into school him last week and was very happy and if he’s happy then I’m happy so we’re all happy!

Craigneiche (Tom Cannon)

He got put up 12lbs for winning at Ascot last time so it probably wasn’t the best piece of placing from Mr Henderson because he’s hardly here slipping under the radar. That said he put up a very good performance on that occasion and he is clearly a very talented horse but one can never be overly confident in a race as competitive as this.

Birchdale (Nico De Boinville)

I have quite a lot of time for this horse and of our quartet he would be the one who perhaps isn’t as  badly handicapped as the others. He wasn’t beaten all that far in this race last year and is a couple of pounds lower and I thought he ran a nice race in a jumpers bumper last time which should have sharpened him up for something like this. We are putting chasing on hold for the time being because I still think there is some unfinished business over hurdles and I rate his chance quite highly here.

Janika (James Bowen)

He was unlucky not to win here over fences a couple of years ago so deserves to get his head back in front and to be honest he’s been pretty consistent all the way through. He was a little bit disappointing at Ascot last time but he’s got a real spring in his step at the moment and because he’s rated so highly over fences it made sense to continue along the hurdle route for the time being. He’s got plenty of experience which bodes well for a race like this

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