In the absence of a 21/22 thread for the time being (maybe a mod will kindly move this), here's the Hendo pre stable tour article from today's RP:-
"Big Guns"
In the week Altior joined Sprinter Sacre in retirement, Nicky Henderson declared himself blown away by the physical improvement Shishkin has made over the summer as he dared to dream his latest star two-mile chaser could emulate his previous flagbearers, who achieved legendary status during their outstanding careers.
Henderson was speaking on Sunday when hosting more than 300 friends and supporters at his annual owners' day, which did not take place last year against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Lambourn trainer was thrilled to once again welcome so many familiar faces to his historic Seven Barrows base and they included Sprinter Sacre and Altior, who joined the parade of the 2021-22 squad.
They each won two Queen Mother Champion Chases and Shishkin, who has recently had a minor breathing operation, is 7-4 favourite for the Betway-backed event after his Supreme and Arkle triumphs.
"It's sad we start the season without Altior and Santini [who has joined Polly Gundry], and one story with Altior has come to an end, but it's unbelievable we could be in the middle of another with Shishkin," said Henderson.
"It, after Sprinter and Altior, is almost too much to dream about, but we hope so.
"The one thing about the two-mile division, with Energumene and Chacun Pour Soi, is it's going to be extremely hot, but Shishkin is going the right way and he's done phenomenally well over the summer. If there were awards for which of our horses did best over the summer it would be between him and Chantry House.
"After Shishkin had been out in the field for three or four weeks I looked at him with Charlie Vigors, whom he spent the summer with, and wouldn't believe it was him. There were ten in the field and I said, 'Where's Shishkin?'
"He's grown and I think he's got that arrogance of Sprinter and Altior, although he's got to earn that. You can be arrogant only when you are the top dog and he's got to prove it, but he's got through the Supreme and Arkle and we'll look at the Tingle Creek and the usual two-mile path. He'd get further, but I don't see the need now."
Shishkin's emergence as a leading novice was a bright spot for Henderson last term, when Chantry House also excelled over fences, winning the Marsh Novices' Chase at Cheltenham and then Aintree's Mildmay.
"He was brilliant the first time over fences at Ascot, but then he went to Cheltenham and was horrible behind Fusil Raffles, awful, but he'd got kissing spines, which meant surgery and within six weeks of that he won at Wetherby," the 70-year-old added.
"To have that surgery and get back was extraordinary. That back surgery worked wonders and he won at Aintree when we wanted to try three miles.
"He's grown and done brilliantly too, and could start in an intermediate chase at Sandown, which we've won with Might Bite and Santini, and we'll want to keep him and Champ apart as they're both owned by JP [McManus]."
Chantry House can be backed at 16-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which Henderson believes Champ has unfinished business after he was pulled up in the race in March.
"He's had considerable back surgery, which was the problem at Cheltenham," said Henderson.
"He jumped brilliantly at Newbury in the Game Spirit, but that triggered an old problem that Ger Kelly, JP's vet who had done surgery on Champ before, was always worried about, and there was a piece that needed to come out.
"I think at Newbury, Champ's exuberance probably created the problem and jarred this bit, which explains Cheltenham – he couldn't get off the ground.
"He looks fantastic now though, unbelievable, while he's moving great. My faith in him is very much intact because I'm more than confident Ger has done the job."
Champ is a general 20-1 chance for the Gold Cup, which Henderson has won with Long Run and Bobs Worth.
Senior Chasers
Nicky Henderson's long and distinguished career is punctuated by inspired training performances. Think patching up breakthrough horse See You Then, nursing Binocular and Sprinter Sacre back to championship triumphs, making Might Bite forget an x-rated fall to become a Cheltenham Festival winner and Altior's unmatched haul of 19 straight victories.
Considering all of those, Henderson might be able to wave his magic wand twice more if exciting chasers Angels Breath and Allart can fulfil their potential after serious injuries.
Angels Breath is still held in the highest regard by Henderson but has been off since shattering a tendon at Ascot in December 2019.
"He's back and could be anything, but there's a big but with this," the trainer said. "He severed 40 per cent of his tendon. Things are going well, but we've a hell of a way to go.
"It was a ferocious injury and the problem was not so much the 40 per cent of the tendon, but the damage done to the other 60 per cent that had the strain for the last two furlongs or so at Ascot. The 40 per cent has recovered and healed remarkably well.
"It will be worth it if we get him back because he's as good as any of my chasers. He wants three miles on soft ground and would be in the same league as Champ and Chantry House if he can stand it."
As for Allart, Henderson said: "He's quality and looked brilliant on his chasing debut at Ascot before falling at Haydock, after which we couldn't get him right and he hurt himself in his box on his holiday, and there were worries about his neck and brain.
"He's been to Newmarket to see Celia Marr, the vet who oversaw Sprinter Sacre. She's the neurological queen and he's back now, looking fabulous. He hasn't got to 100 per cent, but we think he's improving and I'm just gutted for poor Ronnie Bartlett, who part-owns Angels Breath with Dai Walters and also owns Allart. Every time it looks like he has a decent one, something goes wrong. It's unbelievable, but he does have a very good young horse in Dusart."
Mister Fisher could bid for a second win in the Peterborough Chase, but Henderson is keen to explore three miles again with the classy good-ground lover, while Fusil Raffles, who has grown into a "magnificent horse", is another under consideration for the Huntingdon highlight.
More exotic plans could be in the pipeline for the admirable Pistol Whipped, who is rated 20lb superior from this time 12 months ago.
Henderson said: "My secretary Caroyln [Harty] has found a race in Japan on Christmas day for Pistol Whipped so I've told his owner Mr [Anthony] Speelman to cancel his holiday in the Seychelles! I doubt we'll do it, but we could look at a later race in April, the Nakayama Grand Jump."
Henderson, lamenting the lack of a bona fide Randox Grand National contender among his string, remains sweet on Caribean Boy, who shone first time out last term but did not build on it.
"He was fantastic at Newbury," said the six-time champion trainer.
"He didn't win again, but I probably ran him back too quickly, although I did think we saw something special at Newbury and the clock said that too. I don't think he wants it bottomless and his trip is probably two-miles-four, maybe two-six."
Senior Hurdlers
Connections of 2020 Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante have left no stone unturned in their attempts to close the gap on rampant mare and current champion Honeysuckle, even if they admit that will be easier said than done.
Epatante looked banker material for a second Champion Hurdle after strolling home in Newcastle's Fighting Fifth last November, but she was then beaten in the Christmas Hurdle and never troubled the unbeaten Honeysuckle in main events at Cheltenham and Punchestown.
Nicky Henderson, who trains the seven-year-old for JP McManus, said: "She was disappointing last season. She was magnificent in the Fighting Fifth and we thought she was the Champion Hurdle winner, but she was beaten in the Christmas Hurdle and then finished third at Cheltenham.
"Honeysuckle was brilliant in the Champion and we weren't going to beat her, but we've always had to keep a close eye on Epatante's back. It's always been very tense and taut so she had the same surgery as Champ, which we think and hope will make a big difference.
"I'm not in a month of Sundays going to say if she was right she'd have beaten Honeysuckle, but it was disappointing we couldn't give her a race."
Buveur D'Air, McManus's Champion Hurdle ace in 2017 and 2018, will not be winning that race again, but could be interesting reinvented as a staying hurdler if he can make a return from injury.
"He suffered a freak leg injury and is at Martinstown, JP's stud in Ireland, having a lot of remedial work, but it would be fantastic if he could get back in time for another shot – but over further," said Henderson, who also hailed Buveur D'Air's departing groom Hannah Ryan for her devotion to the ten-year-old.
"He was tanking through the Aintree Hurdle and was unlucky when Jason The Militant unseated, opening the door and his instinct is to go for it. The plan was then Punchestown and to try three miles, but we couldn't because of the injury. Hopefully we can still try it."
Buzz, part of whose prize-money will go to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, is also on the staying hurdle beat, although the Together For Racing International Cesarewitch at Newmarket will come first, providing the ground is suitably soft.
"After the Cesarewitch he'd probably be ready for the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby on Charlie Hall day," said Henderson.
"On The Blind Side isn't a Grade 1 horse, but he was a star of last season. I ran him at Kempton and he was second after a fierce battle with McFabulous and they then put a race on a week later at Market Rasen and he won that. He loves small fields but might be hard to place.
"I like Captain Morgs, who could have unfinished business over hurdles, and that applies to Paros. It took time for us to work him out and he started hanging right-handed, so we went to Musselburgh, which is that way round, and he did it nicely, but then we pitched him in deep in a Grade 1 at Aintree. He's summered really well and retains plenty of potential as a hurdler."
Novice Chasers
In Shishkin and Chantry House, Seven Barrows housed Britain's best and third-best novice chasers last season, and expect Dusart to trouble the handicappers at the higher end of the scale if he gets the go-ahead for fences.
The Flemensfirth half-brother to late yard favourite Simonsig won a warm Newbury novice hurdle in November, but he missed most of the season before finishing a fine third in the Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree's Grand National meeting.
He screams chaser but Nicky Henderson is torn between that and more hurdling given the six-year-old's inexperience.
"He's had only two runs over hurdles so could go either way, but he'll be very good," he said. "He wants two and a half miles and his run at Aintree was extraordinary because he was half-ready after a freak accident during the season – how he got back I've no idea."
Gallyhill is in a similar boat, but chasing is the plan for him, while Coral Cup second Craigneiche and the hulking Mister Coffey – "who should be top class over fences" – are hardened from handicap hurdles.
Henderson boasts plenty of depth in the novice chase department, and said: "Lecale's Article is another to note, as is Cascova, while I've always been keen on Keen On, who's back after a year off, and Steal A March has long been a chaser.
"Royal Ruby and Mill Green could do well and have already won over fences, like Fugitives Drift and Grand Mogul.
"Patroclus is another to get excited about and I'm optimistic Burrows Edge can make up for lost time.
"I think Son Of Camas is still a decent horse. Not everyone agrees with me, but there you go, while Emir Sacre, unsurprisingly from the family of Sprinter Sacre, won a good hurdle at Ascot last season and ought to excel over the bigger obstacles.
"Hurling Magic and Will Carver have both schooled pleasingly and are owned by the Owners Group, whose Triumph Hurdle winner Pentland Hills is back and could go chasing, but he won't be early and that's the same for Glynn.
"Hooper, who has made hay over the summer, probably wants quicker ground and, over further, I rate Bothwell Bridge,
while Valsheda has three miles written all over him.
"Dickie Diver is also talented and should be another smart staying novice and Storm Of Intrigue is in that category too – we've been waiting a long time for him."
Novice Hurdlers
For the first time since 1998 Nicky Henderson did not have any runners in the Grade 1 novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival in March, but "it will be an awful disappointment if we haven't this season".
"Last year I was confident about the novice chasers and now it's the novice hurdlers," said the leader of Lambourn's highest-profile yard.
"I think this will be an exciting division for us and then next year I hope I'm talking about novice chasers again because the Jonbons and I Am Maximuses will be going over fences; they're the horses who keep you going."
There is certainly a glint in Henderson's eye when talking about Newbury bumper victor Jonbon, a brother to eight-time Grade 1 winner Douvan who cost a whopping £570,000 after landing his point-to-point.
"I've never been so frightened when I took him to Newbury because you know what everyone would have been like if he'd been beaten, but I hadn't done much with him and he definitely wasn't wound up for it," he continued.
"It took us months to find a box he was happy in – he moved six times and is a fidget of a horse - but he came back looking magnificent.
"We're very lucky to have him and he's bred to be good, looks good and everything he's done in one point-to-point and bumper has been very good. There's a long way to go, but he's got that pace and I can't believe we'll start over further than two miles."
Britain's best novice hurdler last term was the Dan Skelton-trained My Drogo, second in a Cheltenham bumper 13 months ago to I Am Maximus, who has not run since.
"He could be anything, and he and Jonbon are the standouts," purred Henderson.
"His form, beating My Drogo, looks spectacular. We gave him a break afterwards and I never got him back, but I'm not a great fan of the Cheltenham Bumper and he wasn't one for Aintree so didn't run again.
"He looks superb and has got all the speed in the world. Those two are top of the bunch, but it's a very strong bunch."
Warming to that theme, Henderson reels off a host of youngsters who put the spring into his step each morning.
"Nico [de Boinville] is mad about Firestep and his sister arrived this week after we bought her on the grounds that we think Firestep is going to be the bee's knees, in which case you need his little sister in your pocket – and she's for sale," he said.
"Balco Coastal was wildly impressive at Kempton and wasn't at Aintree, but the bumpers there haven't been that kind to us, while Blairgowrie is potentially smart as a hurdler and then chaser, which is probably the same for Doddiethegreat, who has won two and is named after Doddie Weir. His owner Kenny Alexander is donating all his prize-money to Doddie's motor neurone foundation, which is great.
"Mot A Mot has lots going for him and Walking On Air is a serious horse, as is Wiseguy and also Kincardine, a smashing sort."
Not missing any, Henderson went on: "Broomfield Burg is very talented for JP [McManus], who also has Horn Cape, a gifted but big horse, and Hob House, who is jolly nice and relaxed now, although took some calming down. No Ordinary Joe, another of JP's, could reach the top and we've been dying to run The Bomber Liston all summer but couldn't because of the ground.
"Russian Ruler is another in the could-be-anything bracket and beat Surrey Quest. I said to the Surrey team they could go to Ffos Las and win or Warwick, where I had to tell them they'd finish second, but they were happy to go to Warwick.
"Go Sacre Go is a beautiful, big gelding and I like Moonlight Flit and High Worth, while I'd keep on the right side of Clean Getaway. At Poets Cross has talent, as does Westwood Ryder, but he just needs to settle down.
"Quickbuck has plenty of quality and First Street won well recently but wants some cut in the ground."
Of the new arrivals, Henderson added: "The Carpenter is a lovely grey, Balkeo, who is gorgeous, has come from France and reminds me so much of dear old L'Ami Serge, who also had strong Auteuil form, and City Chief and Full Of Light are promising point winners.
"Constitution Hill has arrived from Ireland and Barry Geraghty was waxing lyrical about him. Barry helped find us Bobs Worth and Brain Power, and I've been assured this horse is better than Brain Power, so woe betide B Geraghty if he's not!
"Surfman and King Ottokar have classy Flat form and the juvenile hurdling department includes Impulsive One and Crane, who will win a race."
"Big Guns"
In the week Altior joined Sprinter Sacre in retirement, Nicky Henderson declared himself blown away by the physical improvement Shishkin has made over the summer as he dared to dream his latest star two-mile chaser could emulate his previous flagbearers, who achieved legendary status during their outstanding careers.
Henderson was speaking on Sunday when hosting more than 300 friends and supporters at his annual owners' day, which did not take place last year against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Lambourn trainer was thrilled to once again welcome so many familiar faces to his historic Seven Barrows base and they included Sprinter Sacre and Altior, who joined the parade of the 2021-22 squad.
They each won two Queen Mother Champion Chases and Shishkin, who has recently had a minor breathing operation, is 7-4 favourite for the Betway-backed event after his Supreme and Arkle triumphs.
"It's sad we start the season without Altior and Santini [who has joined Polly Gundry], and one story with Altior has come to an end, but it's unbelievable we could be in the middle of another with Shishkin," said Henderson.
"It, after Sprinter and Altior, is almost too much to dream about, but we hope so.
"The one thing about the two-mile division, with Energumene and Chacun Pour Soi, is it's going to be extremely hot, but Shishkin is going the right way and he's done phenomenally well over the summer. If there were awards for which of our horses did best over the summer it would be between him and Chantry House.
"After Shishkin had been out in the field for three or four weeks I looked at him with Charlie Vigors, whom he spent the summer with, and wouldn't believe it was him. There were ten in the field and I said, 'Where's Shishkin?'
"He's grown and I think he's got that arrogance of Sprinter and Altior, although he's got to earn that. You can be arrogant only when you are the top dog and he's got to prove it, but he's got through the Supreme and Arkle and we'll look at the Tingle Creek and the usual two-mile path. He'd get further, but I don't see the need now."
Shishkin's emergence as a leading novice was a bright spot for Henderson last term, when Chantry House also excelled over fences, winning the Marsh Novices' Chase at Cheltenham and then Aintree's Mildmay.
"He was brilliant the first time over fences at Ascot, but then he went to Cheltenham and was horrible behind Fusil Raffles, awful, but he'd got kissing spines, which meant surgery and within six weeks of that he won at Wetherby," the 70-year-old added.
"To have that surgery and get back was extraordinary. That back surgery worked wonders and he won at Aintree when we wanted to try three miles.
"He's grown and done brilliantly too, and could start in an intermediate chase at Sandown, which we've won with Might Bite and Santini, and we'll want to keep him and Champ apart as they're both owned by JP [McManus]."
Chantry House can be backed at 16-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which Henderson believes Champ has unfinished business after he was pulled up in the race in March.
"He's had considerable back surgery, which was the problem at Cheltenham," said Henderson.
"He jumped brilliantly at Newbury in the Game Spirit, but that triggered an old problem that Ger Kelly, JP's vet who had done surgery on Champ before, was always worried about, and there was a piece that needed to come out.
"I think at Newbury, Champ's exuberance probably created the problem and jarred this bit, which explains Cheltenham – he couldn't get off the ground.
"He looks fantastic now though, unbelievable, while he's moving great. My faith in him is very much intact because I'm more than confident Ger has done the job."
Champ is a general 20-1 chance for the Gold Cup, which Henderson has won with Long Run and Bobs Worth.
Senior Chasers
Nicky Henderson's long and distinguished career is punctuated by inspired training performances. Think patching up breakthrough horse See You Then, nursing Binocular and Sprinter Sacre back to championship triumphs, making Might Bite forget an x-rated fall to become a Cheltenham Festival winner and Altior's unmatched haul of 19 straight victories.
Considering all of those, Henderson might be able to wave his magic wand twice more if exciting chasers Angels Breath and Allart can fulfil their potential after serious injuries.
Angels Breath is still held in the highest regard by Henderson but has been off since shattering a tendon at Ascot in December 2019.
"He's back and could be anything, but there's a big but with this," the trainer said. "He severed 40 per cent of his tendon. Things are going well, but we've a hell of a way to go.
"It was a ferocious injury and the problem was not so much the 40 per cent of the tendon, but the damage done to the other 60 per cent that had the strain for the last two furlongs or so at Ascot. The 40 per cent has recovered and healed remarkably well.
"It will be worth it if we get him back because he's as good as any of my chasers. He wants three miles on soft ground and would be in the same league as Champ and Chantry House if he can stand it."
As for Allart, Henderson said: "He's quality and looked brilliant on his chasing debut at Ascot before falling at Haydock, after which we couldn't get him right and he hurt himself in his box on his holiday, and there were worries about his neck and brain.
"He's been to Newmarket to see Celia Marr, the vet who oversaw Sprinter Sacre. She's the neurological queen and he's back now, looking fabulous. He hasn't got to 100 per cent, but we think he's improving and I'm just gutted for poor Ronnie Bartlett, who part-owns Angels Breath with Dai Walters and also owns Allart. Every time it looks like he has a decent one, something goes wrong. It's unbelievable, but he does have a very good young horse in Dusart."
Mister Fisher could bid for a second win in the Peterborough Chase, but Henderson is keen to explore three miles again with the classy good-ground lover, while Fusil Raffles, who has grown into a "magnificent horse", is another under consideration for the Huntingdon highlight.
More exotic plans could be in the pipeline for the admirable Pistol Whipped, who is rated 20lb superior from this time 12 months ago.
Henderson said: "My secretary Caroyln [Harty] has found a race in Japan on Christmas day for Pistol Whipped so I've told his owner Mr [Anthony] Speelman to cancel his holiday in the Seychelles! I doubt we'll do it, but we could look at a later race in April, the Nakayama Grand Jump."
Henderson, lamenting the lack of a bona fide Randox Grand National contender among his string, remains sweet on Caribean Boy, who shone first time out last term but did not build on it.
"He was fantastic at Newbury," said the six-time champion trainer.
"He didn't win again, but I probably ran him back too quickly, although I did think we saw something special at Newbury and the clock said that too. I don't think he wants it bottomless and his trip is probably two-miles-four, maybe two-six."
Senior Hurdlers
Connections of 2020 Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante have left no stone unturned in their attempts to close the gap on rampant mare and current champion Honeysuckle, even if they admit that will be easier said than done.
Epatante looked banker material for a second Champion Hurdle after strolling home in Newcastle's Fighting Fifth last November, but she was then beaten in the Christmas Hurdle and never troubled the unbeaten Honeysuckle in main events at Cheltenham and Punchestown.
Nicky Henderson, who trains the seven-year-old for JP McManus, said: "She was disappointing last season. She was magnificent in the Fighting Fifth and we thought she was the Champion Hurdle winner, but she was beaten in the Christmas Hurdle and then finished third at Cheltenham.
"Honeysuckle was brilliant in the Champion and we weren't going to beat her, but we've always had to keep a close eye on Epatante's back. It's always been very tense and taut so she had the same surgery as Champ, which we think and hope will make a big difference.
"I'm not in a month of Sundays going to say if she was right she'd have beaten Honeysuckle, but it was disappointing we couldn't give her a race."
Buveur D'Air, McManus's Champion Hurdle ace in 2017 and 2018, will not be winning that race again, but could be interesting reinvented as a staying hurdler if he can make a return from injury.
"He suffered a freak leg injury and is at Martinstown, JP's stud in Ireland, having a lot of remedial work, but it would be fantastic if he could get back in time for another shot – but over further," said Henderson, who also hailed Buveur D'Air's departing groom Hannah Ryan for her devotion to the ten-year-old.
"He was tanking through the Aintree Hurdle and was unlucky when Jason The Militant unseated, opening the door and his instinct is to go for it. The plan was then Punchestown and to try three miles, but we couldn't because of the injury. Hopefully we can still try it."
Buzz, part of whose prize-money will go to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, is also on the staying hurdle beat, although the Together For Racing International Cesarewitch at Newmarket will come first, providing the ground is suitably soft.
"After the Cesarewitch he'd probably be ready for the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby on Charlie Hall day," said Henderson.
"On The Blind Side isn't a Grade 1 horse, but he was a star of last season. I ran him at Kempton and he was second after a fierce battle with McFabulous and they then put a race on a week later at Market Rasen and he won that. He loves small fields but might be hard to place.
"I like Captain Morgs, who could have unfinished business over hurdles, and that applies to Paros. It took time for us to work him out and he started hanging right-handed, so we went to Musselburgh, which is that way round, and he did it nicely, but then we pitched him in deep in a Grade 1 at Aintree. He's summered really well and retains plenty of potential as a hurdler."
Novice Chasers
In Shishkin and Chantry House, Seven Barrows housed Britain's best and third-best novice chasers last season, and expect Dusart to trouble the handicappers at the higher end of the scale if he gets the go-ahead for fences.
The Flemensfirth half-brother to late yard favourite Simonsig won a warm Newbury novice hurdle in November, but he missed most of the season before finishing a fine third in the Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree's Grand National meeting.
He screams chaser but Nicky Henderson is torn between that and more hurdling given the six-year-old's inexperience.
"He's had only two runs over hurdles so could go either way, but he'll be very good," he said. "He wants two and a half miles and his run at Aintree was extraordinary because he was half-ready after a freak accident during the season – how he got back I've no idea."
Gallyhill is in a similar boat, but chasing is the plan for him, while Coral Cup second Craigneiche and the hulking Mister Coffey – "who should be top class over fences" – are hardened from handicap hurdles.
Henderson boasts plenty of depth in the novice chase department, and said: "Lecale's Article is another to note, as is Cascova, while I've always been keen on Keen On, who's back after a year off, and Steal A March has long been a chaser.
"Royal Ruby and Mill Green could do well and have already won over fences, like Fugitives Drift and Grand Mogul.
"Patroclus is another to get excited about and I'm optimistic Burrows Edge can make up for lost time.
"I think Son Of Camas is still a decent horse. Not everyone agrees with me, but there you go, while Emir Sacre, unsurprisingly from the family of Sprinter Sacre, won a good hurdle at Ascot last season and ought to excel over the bigger obstacles.
"Hurling Magic and Will Carver have both schooled pleasingly and are owned by the Owners Group, whose Triumph Hurdle winner Pentland Hills is back and could go chasing, but he won't be early and that's the same for Glynn.
"Hooper, who has made hay over the summer, probably wants quicker ground and, over further, I rate Bothwell Bridge,
while Valsheda has three miles written all over him.
"Dickie Diver is also talented and should be another smart staying novice and Storm Of Intrigue is in that category too – we've been waiting a long time for him."
Novice Hurdlers
For the first time since 1998 Nicky Henderson did not have any runners in the Grade 1 novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival in March, but "it will be an awful disappointment if we haven't this season".
"Last year I was confident about the novice chasers and now it's the novice hurdlers," said the leader of Lambourn's highest-profile yard.
"I think this will be an exciting division for us and then next year I hope I'm talking about novice chasers again because the Jonbons and I Am Maximuses will be going over fences; they're the horses who keep you going."
There is certainly a glint in Henderson's eye when talking about Newbury bumper victor Jonbon, a brother to eight-time Grade 1 winner Douvan who cost a whopping £570,000 after landing his point-to-point.
"I've never been so frightened when I took him to Newbury because you know what everyone would have been like if he'd been beaten, but I hadn't done much with him and he definitely wasn't wound up for it," he continued.
"It took us months to find a box he was happy in – he moved six times and is a fidget of a horse - but he came back looking magnificent.
"We're very lucky to have him and he's bred to be good, looks good and everything he's done in one point-to-point and bumper has been very good. There's a long way to go, but he's got that pace and I can't believe we'll start over further than two miles."
Britain's best novice hurdler last term was the Dan Skelton-trained My Drogo, second in a Cheltenham bumper 13 months ago to I Am Maximus, who has not run since.
"He could be anything, and he and Jonbon are the standouts," purred Henderson.
"His form, beating My Drogo, looks spectacular. We gave him a break afterwards and I never got him back, but I'm not a great fan of the Cheltenham Bumper and he wasn't one for Aintree so didn't run again.
"He looks superb and has got all the speed in the world. Those two are top of the bunch, but it's a very strong bunch."
Warming to that theme, Henderson reels off a host of youngsters who put the spring into his step each morning.
"Nico [de Boinville] is mad about Firestep and his sister arrived this week after we bought her on the grounds that we think Firestep is going to be the bee's knees, in which case you need his little sister in your pocket – and she's for sale," he said.
"Balco Coastal was wildly impressive at Kempton and wasn't at Aintree, but the bumpers there haven't been that kind to us, while Blairgowrie is potentially smart as a hurdler and then chaser, which is probably the same for Doddiethegreat, who has won two and is named after Doddie Weir. His owner Kenny Alexander is donating all his prize-money to Doddie's motor neurone foundation, which is great.
"Mot A Mot has lots going for him and Walking On Air is a serious horse, as is Wiseguy and also Kincardine, a smashing sort."
Not missing any, Henderson went on: "Broomfield Burg is very talented for JP [McManus], who also has Horn Cape, a gifted but big horse, and Hob House, who is jolly nice and relaxed now, although took some calming down. No Ordinary Joe, another of JP's, could reach the top and we've been dying to run The Bomber Liston all summer but couldn't because of the ground.
"Russian Ruler is another in the could-be-anything bracket and beat Surrey Quest. I said to the Surrey team they could go to Ffos Las and win or Warwick, where I had to tell them they'd finish second, but they were happy to go to Warwick.
"Go Sacre Go is a beautiful, big gelding and I like Moonlight Flit and High Worth, while I'd keep on the right side of Clean Getaway. At Poets Cross has talent, as does Westwood Ryder, but he just needs to settle down.
"Quickbuck has plenty of quality and First Street won well recently but wants some cut in the ground."
Of the new arrivals, Henderson added: "The Carpenter is a lovely grey, Balkeo, who is gorgeous, has come from France and reminds me so much of dear old L'Ami Serge, who also had strong Auteuil form, and City Chief and Full Of Light are promising point winners.
"Constitution Hill has arrived from Ireland and Barry Geraghty was waxing lyrical about him. Barry helped find us Bobs Worth and Brain Power, and I've been assured this horse is better than Brain Power, so woe betide B Geraghty if he's not!
"Surfman and King Ottokar have classy Flat form and the juvenile hurdling department includes Impulsive One and Crane, who will win a race."
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