UK champion jumps trainer Nicky Henderson had three favourites for the big Cheltenham Festival races last year. Two won and the other finished second.
While Might Bite, Buveur D’Air and Altior are his established star horses, the sport can never stand still and there are many promising types in his Seven Barrows yard. Altior is still unbeaten over obstacles and thus a red-hot betting favourite to retain the Queen Mother Champion Chase crown he claimed in 2018.
Buveur D’Air remains the one to beat in the Champion Hurdle as he seeks a hat-trick in that other two-mile Cheltenham Festival championship race, but his undefeated streak is over. While the opposition still has it all to do stop them, and Might Bite may miss another Gold Cup bid following a bleed after the King George VI Chase at Kempton, who are the next generation? Here are three Henderson horses to follow for the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.
Santini
Seven-year-old Santini is favourite to follow in Might Bite’s hoofprints and win the RSA Chase over three miles despite having just two starts over fences. Henderson has always held the Milan gelding in the highest regard and campaign this point-to-point winner lightly over hurdles with chasing in mind.
Santini won the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase on his bow over the larger obstacles during the Winter Carnival at Newbury back in December. Although then beaten 3 1/2 lengths in the Kauto Star over Christmas, the flat and tight right-handed track of Kempton arguably didn’t play to his strengths.
The undulating, galloping anti-clockwise course at Cheltenham is better suited to Santini’s style, so it’s no surprise to see him a top-price 4/1 with bet365 to win the RSA – just ahead of progressive Irish raider Delta Work. In Santini, Henderson may well have a Cheltenham Gold Cup horse of the future.
Champ
When you name a horse after 20-time champion jumps jockey AP McCoy, then you are tempting fate, but Champ goes to the Festival with a Grade 1 win under his belt after landing a competitive renewal of Newbury’s Challow Hurdle between Christmas and New Year. The seven-year-old is by King’s Theatre out of a Definite Article mare and that stamina laden pedigree bodes well going forward.
Champ is owned by legendary gambler JP McManus, who has a string of top horses on both sides of the Irish Sea and even keeps some in France. His record over intermediate trips strongly suggests that a crack at the 2m 5f Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle is his Festival target.
With proven form at and around that distance, Champ is thus one of the best available Cheltenham Festival bets for 2019 ante post at a top-price 6/1 with Betway. Henderson has only won the Ballymore once before and this horse gives him every chance of a second success following on from Simonsig.
Epatante
McManus purchased Grade 1 French bumper winner Epatante in November and sent her straight to Seven Barrows. While the five-year-old mare’s route to Cheltenham after an easy debut win over two miles at Kempton is far from clear, bookmakers have had no hesitation in installing her as the favourite for the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
While Epatante is available at a general 6/1 ante post for that Grade 2 Festival race, she also gets a 33/1 quote from Coral for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. There may be other sorts carrying McManus’ green and gold hoop silks and in Henderson’s yard targeting the Cheltenham opener, however, but she’s clearly unexposed and got tons of ability.
