With the National Season now upon us and quality contests set to light up our lives between now and late spring, the time has come to turn our attention towards the jumping game.
With that in mind, we will kick off our series of features on the leading yards on both sides of the Irish Sea – all of whom will have their eyes on the major Grade 1 prizes throughout the winter months and, of course, the mighty Cheltenham Festival.
First stop, Upper Lambourn, and the yard of six-time British Champion Trainer Nicky Henderson – a man with over 100 Grade 1 victories, including no fewer than 73 at the Cheltenham Festival.
2023/24 didn’t go quite as well as previous years – largely due to the poor timing of sickness in the yard, which coincided with Cheltenham – but, given the wealth of talent at his disposal, it would take a brave man to bet against Henderson bouncing back in 2024/25. Without further ado, let’s look at the most eye-catching contenders who currently call Seven Barrows home.
Stable Stars
Constitution Hill
Thrilling as the 2023 campaign was, there was one glaring absentee in the championship level 2m hurdle contests, and he went by the name of Constitution Hill. Variously labelled “unbeatable”, “a freak of nature”, and “the most talented hurdler of the 21st century”, this son of Blue Bresil was a big miss last season.
Happily, following injury and a bout of colic, Constitution Hill is reported to be back in rude health, with the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle pencilled in for his seasonal return. Should that go well, he is expected to bid for a third Christmas Hurdle at Kempton before attempting to regain his Champion Hurdle crown. If returning anywhere near his best, he will take some stopping.
Jonbon
The fact that a horse as talented as Jonbon failed to get within 22 lengths of Constitution Hill in the 2022 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is a fine illustration of just how brilliant his stablemate is. Nevertheless, Jonbon is a Grade 1 winning hurdler in his own right and has gone on to excel over the larger obstacles.
Never outside the first two in 11 outings over fences, his nine Chase wins include six triumphs in Grade 1 company. A dual winner of the Celebration Chase, that Aintree contest may round off a season featuring outings in the Shloer Chase, Tingle Creek Chase, and Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Jeriko Du Reponet
If there is a horse to join Constitution Hill and Jonbon in the upper echelons of the sport, it may be this JP McManus-owned five-year-old. Winning his first three starts over hurdles last season, he came unstuck in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but that effort is easily excused given the issues afflicting the yard at the time. Set to tackle fences this year, it would be no surprise to see him rise to the summit of the Novice Chase division.
Sir Gino
This four-year-old has been flawless in his career to date and retains the star appeal which comes with many an unbeaten star. Landing a Listed contest on his only start in France, he made a mockery of the opposition when hacking up in a Class 3 event on his debut for Henderson. Next stop, a 10l thrashing of the talented Burdett Road in the Grade 2 Triumph Hurdle Trial before he rounded off his campaign with a tenacious success over the Willie Mullins filly Kargese in the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree. The sky looks to be the limit for this impressive specimen.
Ten For the Tracker
The return of the above quartet is eagerly awaited, but they are but four of 130 horses currently based with Henderson. From the other 126, the following ten have made it into our horse tracker for the season ahead:
- Aston Martini – A strapping mare who looks destined for chases in time but has room to progress over the smaller obstacles this term. An impressive Bumper winner at Southwell, she followed up in Maiden and Novice Hurdle events before disappointing in a Grade 2 at Sandown. However, that outing came as the form of the yard began to dip, and Henderson wouldn’t be keeping her over hurdles if he didn’t think she could land a decent pot or two.
- Iberico Lord – This son of Cokoriko was pulled up in the Champion Hurdle, but nothing from the yard hit top form at Cheltenham. Before that, he landed two of the hottest handicaps of the season in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle and the Betfair Hurdle. He looked like a graded performer to our eyes on each of those outings, and we will be backing him to prove it in the current campaign – particularly on soft or worse going.
- Ideal Des Bordes – A Point-to-Point winner, this Coastal Path gelding posted a solid effort when third in a decent Bumper at Warwick before appearing to lose the plot in his first three starts over hurdles. However, he emerged as a different animal following a wind-op when staying on well to score at Kempton on his final appearance. Set to tackle fences this term, he will likely start at a relatively lowly level and looks just the sort to progress through the ranks.
- Incisive – Highly regarded by owner Ronnie Bartlett – who counts Simonsig and Ballyburn amongst his most talented performers – this attractively bred sort (by Crillon and out of a Network mare) is unbeaten in two Point-to-Point outings and rates an intriguing sort as he moves into the professional sphere.
- Kintail – Two places ahead of Ideal Des Bordes in the Warwick Bumper mentioned above, Kintail followed up by landing his Maiden Hurdle at the track. Thereafter, it all went wrong – losing a shoe when fourth at Cheltenham and running as though something was amiss at Lingfield in January. Having the rest of the season off following that outing, he has had plenty of time to sort out his issues and may yet deliver on that early promise.
- Peaky Boy – Having landed a Point-to-Point and a Bumper, this six-year-old made a perfect start in a light novice campaign – winning Maiden and Novice events at Cheltenham. Such contests at the home of the jumping game have a history of working out well, and this versatile sort will carry our cash in the early stages of the season and possibly beyond.
- Shanagh Bob – For such a big horse, anything Shanagh Bob achieved over hurdles was always likely to be a bonus. As such, two wins from three starts – including a Grade 2 at Cheltenham – augurs very well for his novice chasing campaign.
- That’s Nice – As fans of Irish Point-to-Point form and the sire Walk In The Park, this four-year-old filly was always going to make the shortlist. Showing a great attitude to land her sole Point-to-Point outing at Belharbour in February, we look forward to her debut for her new trainer.
- Under Control – Two wind operations in four months tell you that this mare has had her issues, but if Henderson can get to the bottom of those problems, we suspect he has a seriously talented mare on his hands. Ahead of Iberico Lord when landing a Novice event at Sandown, she split two Willie Mullins runners when second in the Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mare’s Hurdle and retains plenty of upside at just five years of age.
- Willmount – A Point-to-Point winner and two from two in Bumpers, Willmount exploded onto the hurdling scene with a 13l romp at Newbury. Stepped up into Grade 1 company next time out, he pulled fiercely throughout before being pulled up. That may have been too much too soon, but the fact he was off for the remainder of the season suggests all was not right with his health, and he looks well worth another chance.
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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