Mixed fortunes for Henderson
Nicky Henderson endured mixed fortunes over the weekend as a number of his possible Cheltenham squad looked to book their Festival tickets.
Punchestowns and Binocular did the business at Sandown, but Triumph Hurdle hope According flopped at the same track while Arkle contender Mad Max suffered defeat at Doncaster.
Henderson will not have enjoyed their reverses but Punchestowns success in Grade One totepool Challengers Novices' Chase was surely enough to raise his spirits.
Last year's Ladbrokes World Hurdle runner-up made a bad blunder at the seventh fence under Barry Geraghty, but the 4/11 favourite still had little trouble in reeling in Tchico Polos to score by eight lengths.
Boylesports.com cut Punchestowns' Cheltenham odds to N/A at the head of the RSA Chase market.
"There was one scary moment and Barry said it was the sort of thing they do once in their lives and learn from it," said Henderson.
"Barry let him think and work it out and he got back into a rhythm again. I wanted to give him one more run before Cheltenham and I probably still do, but I don't know where that will be."
Binocular
Binocular warmed up for a repeat assault on next month's Champion Hurdle with a bloodless success as the 1/7 favourite under Tony McCoy in the toteplacepot Contenders Hurdle.
Henderson's six-year-old was thwarted by less than a length when beaten into third at last year's Festival, but there was little to be learned from his one length beating of two inferior rivals.
Henderson said: "He has done all that was asked of him and we have got five weeks to go until Cheltenham.
"It is important to get runs into them at this time of year and there is still a bit to work on.
"Both Punchestowns and Binocular have done what we would have expected."
According
According was a bitter disappointment behind winner Diktalina in the Toteswinger Juvenile Novices' Hurdle while Beshabar proved well-weighted in the totescoop6 Heroes Handicap Hurdle. Henderson also had a double at Musselburgh on Sunday.
Mad Max
Mad Max was sent off a hot favourite for the Blue Square Lightning Novices' Chase at Doncaster but Paul Nicholls' long-term absentee Woolcombe Folly more than had his measure.
The five-time hurdle winner had been off the track since scoring at Kempton in October 2008 but he showed admirable spirit to edge out Ferdy Murphy's course-winning mare I'm Delilah in a thrilling finish with Mad Max only third.
Posted by on Monday 08 February, 2010 in Wednesday
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