Trainer Nicky Henderson puts five of his Cheltenham Festival prospects through their paces on the gallops

Henderson had scrapped an earlier decision to take five potential Cheltenham ‘aces’ to Newbury for racecourse gallops on Thursday after the ground at the Berkshire track turned tacky. Instead they spent a resourceful morning at Seven Barrows, Lambourn, turning in “work that went very, very well,” according to the trainer.

“They both went well, but Spirit Son had a good blow after the piece of work, and I feel it is very unlikely that he will go to Ireland [for the Irish Champion Hurdle on Jan 29]. There are hurdle races at Wincanton, Sandown and Kelso in the coming weeks and we have several who could run in them,” he pointed out.

In fact, Henderson trains three of the five horses quoted under 10-1 in the Champion Hurdle – only Hurricane Fly and Zarkandar are from other yards – and he will have a major influence on the shape of fields for these ‘trials’ in the run-up to the Festival.

The other home gallop of note on Thursday involved French Opera, Burton Port and Soldatino, a piece of work designed to bring this trio of varying talents closer to racing fitness. “Burton Port has a Gold Cup entry, though I have yet to discuss it with Trevor [Hemmings, the owner], while Soldatino has the Betfred Hurdle [Feb 11, Newbury] as his objective. They worked well.”

Much thought is going into Sprinter Sacre’s next run, with the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury being favoured at this stage. “He could go to Doncaster at the end of the month, but there is a chance nothing will turn up, and he could possibly find himself doing less than if he were at home. What he wants is experience,” Henderson explained.

“The other factor to consider is that if he runs at Doncaster, Barry [Geraghty] won’t ride, because he would be required at Cheltenham on the same day. At Newbury, Barry can ride him.”

Meanwhile, Bobs Worth was a surprise entry for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, although Henderson explained this was merely an insurance in case something went wrong. The RSA Chase remains his Festival target.

Mon Mome back on track for Grand National as trainer Venetia Williams hits form

The resurgence of the Venetia Williams stable has sparked annual interest in one of the jumping game’s great favourites, Mon Mome, the 100-1 winner of the 2009 John Smith’s Grand National, who caught the eye with a good run at Cheltenham on his last start.

Mon Mome, owned by Vida Bingham and trained by Williams, is now in the veteran category, having recently turned 12, but despite missing last year’s National, it appears another crack at the Aintree fences is on the cards in April.

“He’ll be entered for the Gold Cup, but I have yet to even discuss the options with his owner,” the trainer said. “Mon Mome himself is in good form, and all is on course,” she added.

Williams, like most other trainers with Grand National contenders, will be cautious about where she runs her chaser next, though as a former winner who is getting on in years, the gelding is well-exposed and unlikely to cause BHA Handicapper Phil Smith any headaches.

“He ran well in the Gold Cup a couple of years ago [when third to Imperial Commander, at 50-1], but we also have the option of a novice hurdle. He’s got to run somewhere, but nothing is decided yet,” the trainer added.

Williams saddled the widely-touted Ciceron to land the finale, a handicap hurdle, at Sandown Park on Saturday, and sent out Lightning Strike (hurdle) and Niceonefrankie (fences) to win handicaps at Hereford on Sunday.

Many of her horses are now on marks where they can prove dangerous, now that the yard is back in form. “Thank God they are, it has been a long time coming. Long may it continue,” the trainer said on Monday.

Mon Mome ran off a mark of 148 when winning the 2009 Grand National, but he fell the following year (off a mark of 155). His recent Cheltenham second (beaten 4½ lengths) was achieved off 144. The Handicapper’s assessment of that run is all-important.

Nicky Henderson, racehorse trainer, provides a Cheltenham Festival hint with Bobs Worth

At the weekend, the most significant move came for the Nicky Henderson-trained Bobs Worth, who shortened to 5-1 (from
6-1) for the RSA Chase, even though he had been beaten five and a quarter lengths by Grands Crus in the Feltham Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. And there was a reason.

Clearly, Henderson believes there is nothing to lose. It may all count on the big occasion.

New-look McCririck is wasted on Channel 4 subs' bench

You may have missed it, but John McCririck underwent what is termed ‘a makeover’ during the week.

The mutton-chops were given a trim, hair slicked back under a fashionable Aussie bush hat, and somebody stumped up for a navy Saville Row pinstripe. He’d also had a wash.

It has been pointed out that Racing For Change could probably spend racing’s dwindling finances more wisely. But I’m not so sure.

As much as Channel 4 try easing their ageing star out of the picture, they cannot escape the fact that he is still the most recognisable face in racing. And that includes Dettori, McCoy, Cecil, etc.

Racing For Change’s next move is to remind Channel 4 of that fact, and to demand they take him off the bench (where he spends the majority of Saturdays). But only if he wears his new wardrobe.

Trainer Alan King sticking to tried and tested formula as he aims for victory at Triumph Hurdle

Even in a changing world, the fundamentals remain the same, and the good trainer uses judgment based on experience to keep getting results.

Take Alan King as an example. King, who boasts an extensive owner base that is the envy of the jumping game, knows what is required to win the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March. He has already saddled two winners of the four-year-old hurdling championship, so is fully qualified to offer an informed opinion on the subject.

When King announced at Taunton last Friday that he felt he had a particularly strong hand in the four-year-old ranks this year, it was the signal to sit up and take notice. Grumeti - who came off the Flat from Michael Bell’s yard - had hacked up against older opposition at the West Country track to attract a quote of 14-1 for the Triumph, while the next day Vendor worked hard for a determined win at Newbury and was priced up at 25-1 generally.

Then on Monday, in front of a holiday crowd of 3,000 at Plumpton, it was the turn of the French import Balder Succes to post another four-year-old victory for the Barbury Castle trainer. The gelding, who had won his only previous start, at Auteuil in October, drew clear to win by eight lengths at odds of 4-9.

The victory certainly added weight to King’s theory that he has a strong bunch of four year-olds, but the trainer was not committing Balder Succes to any target just yet. “He’s a very likeable horse, but I don’t think he’s a Triumph Hurdle horse. He didn’t run on the Flat, and he may not have enough experience for that type of race,” he explained. Again, King had pitted the four year-old against older opposition.

Assessing his strong hand at the moment, King added: “Grumeti is likely to run again at Cheltenham at the end of the month, while I think Vendor is very good, as well. He’s got a lot of scope.”

As mentioned above, trainers’ habits die hard. King, who won the Plumpton/Cheltenham bonus with Voy Por Ustedes six years ago - the bonus is now £60,000 - is trying to repeat that feat with Kumbeshwar, who romped home by 16 lengths in a novice chase at the Sussex track on Monday. The bonus is paid to any horse who wins a chase at Plumpton before going on to win at the Cheltenham Festival in the same season. In other news, King believes Invictus had a valid excuse for his defeat in the Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday.

The six year-old was never travelling with his usual fluency and it later transpired that he had lost a shoe.

“Invictus lost a shoe and was quite sore afterwards, and, while I hate making excuses, I am sure that he is better than that,” said King.

“He never travelled like he can and could not get into a rhythm.”