Nicky Henderson reviews Cheltenham Festival fortunes of Constitution Hill and Jonbon, as Sir Gino returns home
Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson had a very up and down Cheltenham Festival.
Seven Barrows enjoyed some winners but also saw two of his biggest guns falter.
Henderson had Jango Baie, who hit 300/1 in running, storm home to land the Arkle on the opening day of the festival.
Later in the week he had a 1-2 in the Pertemps, with Doddiethegreat and Jeriko Du Reponet.
But there was also massive disappointment for Henderson, as stable star Constitution Hill fell at the fourth last in the Champion Hurdle in one of the most dramatic moments of the season.
5/6 favourite Jonbon also made a juddering error in the Champion Chase which cost him all chance of success, though he did carry on bravely to finish second.
Speaking to Racing TV, who offer the latest Grand National free bets offers, at Kempton on Saturday, Henderson gave an update on his beaten stars and winning ones too.
“He’s got to go back to school for a moment, but that’s not a problem,” he said of Constitution Hill
“We will do that and think about what to do next.
“He will run again but where he will run I am not so sure, maybe Punchestown most likely and then maybe have a rematch with State Man.
“That is the most obvious thing to do, but you have to be careful.
“In May the ground will be a worry, but over there it shouldn’t be.”
On Jonbon, Henderson said:
“It wasn’t the mistake itself, it was the start that really got us in the wrong position.
“That was frustrating to be honest but there we go, he got behind early on… he loves to be up there attacking.
“He’s fine, he’s got to go again and I think he will go to Aintree, he won there last year over two and a half and that’s not a worry.”
Henderson also commented on his star of the opening day, Jango Baie.
“If you believe in sections and timings and things like that, then that was probably the fastest last fence to post you will ever see,” he said.
“We knew before we went there that he wasn't a two-miler, but Sir Gino couldn’t come and play.
“Halfway around it looked as if I had made the wrong call, he was nearly tailed off but he has got the pace and stamina to get him up the hill."
Doddiethegreat also received praise, having delivered an enjoyable result later in the week.
“He is lovely,” he said.
“A bit misleading though, he was fourth in the Betfair Hurdle and ran a fantastic race.
“We tried chasing with him but that didn’t work, but as soon as we went up to three miles he ran well in his qualifier at Haydock.”
Lulamba also suffered disappointment. The favourite for the Triumph Hurdle lost our to a 100/1 shot in dramatic fashion.
“You were concentrating on the battle with East India Dock - we won the battle and lost the war,” he said.
“The horse was coming on the other side, he had no chance to respond, it was very late on, but nobody saw it coming.
“I thought he did everything right, whether he goes again or not [this season] I don't know but he is going to be a lovely horse for the future. It is annoying to be beaten like that, but his life is in front of him.”
Seven Barrows did enjoy some heart-warming news this week, as Sir Gino finally returned to Seven Barrows.
“He's got a long recuperation and rehabilitation to come before we get an idea if he's going to be a racehorse again, but everyone is hopeful,” he told the Racing Post.
“He's got all of the summer to come, when he'll hopefully get out in the field, and everyone has done a brilliant job.”
