By Sean Trivass
Contrary to popular belief, I don’t get to spend my working day sipping bubbly and hobnobbing it with the rich and famous at the races – most days are spent in front of a computer and a television, either at home or in a racecourse press room, watching, writing, listening, and going through the form – it’s a tough life but someone has to do it!
All that changes in February each year when The Jockey Club kindly invite a load of journalists (what is the collective term for journalists I wonder, probably best not to ask) to four stable visits ahead of the March Cheltenham Festival, which is a photo opportunity, a chance to chat with the trainers – and for me, time spent in a stable with living breathing racehorses, and to be honest, it’s the highlight of my year.
Monday morning saw me head off in the bitter cold to Seven Barrows in Lambourn, home of multiple Champion trainer Nicky Henderson, and one of my favourite haunts.
Nicky has had his fair share of abuse on social media when Constitution Hill doesn’t race, but the public don’t pay the training fees and Nicky has always looked after the horses as his number one priority.
Some years we have seen too many horses paraded for us (and my head starts spinning), but this year we were limited to the creme de la crème – though I was involved in the media huddle afterwards and believe I have a Henderson Lucky 15 – for those who like that sort of thing.
Constitution Hill – Champion Hurdle Tuesday 11th March
Many people’s idea of the Festival Banker and nothing Nicky said or showed me should put anyone off. Wheeled out with Jonbon (see below), you would struggle to get two horses with such different demeanours.
The 2023 Champion Hurdler is your mild-mannered Clark Kent character – any more laid back and he would be horizontal. Happily standing still (Nicky deliberately dropped his reign and he didn’t move an inch) nothing seems to bother him at all, but that takes nothing away from his physicality.
He looks top-notch, and although Nicky politely reminded us that the likes of Lossiemouth, State Man, and Brighterdaysahead are no slouches, I detected plenty of trainer confidence.
He may not be perfect (what horse is?), but he has an amazing cruising speed (so any pacemakers aren’t expected to make the blindest bit of difference) and is clever at his hurdles when needed – hopefully those aren’t famous last words.
Jonbon – Queen Mother Champion chase Wednesday 12th March
Constitution Hill is no pony but Jonbon puts him in the shade when it comes to physique, and he has an attitude to match! He was not quite so keen to see us (can’t blame him to be fair), but he stands tall and doesn’t look like the sort of horse you want to argue with (Superman).
Nicky is nothing if not polite but I could see he wasn’t happy with the media questioning if the now eight-year-old is as good at Cheltenham as he is elsewhere.
For anyone unfamiliar, those opinions are based on five career starts at Cheltenham “only” seeing two victories and three second places, but none of those were exactly a disgrace.
A second to Constitution Hill in the Supreme Hurdle of 2022 has been franked by his stable companion time and time again, a second to El Fabiolo in the 2023 Arkle is not to be sniffed at, and his second to Elixir De Nutz had excuses (mainly that he jumped like a pig!).
Nicky is more than happy with where he is right now (and to my eyes he looks bigger and stronger now as well), and with wins at Cheltenham, Sandown and Ascot already this year, Nicky seems confident about his chances despite the quality of the opposition.
Doddiethegreat – Pertemps Final Thursday 13th March
The trouble with asking trainers questions is they can be more leading than intended. Ask them if horse X has a chance and they can hardly say no, with the ire of the public if they then win, and annoyance to the owner who pays the bills – so I listened and watched very carefully as the handicappers were discussed.
Names were thrown into the hat and discussed accordingly, but whenever horses were mentioned for the Pertemps Final, Nicky kept coming back to Doddiethegreat.
Suggesting we have the winner of such a competitive contest is madness so we won’t be going there, but I always look for something that little bit different, and the fact that he kept getting mentioned may tell its own story.
Second in a qualifier last time out it will be interesting to see his new handicap mark (which may yet decide his Cheltenham target), but Nicky clearly likes him and who am I to argue?
Lucky Place – Stayers’ Hurdle Thursday 13th March
Not a horse who was on my expected shortlist – but this isn’t about me for a change. The intention this season was to send the six-year-old over fences, but with a lack of opportunities and stablemates in the same boat, he was kept over hurdles.
That has worked out better than expected with wins at Ascot and Cheltenham over two and a half miles or so. Yet to try three miles, he does have stamina questions to answer come March, but when his trainer describes him as “high up on my list, very high” then I sit up and take notice.
A straightforward sort and easy to train apparently (by their standards), he has a chance if he gets home in what everyone sees as a pretty open renewal in 2025.
Lulamba and Palladium – Triumph Hurdle Friday 14th March
I am not tipping either of Nicky’s Triumph Hurdle hopes – if he can’t pick between them what chance do I have? Lulamba is the shorter in the betting of the two and has done nothing wrong with wins at Auteuil for his previous handler and at Ascot for Nicky in a novice in January with the promise of more to come.
Palladium has had more column inches having been bought for €1,400,000 as a German Derby winner, and although he only won by a couple of lengths at Huntingdon on his hurdling bow, his trainer made sure we all knew he felt the form of that race is very decent.
As he said, the race was won in a time six seconds faster than the other division, and the form is looking good as well, and with clear round I doubt there will be much between the two of them at the line, with the 16/1 about Palladium the more tempting at present.
East India Express – Martin Pipe Hurdle Friday 14th March
One of the few handicappers where we already have a good idea of his Cheltenham target, and he will almost certainly head to the last race on the last day – and restricted to Conditional jockeys.
The winner of his last two starts under Freddie Gordon, this is the natural target with the rider able to maintain the relationship.
I cannot emphasise enough how important it can be for a jockey to know and get on with their mount in this type of race, and he looks to have as good a chance as any outside of the odds-on shots.
Nicky Henderson Fun Each Way Lucky 15
Constitution Hill 4/6
Doddiethegreat 25/1
Lucky Place 9/1
East India Express 16/1
READ MORE: Cheltenham Festival 2025 – Gold Cup analysis and preview
