Altior (N de Boinville) wins the 2m Novice Hurdle
Nicky Henderson feels the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is one of his best chances of a winner at the Cheltenham Festival.
Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci are bidding for a fourth successive win in the opening race of the Festival and are responsible for the current ante-post favourite Min.
But Henderson trains the next two in the betting – Altior and Buveur D’Air – and they are both unbeaten over hurdles.
Altior is already a course and distance winner after taking the Grade 2 trial race in November, while Buveur D’Air has been an easy winner at Newbury and Huntingdon on his two starts over timber.
Henderson told Racing UK: The Supreme is probably the race, I think, overall we have our best shot in. We’ve got two good horses I hope as well. Willie Mullins is waiting for us, but we’ll see.
“I’ve yet to see Min in the flesh, but if he is as good as they say, and the next replacement for Faugheen, then we’re in trouble, but these are two good novices.
“We’ve had a lot of chances in the race over the years, and we’ve won it, but I can’t seem to find a way in at the moment, so it would be a great way to start it (the Festival), get that over with and the rest of the week is sailing.”
