MOST trainers dream of having one runner in the Champion Hurdle. Nicky Henderson is set to have five.
With Epatante and Pentland Hills first and second in the market, Seven Barrows already look to have at least a finger on the Unibet Champion Hurdle Trophy.
In what looks a wide-open renewal, Henderson has taken the view that the more shots he fires, the more chance he has of big race glory.
“They all wouldnt be going there if I didnt think they realistically had a chance,” he said at a media morning on Monday.
Epatante fluffed her lines at the Festival last season when a supposed good thing for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle and it led to many questioning whether Cheltenham is her track.
But the Seven Barrows sorcerer has no worries whatsoever about the Prestbury Park hill.
Of his 11-4 favourite, he said: “This time last year I thought she was our best chance going for the Mares Novice so it was disappointing.
“But shes come forward this year. Four or five of ours didnt turn up to the Festival last year and she was certainly one of them. The vaccines really affected them.
“Plenty have now said she only goes on flat tracks like Kempton but Id say that was just a one off. If it happens again, Ill agree with them, but not for now. Ive got no worries there.”
Epatante was backed off the boards at Kempton in December where she dazzled in a Christmas Hurdle rout to leap to the top of the betting for the Champion Hurdle.
She’s not been seen since Boxing Day, but that was always the plan according to Henderson.
He added: “Although its not by design weve had a quiet season with her after Kempton I didnt think there was much point doing much else.
“There is Aintree for her afterwards but thats over two-and-a-half so we’ll see.”
Henderson’s other mare in the race Verdana Blue was given an encouraging mention throughout and she is as big as 33-1 with many bookies.
Her trainer said: “As we know now the ground is crucial to her. Its got to be good ground, but we can only hope for that.
“If it was soft or heavy youve got to weigh up whether it would even be worth it. But shes in very good form and works with Epatante most days.”
However, in the betting it is last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Pentland Hills that looks Epatante’s main danger.
Despite not winning this season, Henderson is keeping the faith and has given his 5-1 shot a recent wind procedure he made clear was officially not a ‘wind-op.’
He said: “He has had a cauterised palate since Haydock, thats not because were hearing any noises and I doubt it will even have an effect. Its just something we thought wed do.
“Both times hes come to win his race and just hasnt quite followed through with it. I dont think hes done anything wrong as such but it could have been the bad ground which it has been both times.
“There can be silent noises though and it does feel like that, it may help him it may make no difference whatsoever.”
He has also been racing keenly this season. Henderson hopes a slight switch in tactics plus a racecourse gallop could help take some of the fizz out of him.
He said: “Well try and switch him off a little bit more this time out and tuck him away.
“But the problem is hes such a good jumper and hes taking us forwards the whole time, a bit like Buveur DAir did.
“He worked very well on Saturday and hes in great form to be honest, we’ll have a racecourse gallop with him before Cheltenham.”
The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede pair of Call Me Lord and Fusil Raffles are set to complete the Seven Barrows lineup.
The latter was set run at Wincanton’s meeting on Saturday before Storm Dennis intervened and will likely head to the re-arranged race at Kempton this Saturday.
Henderson said: “We were never going to be running at Wincanton in that ground anyway, we need it better for him.
“I thought Call Me Lord was a little bit flat at Sandown the other day and he proved when he won the International that he can go left-handed and he obviously likes it there. So hell join in too!”
