Renowned trainer Nicky Henderson has issued a warning to punters regarding one of his top contenders for the Cheltenham Festival.
Jeriko Du Reponet, owned by JP McManus, has seen his odds slashed to as low as 5-1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, the opening race of the festival in March.
A Promising Start
The four-year-old secured a commanding victory in his point-to-point race at Kirkistown nine months ago and followed it up with an impressive debut for Henderson's Seven Barrows stable, winning a Class 3 contest at Newbury earlier this month.
Henderson has a history of success in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, having trained previous winners such as dual Champion Hurdle winner Buveur d'Air and Jonbon.
Hold Your Horses
Despite the growing hype around Jeriko Du Reponet, Henderson has advised against rushing to back him at such short odds.
In an interview with Newbury Today, Henderson expressed his reservations, stating, "To be totally honest, I don't think he beat anything on the day. I'd have been mortified if he couldn't beat that lot."
While acknowledging the horse's potential, Henderson cautioned against premature enthusiasm, saying, "He's got a long way to go to even get there."
Next Steps
Henderson has plans to unleash more of his top horses around Christmas, with Constitution Hill set to make his long-awaited return in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, alongside the highly anticipated King George race, in which Shishkin hopes to compete.
