Nicky Henderson was once at the forefront of trainers when it came to the Cheltenham Festival. It was only a decade ago that he won the Leading Trainer accolade twice in three years (2010 and 2012). But in today’s racing results, he has been left behind by Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins, with the Irish trainers taking the trophy back to the Emerald Isle after each of the last eight Festivals (Mullins x6, Elliott x2).
At last year’s meeting, Henderson scored a respectable four winners, leaving him three off the pace set by his Irish counterparts, and we’re sure he’ll be hoping for more of the same this year. So, with the 2021 Cheltenham Festival fast approaching, let’s take a look at Henderson’s best chances of victory at Prestbury Park.
Shishkin – Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase
Shishkin is one of two great opportunities for Henderson to get this year’s Festival off to a flying start with a couple of victories on the opening day. At 8/11, the seven-year-old is the odds-on favourite to win the second race of the meeting, the Arkle Challenge Trophy. Shishkin won last year’s opener, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, by a head, and after following that victory up with two very lengthy triumphs at Kempton in the back end of last year, he has now been given the favourite status ahead of the Arkle. It would be a seventh victory in the Arkle for the trainer, and his first since Altior’s 2017 triumph.
Epatante – The Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy
Should Shishkin win the Arkle, Epatante could make it back-to-back day one victories for Henderson with a victory in the Champion Hurdle. The JP McManus-owned horse won the Grade 1 race by three lengths over Sharjah last year and is the outright favourite at 2/1 to land successive Champion Hurdle victories heading back into this year’s Festival. However, a rather disappointing performance in Boxing Day’s Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, where he finished over six lengths behind Silver Streak in second, could ring alarm bells. Nonetheless, Henderson will be hoping for a whopping ninth Champion Hurdle crown come March 16th.
Altior – The Queen Mother Champion Chase
Punters were left disappointed last year when they discovered that Altior’s hopes of three successive Queen Mother Champion Chases were quashed due to injury. But there’s hope this year that Henderson, jockey Nico de Boinville and all those involved with the horse will get a crack at a hattrick of victories in the prestigious race. Altior’s once almighty status seems to have been tamed in recent years, and there’s no doubt that he is no longer the unbeatable steed that he was once was. At 11 years of age, he isn’t getting any younger and with just one win in his last three races, the bookmakers have him as far out as 10/1 to win this year’s Queen Mother. Henderson could instead opt for the Ryanair Chase, where the bookies have Altior at a slightly shorter 8/1.
Santini – The Cheltenham Gold Cup
Whilst Henderson has tasted unrivalled success in the races above, he has had to settle for just two wins in the Gold Cup across his lengthy career as a trainer. Long Run in 2011 and Bobs Worth in 2013 landed the 70-year-old those two victories, but Santini came agonisingly close to adding a third last year. The nine-year-old was beaten by just the neck of Al Boum Photo, who as a result became the first horse since Best Mate to win the Gold Cup twice on the trot. This year, Santini has his work cut out as he is the fourth favourite at 9/1, whilst his stablemate Champ is also in with a shout at 10/1.