Nicky Henderson has a plethora of thrilling younger horses heading to the Cheltenham Pageant however he named a handicap prospect who would possibly not even make the reduce as his “secret weapon” on the four-day assembly subsequent month.
The Seven Barrows teacher spoke in particular extremely of Doddiethegreat, who’s a 12-1 probability for the Coral Cup on March 13 after completing fourth within the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury previous this month, and Henderson is eager about seeing him step up in shuttle.
Kenny Alexander’s eight-year-old is known as after Scottish rugby famous person Doddie Weir, who raised consciousness and investment to take on motor neurone illness earlier than demise from the sickness in November 2022.
Henderson should wait to peer if he will get a spot within the race when the handicap weights are printed subsequent Tuesday and stated: “He would possibly no longer get during which actually is hurting me as he wouldn’t have were given in closing season. It’s actually unhappy as a result of he’s crying out for any other half of 1 mile.
“He ran a super race at Newbury and I went to mattress no longer being worried about Iberico Lord however taking a look ahead to Doddie within the Coral. He’d be my secret weapon if he did get in.”
Triumph Hurdle favorite Sir Gino leads Henderson’s younger abilities whilst the unbeaten Jeriko Du Reponet is on course for the Very best.
Henderson stated: “The Triumph is a tricky race and Sir Gino is a huge, scopey horse who will leap a fence, he’s no longer your standard Triumph horse. Occasionally you could have made up our minds to attend any other 12 months with him however we’ve were given this some distance, so we would possibly as smartly stay going.
“Jeriko Du Reponet has been in just right shape. I believe the two-miler [Supreme] goes to be the new one, however I simply wish to convince Ronnie Bartlett [owner of Ballyburn] to run his over two and a part as a result of he promised me he would at Christmas, however they appear to have modified their minds which may be very inconvenient. I’m positive Ronnie has the closing say!”
Picture: Jonbon having a training consultation
Courtesy of Racing Submit