Nicky Henderson had to wave the white flag at his beloved Cheltenham Festival when so many of his runners ran way below expectations, but it is, hopefully, all guns blazing as the Seven Barrows maestro looks to plunder another of his favourite meetings.
Henderson had to endure returning to Lambourn from the Festival winnerless for the first time since 2008 and the mystery ill health that swept through his stable left a bitter pill to swallow for someone we all are proud to say shows his emotions in magnums when meeting with success.
After the early sorties of his team at Cheltenham, the risk of going there was too great for Sir Gino, Shishkin, Jonbon and Shanagh Bob for their intended engagements and they head a strong team that was given an easy ten days after the meeting but are raring to go now.
Nicky said: “We just hacked them around on the deep sand and they seem to have come back fine and are in good health and ready to go to Aintree. They are fresh horses and every horse we have galloped has performed to our expectations.”
Henderson kindly talked to Tony Elves of attheraces.com about his main contenders for what he hopes can prove a lucrative three days at Aintree.
