Christmas Hurdle could be ‘right option’ for Sir Gino

Nicky Henderson has schooled Sir Gino over hurdles with a run in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle appearing likely in a reshuffling of the pack following the Fighting Fifth fall of Constitution Hill.

Sir Gino has not been seen since wowing on his chasing debut at the Sunbury track last Christmas, but with a switch to the level in the Seven Barrows handler’s mind for three-times Christmas Hurdle champion Constitution Hill, Sir Gino could be called on for super sub duties.

It is a role Sir Gino fulfilled at Newcastle last year when Constitution Hill missed the Fighting Fifth and Henderson feels a return over timber could be the sensible option given the current open nature of the two-mile hurdling division.

“He’s been chasing but he’s a dual Grade One hurdle winner and we could go either way with him,” Henderson said of the gelding, who was sidelined at the end of last season by a leg infection.

“He did school this week and we did jump hurdles and it’s the first obstacle he has jumped since his issue

“I think the Christmas Hurdle is probably the right option and we know Constitution Hill is not going to go there, I think.

“Therefore the race is wide open and it could be a nicer way to start Sir Gino off on this new expedition. What happens after that, I have no idea.”

With an imminent run over hurdles looking increasingly on the back burner for Constitution Hill, Henderson could soon be thumbing the Flat programme book to try to find a suitable option for one of the most popular names of the current era.

“I would say a mile and a half would be fine for him but I would have to find the race for him,” added Henderson.

“I would say going on the Flat is one way of going about it and it’s a very difficult conundrum. To be fair, the dust needs to settle down a bit more.

“He is a horse who everyone likes and we have to do our best. We’re well aware of the position we’re in after what has been happening and we have to think it out very carefully.”