Henderson confident he has big guns firing for opening day of Cheltenham

Nicky Henderson will have a good idea of how his Cheltenham week is going to pan out after the first two races with Old Park Star and Lulamba lined up to give him a flying start.

As appears to be the case so often, Henderson’s best chances of the Festival are in Tuesday’s races, and that is before taking into account Constitution Hill’s possible Champion Hurdle bid.

Old Park Star is clear favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, while Lulamba has leapfrogged Kopek Des Bordes in the Arkle betting, those two being the first two races of the meeting.

“The first race on the first day is crucial and we are firing our big guns early in Old Park Star and Lulamba,” said Henderson, speaking at Kempton having watched several of his string work.

“I think we can tell our friends across the Irish Sea that you’ve seen him (Old Park Star) and he’s flying!

“He’s lovely but he’s a big baby still. He’s a horse for next year and the year after as much as this year, he’s got a lot of filling out to do.

“I remember doing the press day the year Altior was going for the Supreme and Min was the talking horse in Ireland. I was as confident as I’ve ever been in my life, I couldn’t see Altior being beaten. I can’t say I could say the same this year, but I think he’s lovely.

“What he’s done in his last two runs is extraordinary. He must travel at some pace because he seems to get them in trouble a long way out.

“We rode him in behind today, not for any particular reason, more because he was the quicker of the three and I wanted him to have to quicken past them. At least he’s had a gallop behind some horses because he hasn’t seen one in his last two runs.

“We’re hardly going to drop him out the back. We haven’t discussed tactics as yet, but I’m sure he’s going to be handy I’d expect. I think he’s got the tactical speed to be in that position and we’re pretty sure he stays well. He’s definitely got a gear.”

While Lulamba is Arkle bound, Henderson can see him following the Jango Baie route, stepping up in trip rather than being a champion chaser.

“I’d be surprised if he’s a two-miler next season, I think you’ll see him down the Jango Baie route. If the old two-and-a-half-mile novice chase was there Jango and Lulamba would have run in it,” said Henderson.

“He’s not ready for three miles, he’s only a five-year-old so he’s got to try to do this. He only just got beat in the Triumph which he could have won, he just didn’t know enough on the day.

“The first two fences will be vital as they come up quick. He’s just got to jump those and then hold it and he’ll be fine. He’s a big, far from slow horse.

“You are not in a sports car, he’s fast but it’s not instant acceleration. He’s got to get into the race, Kopek Des Bordes is a mighty quick horse and I’m sure he’ll be up there so we’ll be trading blows quickly, I expect.

“We’ve only really had two races as at Exeter they removed most of the fences, Constitution Hill would have loved it! Willie (Mullins) will know where his horse is and it’s not a two-horse race, but I think we’re ready for it.”

Henderson also has a live Gold Cup contender in Jango Baie, his first for several years. Last year’s Arkle winner went close in the King George and will be stepping up again in trip.

“I think he’s my best chance in the Gold Cup for a while, I think you can give him a realistic chance,” he said.

“Everything has gone well. We were going to run in the Denman but in that ground, having watched the Irish horses have hard races in very bad ground the week before slightly put me off and I thought we’d be better coming in fresh.

“Kempton and Cheltenham are two completely different places but we know he comes up the hill even if it is at the end of two miles so I think he ticks most boxes.

“We started over two-five at Ascot and he finished strong, there was no question he had to go King George, that was easy. The King George told us he was getting the trip well so the Gold Cup looked the obvious thing to do. If you stay and you have that pace then you are in quite good shape.”