Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle: Champ’s freshness could prove key, says Nicky Henderson | Racing News

Nicky Henderson says Champ will likely be able to go when he makes his seasonal debut within the Grade One Howden Lengthy Stroll Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday, stay on Sky Sports activities Racing.

The JP McManus-owned 11-year-old completed third behind fellow veteran Paisley Park final yr when the race was run at Kempton after Ascot was deserted, having triumphed within the 3m 0.5f contest first day out in 2021.

Final season, Champ had edged out Paisley Park a month earlier in a hard-fought Lengthy Distance Hurdle at Newbury, a race Henderson selected to bypass this time period with a purpose to maintain him recent.

Chatting with Sky Sports activities Racing on Thursday, Henderson stated: “He is one in every of our actual associates, he is been right here a protracted, very long time. He is lived as much as his title in quite a lot of methods, you could not have a nicer horse, you could not have a extra sincere horse.

“He is very laidback about his work from home, he does not present you an enormous quantity and he likes to be recent. So final yr he began at Newbury the place he had a unbelievable battle with Paisley Park within the Lengthy Distance Hurdle, however we at all times thought he was probably finest first day out, or very recent, so we have saved him again particularly to have a crack at this once more.”

Champ is one in every of 10 horses declared for the Lengthy Stroll Hurdle, together with Paisley Park, who additionally claimed the honours in 2018 and 2020, and one other veteran in Dashel Drasher.

Crambo and West Balboa head the youthful brigade, whereas Paul Nicholls and Gary Moore will each be double-handed with Blueking D’Oroux and Purple Threat and Botox Has and Goshen respectively, with Gowel Street finishing the sphere.

“I do not assume you would be very assured about any of those Grade One races, it should be very aggressive,” added Henderson. “We all know there may be certain to be a strong gallop with Dashel Drasher there. Paisley Park will likely be lurking round and one minute you’ll assume you’ve got acquired him lined and he’ll instantly reappear on the demise. It ought to be good!”

Crambo stepping up for O’Brien

Crambo, one in every of final season’s main novice hurdlers, received at Aintree on his seasonal debut earlier than ending third behind Slate Lane at Haydock and his coach Fergal O’Brien is testing the water in Grade One firm.

He advised Sky Sports activities Racing: “I have been delighted with Crambo since he got here again in. Noel Fehily does the pre-training with him. When he got here again to us he simply appeared so much sharper this time, and once we began education him he was actually good.

“We thought initially we might go straight to Haydock however three miles first day out can be only a bit an excessive amount of for him, so we needed to pop in a race round Aintree (2m 4f) which he received very comfortably, went up three or 4 kilos within the handicap for that one, and went on to Haydock and carried an terrible lot of weight. He gave weight away and beat some good horses and on one other day with a bit extra luck I feel he would have almost received.

“I simply assume we have to provide this a go and it’ll give us sighter of the place we go ahead from right here. There’s some good horses in there and he actually does should step up going into very deep waters however he is a younger horse, he is on the up and I am actually trying ahead to operating him.

“He is skilled very effectively since Haydock. He is a bit like Dysart Enos, and all these good horses, he does not present you a large number at residence however we all know he is effectively in himself, so fingers crossed he can have an enormous run.”

Botox Has bids to observe up Wetherby win

Botox Has produced arguably a career-best when claiming Wetherby’s Grade Two West Yorkshire Hurdle final month and Moore has been ready for a crack at this Grade One ever since.

“I am trying ahead to operating him and the shape is understanding effectively,” stated Moore. “Hopefully he’s pretty much as good as he was that day at Wetherby however time will inform.

“He is at all times been a good horse and he was most likely among the best English horses throughout his juvenile yr – if it had not been for Goshen he would have been the highest four-year-old, he is at all times been horse. He did not actually take to chasing however has completed effectively reverting again to hurdles.”

Three probabilities for Henderson in precious finale

In the meantime, Henderson will likely be triple-handed within the closing Betfair Trade Trophy with the JP McManus-owned duo Iberico Lord and Impose Toi joined by the mare Luccia within the 11-strong area for the 1m 7.5f handicap hurdle.

The Seven Barrows handler stated on Thursday: “We’re very glad [with them]. Iberico Lord is in nice order, he simply jumped 5 hurdles this morning, he regarded very, very sharp.

“Impose Toi, he received at Cheltenham and we have been considering of going to Sandown however that floor was so unattractive. We have saved him again and JP was glad to run the 2 in opposition to one another. They’re the identical age, they’re the identical profile, they’ve each been doing very effectively so they have to take one another on. It is a very, very large prize and also you most likely want all of the bullets you’ll find.

“Luccia is lurking there, I feel, fairly menacingly. She simply jumped half a dozen hurdles with Paul O’Brien, who’s going to trip her, this morning and he or she’s in actually good condition. She will get a good bit of weight off the opposite two this time.”

Watch all of the motion from the Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot on Friday and Saturday stay on Sky Sports activities Racing, with the Lengthy Stroll Hurdle due off at 2.25pm on Saturday.