Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Nicky still sweet on little taste of Honey
NICKY HENDERSON is adamant title holder Epatante and two-time king Buveur D’air can extend owner JP Mcmanus’ outstanding record in the Champion Hurdle.
Honeysuckle is all the rage at 11/4 for the Tuesday highlight after a second straight win in the Irish equivalent booked her Cheltenham ticket.
But Henderson believes 3/1 shot Epatante and 25/1 shot Buveur D’air, who won in 2017 and 2018, can flash Mcmanus’ famous greenand-gold silks past the post first for the fifth straight year following Espoir D’allen’s 2019 triumph.
He said: “I’m hopeful you’ll see last year’s Epatante in March.
“She’s the defending champion and has been in great form. Now, you potentially have the not
inconsiderable problem of another mare, Honeysuckle, whose jumping was so slick at Leopardstown.
“It will be a fascinating contest between these two very high-class mares, let alone the other protagonists, including Buveur D’air.
“He’s in good form and I was genuinely happy with his performance [last time] at Haydock.”
Goshen has rocketed into the mix after the misery of last year’s final-hurdle tumble in the Triumph.
Gary Moore’s charge bolted up in the Kingwell after the trainer worked miracles to get him back.
Goshen is as short as 9/2 and jockey Jamie Moore said: “Whether he is still the same horse I don’t know.
“This horse has done the most unorthodox training methods for this but dad is a proper horseman.
“The things he has been doing with him have been bemusing me but it has worked for him.”
COLIN TIZZARD reckons The Big Breakaway is his best chance at the Festival.
The Devon handler might have former Gold Cup king Native
River going back for the Blue Riband event but he’s lost no faith in his strapping six-year-old.
Fourth in last year’s Ballymore, The Big Breakaway made a pleasing transition to bigger obstacles when winning at Cheltenham but two setbacks have followed.
First, Tizzard’s chaser was defeated by Bold Plan.
While that reverse was put down to a sharp drop in trip, The Big Breakaway was beaten again returning to three miles by Shan Blue on Boxing Day.
Tizzard, though, hasn’t lost the faith as he aims to lower the colours of the mighty Monkfish in Wednesday’s Brown Advisory Novices Chase, previously known as the RSA.
He said: “He won nicely on his first start of the season before being beaten at Exeter, which was a bit of a balls-up on our part.
“We thought we’d give him a bit of experience and run him over two-and-a-half miles but that backfired a little bit.
“His run in the Kauto Star at Kempton was brilliant. In hindsight, he might have been ridden a bit closer to the pace but we had to drop him in and teach him how to race.
“He still ran a blinder behind Shan Blue, who ran really well later and franked the form. He’s already won around Cheltenham and is probably our best Festival chance. The plan next year will be the Gold Cup and we’re keen to give him plenty of experience.”
Tizzard may also run Fiddlerontheroof in the contest and said: “We think he’s a threemiler. He’s got a live chance and has a massive day in him at some point. He’s seriously talented.”