Epatante options are open on the road back to Cheltenham
Nicky Henderson admits he may have to map out a new programme for Epatante ahead of the defence of her Champion Hurdle crown.
The mare, owned by JP McManus, struck in what was the Gerry Feild en Hurdle at New bury and Kemp ton' s Christmas Hurdle, before lifting the two mile championship at the Cheltenham Festival.
Under the present conditions for the Gerry Feilden, Epatante would not be able to go for the race again.
The obvious target, the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on the same day(would be the likely starting point for Buveur D' Air, who is in the same ownership.
He was injured when finishing second in the latestattempting to take the prize for the third successive year, but is expected to return to the track next season.
"She is going to have to go down a different route back to the Champion Hurdle to what she started this season," he said.
"Hopefully we have Buveur D'Air back in action and the Fighting Fifth has always been his race, so we would have to think what we do."
Henderson was delighted E pat an te justified all the team' s faith in her ability - more than making up for her run in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Festival 12 months earlier.
"It was good and everything she did was very professional to be fair and everything went right. It was a lovely ride from Barry( Geraghty), "said the Seven B arrows handler.
"She jumped and travelled well and you could she looked to have a good shout from along way out, as she was always in the right position.
"She showed the gears I hoped she would show, as a lot of people said when she showed them at Kempton it would be different at Cheltenham. Luckily for us she did show them the whole way up the hill. We have constantly stood by her excuses for last year's run at the Festival and luckily she has vindicated us for doing that."
Henderson gave credit to Epatante's owner for targeting the Christmas Hurdle.
"It was quite along way from a Gerry FeildenHu rd le to to be fair it was JP' s idea to go for the Christmas Hurdle and it is not the most orthodox route," he said.
"Having lost Espoir D'Allen (last year's winner) to a tragic accident and Buveur D'Air to an injury, for any operation to find another Champion Hurdle horse in the space of a year is remarkable.”