Epatante delivers Henderson an eighth Champion Hurdle

Mare shows quality to defy fears over going Mcmanus claims a ninth win on 69th birthday

Epatante, the 2-1 favourite, may not be big but she is all quality and she gave her trainer Nicky Henderson a record-extending eighth victory in hurdling’s most prestigious race, when she came home three lengths clear of the 16-1 shot Sharjah in the Unibet Champion Hurdle yesterday.

For her owner, JP Mcmanus, who was celebrating his 69th birthday, it was a ninth winner and his fourth in a row, while the winning jockey Barry Geraghty, who gave her a copybook Cheltenham ride, is no stranger to the winner’s podium after this race either – it was his fourth.

Geraghty, who is now the most successful jockey still riding at the Festival with 39 winners, made it look simple and was always in the right place on Epatante; midfield early on, moving through to fifth and then to third at the top of the hill behind the front-running grey, Petit Mouchoir.

On ground which may not have entirely suited her, Geraghty was the last off the bridle but he waited until he had the last in his sights before sending her on.

Although her gears might have been blunted somewhat by the testing ground, there were no worries for Henderson once she landed over the last and she was always holding Sharjah comfortably. Darver Star was a further 3¾ lengths back in third with Cilaos Emery fourth.

“It’s a nice race isn’t,” said a slightly overwhelmed Henderson. He is also back ahead of Willie Mullins, who drew a first-day blank, as the meeting’s most successful trainer on 66 winners. “It goes back such a long time since the first one, which was 1985 [See You Then] so it’s quite a long time,” he said.

“She was always travelling and you were always quite pleased with where she was. Barry gave her a