Mixed day for Henderson as Charli Parcs fails to shine

It is never straightforward, Nicky Henderson may have mused last night. In the credit column, at the conclusion of the last weekend of serious Cheltenham trials, was a perfect racecourse gallop for his Champion Hurdle contender Brain Power and a victory in the Sky Bet Dovecote Novice Hurdle for River Wylde.

But the debit column was rather longer. Charli Parcs may have tarnished his status when falling two out in the Betbright Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, putting Barry Geraghty out of action, certainly temporarily, while neither of the trainer’s two runners in the Betbright Chase managed to complete the first circuit.

Time will tell but Brain Power’s workout may have been the most informative of yesterday’s action. “It was exactly what I wanted,” said Henderson, after the gelding had tanked round two miles of Kempton under David Mullins. “He’s exactly where he wants to be. He’s ready to go. His confidence will be sky high after that.”

Meanwhile, Geraghty, first jockey to J P McManus, stayed down for some time before being taken to hospital for a scan on his liver.

Charli Parcs was not travelling like the winner on the home bend but, when the field fanned out going to the second last and he got some daylight, he came back on the bridle before falling. It was too far out to make a judgment but Alan King’s Master Blueyes, whom he had beaten here at Christmas, was travelling ominously well at the time and came home 11 lengths clear to end his trainer’s quest for a Triumph Hurdle horse. “I’ve never known a horse improve so much since Ludlow,” said King. “I didn’t have a Triumph horse, but he definitely is.”

The big race, the Betbright Chase, was won by 25-1 shot Pilgrims Bay, who provided journeyman jockey James Best with the most valuable winner of his career.