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.”