JP’S EPIC BIRTHDAY
Henderson enjoys eight campaign as JP’s ‘third-string’ Epatante turns Champion Hurdle into a one-horse race
A CHORUS of “Happy Birthday” rang out at Cheltenham yesterday — and not just from racegoers washing their hands to avoid coronavirus.
JP McManus (right) turned 69 on the opening day of the Festival and celebrated by watching Epatante blitz to victory in the Unibet Champion Hurdle. Nicky Henderson’s mare erased the memory of a costly flop last year, sprinting up the famous hill under jockey Barry Geraghty to beat Sharjah by three lengths. “Prior to Cheltenham last year, I said to Nicky, ‘Give me one for the week — I don’t care whether it’s mine or not!’” revealed the winning owner, landing the race for the ninth time. “Nicky said, ‘Let me tell you, it’s yours – Epatante!
“She wasn’t herself on the day and but it has worked great!”
Epatante, 7-2 at the start of trading yesterday, went off a well-backed 2-1 favourite. But scourge of the ring McManus was not part of the gamble.
“I was happy to see her win,” he purred.
EPATANTE shattered the illusion of the most ‘open’ Champion Hurdle in years by turning the opening day’s feature into a onehorse race.
So-called informed opinion decreed there wasn’t a standout candidate among the 17 horses who cantered to post for the Unibetsponsored test.
But punters ignored the experts, smashing Nicky Henderson’s mare into 2-1 favouritism – and Barry Geraghty’s mount (right) netted the bets in style, surging to a three-length supremacy over Sharjah, with novice Darver Star home in third.
“The door was open for someone to come and say, ‘I am the champ!’ I think she has done that,” said Henderson, who added to his own previous record of seven Champion Hurdle triumphs.
“She was always travelling well. Barry gave her a beautiful ride – he always had it covered.
“She has the gears.”
Last August, owner JP McManus’ 2019 Champion Hurdle hero Espoir D’Allen was put down after suffering an injury in training, and two months later Buveur D’Air, the winner of the previous two runnings, suffered a season-ending injury during a shock defeat in Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
The same November afternoon, Epatante led home a Seven Barrows 1-2-3 in a Newbury handicap hurdle, setting herself up for a tilt at
Kempton’s Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day – which she won by five lengths.
“From JP’s point of view, he lost last year’s Champion Hurdle winner, then lost Buveur D’Air – who will be back – so has come in with virtually his third string,” added Henderson, whose Punchestown-bound winner is the 6-1 favourite to follow up next March.
“That’s some testament to pull another one out of the bag when technically you have lost your one and two.”
Epatante had lost her place at the head of the ante-post market at the end of last month when Henderson revealed her to be suffering from a cough.
“She coughed for two days – we said so straight away – but as soon as she read the paper the next day, she stopped!” he laughed.
Ice-cool Geraghty, 40 – winning a fourth Champion Hurdle – admitted: “I was a little concerned about the ground, but she was jumping where I wanted her to. My plan was to play her late, and it worked out perfectly.
“Nicky has done an amazing job – she has flourished from Christmas to today and there is no better trainer of a Champion Hurdler.
“JP could have had last year’s winner and a previous two-time winner, yet neither was here today and he’s still won it.
“He puts so much into the game. He deserves it.”