Can Nicky Henderson make this year’s race for the Cheltenham Leading Trainer title an interesting one? (Sponsored content from Receptional)
When you look at the market for the winner of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival Leading Trainer accolade, it looks like there is only going to be one winner of the title. That man is, of course, Willie Mullins. The Irish handler has won the award for the last four years in a row and is seeking a 10 career success at this year’s Festival.
He’s heavily backed to do so as well, coming in as the massive odds-on favourite in the horse racing odds at 1/8. The bookmaker’s stance should not come as a surprise though, the Closutton boss landed a record 10 winners 12 months ago and now boasts 10 ante-post favourites and 19 horses in the top three of the betting for the meeting’s 14 Grade 1s.
But will it really be as straight forward for Mullins again this year as the betting suggests? Racking up 10 winners for two years in a row certainly doesn’t seem likely, in fact, some industry experts are tipping Mullins to have as little as five or six winners at the upcoming renewal — which could still be good for the title, especially when you consider Mullins’ strength in depth and how many runners he will likely have placed.
His nearest challengers in the betting are Irish counterpart Gordon Elliot and old rival Nicky Henderson, who are fancied at 7/1 and 8/1 to win their third and fourth top trainer titles respectively. But it’s the latter we are going to focus on as the British trainer has some huge claims throughout the meeting.
If the veteran trainer is to put up a fight for the Leading Trainer award, then he will need what many are tipping to be a huge day for him on the opening card to materalise. It goes without saying that Constitution Hill is just about as much of a guaranteed winner as they come in the Champion Hurdle, and his odds of 2/7 are testament to that.
But if Henderson can also pick up with victories either side of the day one feature, then he will round the card off with three victories and he has a great chance of doing that with Jonbon and Marie’s Rock. The former is the joint-favourite with Mullins’ El Fabiolo for the Arkle Challenge Trophy and if he can get one over on the Irishman in that race then that’s a great start to the Festival.
Marie’s Rock participation in the Mares’ Hurdle is still somewhat questionable, as Henderson and the horse’s connections Middleham Park Racing are at loggerheads over whether she should defend her crown or go for the Stayers’ Hurdle. The mares’ contest still seems the more likely option and while Honeysuckle is now the favourite, you can’t rule out Marie’s Rock after her performances at Prestbury Park.
Thursday is also shaping up to be a good day for Henderson, with two more favourites set to line up. The first is Shishkin in the Ryanair Chase, the nine-year-old returned to form after a wind operation and stepped up in trip for the Ascot Chase — winning by 16 lengths in Berkshire — and is now one of the bankers of the week at 8/11.
The other is the exciting novice filly Luccia, who is heavily backed at 6/4 to win the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices Hurdle for Seven Barrows. With the depth of Henderson’s contingent, the 72-year-old has every chance of landing wins in other races we haven’t picked out as well. He should certainly be capable of pushing Mullins close in the race of the title.
