Henderson eyes Cheltenham double for Santini as weather causes havoc
The weather may be causing a certain amount of havoc to midweek jump racing but both Cheltenham, which attracted some stellar entries for its trials day, and Doncaster are optimistic that they will go ahead on heavy ground on Saturday.
While Nicky Henderson is planning on sending the rising star of the chasing ranks, Shishkin, north to Doncaster for the Lightning Novices Chase, he hopes to send last year’s Gold Cup runner-up, Santini, back to Cheltenham, a course which plays to his strengths, for the Paddy Power “45 Sleeps to Cheltenham” Cotswold Chase.
However, the trainer suggested there may be some soul-searching before Santini – one of 10 entries who include former Gold Cup winner Native River, three-time Betfair winner Bristol De Mai, Rehearsal Chase winner Yorkhill and Lake View Lad, who beat Santini at Aintree this season – is confirmed for the race he won last year.
“It’s always been the plan,” said Henderson yesterday. “He was never going to go to Kempton
[where he finished fifth behind Frodon] for the King George, but he’s a horse who takes an almighty amount of work and he’d have been sitting here, waiting for Jan 30 for almost three months.
“It was never going to suit him and he was flat to the board, but we have no regrets, he’s fine and bouncing. But I am keeping an eye on the weather. There is only one going description at the tracks I’m interested in this week, and that is heavy – even Doncaster.
“Santini prefers decent ground and there comes a point when instead of being beneficial it does more harm than good – he doesn’t need another race like Kempton when he’s not really enjoying it.”
Shishkin, who is aiming to extend his winning run over obstacles to six, appears pretty resilient to ground conditions, having won on anything between heavy and good.
Paisley Park is another star name due for a last outing before the Festival in the Paddy Power Cleeve Hurdle, which he aims to win for a third year in succession. Last time out he came from an almost impossible position to gain revenge on Thyme Hill in the closing stages of the Long Walk, but that rival is not entered on Saturday.
“Can we try and have a slightly more relaxing time of it this time?” asked trainer Emma Lavelle yesterday. “He’s in great form. The timing is perfect. It’s probably no bad thing he goes back to Cheltenham before the main event after his last visit [when he was found to have an irregular heartbeat in last year’s Stayers Hurdle].”