Henderson to get his House back in order

GOLD Cup aspirant Chantry House (Cheltenham, 2.30) spearheads Nicky Henderson’s assault on today’s marquee races, as the eight-year-old bids to put his season back on track in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase.

The Seven Barrows trainer also saddles two other hot favourites in Champ, in the Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle at Prestbury Park, and Fusil Raffles, in Doncaster’s Sky Bet Chase, as he looks to continue a golden run since Boxing Day which has brought victories for a number of his stable stars.

A powerful quartet is completed by Balco Coastal, who will strive to enhance his Festival credentials in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, and victory for the six-year-old could complete a day to forget for the layers.

It is perhaps Chantry House, though, who has more to prove, even if this afternoon’s staying feature is not as deep as some previous renewals.

Well-backed to launch a major assault on the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, last season’s Marsh Novices’ Chase winner failed to fire and was pulled up following an effort which was littered with errors.

The failure to find a rhythm at his fences and travel with any fluency was disconcerting for a second-season chaser aspiring to build a cogent case as a potential Gold Cup winner.

However, every horse should be afforded an off day and the tempo of this afternoon’s event should be a good deal gentler than the ferocious early gallop set by Minella Indo and Frodon on Boxing Day.

Chantry House should also be happier returning to Cheltenham, where he posted one of his career best efforts in the spring, and a return to better ground may be an assistance given how he dismantled Aye Right and Simply The Betts, who has his stamina to prove at today’s distance.

Henderson reaches for the cheekpieces to help concentrate the mind of his talented star, and if they help him regain his mojo he really ought to go very close to redeeming his reputation.

Half an hour later, Champ will be short odds to strengthen his position at the head of the Stayers Hurdle betting when he tackles just four rivals in the Cleeve.

With Klassical Dream running poorly on Thursday, Champ ascended to favouritism for the staying feature in six weeks and a repeat of his Long Walk Hurdle success at a track he enjoys would surely be enough to see him supplement that Grade One victory.

FORMeR Newmarket trainer Mick Ryan, who saddled Katies to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas in 1984, died on Thursday night aged 80.