Cheltenham Festival Non-Runners: A Tough Call for Nicky Henderson
In an unprecedented series of events, esteemed horse racing trainer Nicky Henderson has announced several horses as non-runners at the highly anticipated Cheltenham Festival. Three of Henderson's horses were declared non-runners on Wednesday's Festival card, following discouraging performances from five of his six runners on day one.
Jonbon, Shishkin, and More Out of the Race
Among the non-runners is the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase aspirant Jonbon, as well as the Gold Cup prospect Shishkin, set for the Friday's card. In a public statement made on March 13th, Henderson conceded to concerns about his horses' health adversely affecting their performance. "It was there for all to see that there's obviously something affecting nearly all our horses", stated Henderson.
Health Concerns Prevail
The trainer went on to discuss the unenviable decisions resulting from the unusually subpar performance of their horses. Despite being scoped clean post-race, several horses, including Jonbon, First Street, and Kingston Pride did not meet expectations and have therefore been removed from Wednesday's lineup. There will unfortunately be further non-runners on Thursday and Friday.
A Blow to the Gold Cup Hopes
In a disheartening update to the Cheltenham Festival scene, Henderson announced another unexpected non-starter: Shishkin, a hopeful for Friday's Gold Cup. "Very sadly it won't be possible for Shishkin to run in the Gold Cup on Friday", announced Henderson. Despite a clean bill of health, Shishkin's scope revealed an "unsatisfactory picture" that ultimately ruled him out of the Gold Cup.
Additional Upset: Champ Withdraws
Further disheartening news includes the withdrawal of another of Henderson's contenders, Champ, from the Thursday's featured Stayers’ Hurdle race. Mentioning a possible alternative race at Aintree, Henderson admitted the setback was regrettable.
Possible Light at the End of the Tunnel
Despite the disheartening news, Henderson's only favourite in the meeting, Sir Gino, who has not yet been ruled out of the JCB Triumph Hurdle on Friday, provides a glimmer of hope. Although Sir Gino's odds have drifted to 7-4 post-announcement, we wait to see if he can redeem the team's prospects at the Festival.
Henderson's announcement at such a crucial juncture has stunned the Cheltenham Festival fanbase. However, the unwavering resolve to put the interest of the horses first exemplifies the ethos of ethical and responsible racing.
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Credit: Horse & Hound. March 13, 2024. 'We’ve had to make some very tough decisions': Nicky Henderson declares several horses non-runners at Cheltenham Festival
