Grandouet puts himself in Cheltenham Champion Hurdle picture

Nicky Henderson is no stranger to the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle having nursed the great See You Then to three consecutive victories (1985-7) and subsequently turned out Punjabi (2009) and Binocular (2010) to lift the ultimate hurdling prize. At Cheltenham’s December meeting, Grandouet put his credentials on the line and ran out a smooth winner of the International Hurdle and was immediately cut to 8-1 second favourite to give Henderson a sixth win in the race next March.

Grandouet had raced at Cheltenham twice in his juvenile campaign and on both occasions appeared to struggle to get home. There was a nagging doubt in the trainer’s mind that the Cheltenham hill would always find him out and he resisted the temptation to go for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton in order to find out. With Geraghty keen to restrain the gelding as long as possible, everything went to plan and he easily outsprinted the consistent Overturn to win by four lengths. The hope is now that he is strengthening up and will probably only be given one more race ahead of the Champion Hurdle itself.

Henderson has an embarrassment of riches in the hurdling department with the 2010 Champion Binocular also aimed at regaining his crown and the consistent Oscar Whisky, third in the Champion Hurdle last year behind Hurricane Fly and also a winner at the December meeting. Oscar Whisky may be stepped up in trip to challenge Big Bucks in the 3 mile division but it is too early to rule out another tilt at the Champion. Henderson also has a fourth string to his bow in the shape of Spirit Son, a hugely impressive winner at Aintree last season. His reappearance will determine whether or not he will be campaigned with the Champion Hurdle in mind.

Last year’s winner Hurricane Fly heads the Cheltenham ante-post betting market at 9-4 and there are other possible contenders who are yet to reappear this season include the Triumph Hurdle winner Zarkandar who is trained by Paul Nicholls. This beautifully bred gelding is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles and natural progression would put him firmly among the challengers at Cheltenham 2012. Nicholls also trains a possible dark horse in Rock On Ruby who looked much improved when winning on his seasonal debut at Newbury’s Hennessy Gold Cup meeting. With Hurricane Fly still to appear this season and some fascinating trials over the Christmas period, the ante-post betting on the Champion Hurdle could be set to change in the weeks ahead.