HE’S at it again. For the third consecutive Saturday Nicky ‘the comeback kid’ Henderson is out to be everyone’s bae.
Following success for Jonbon in the Grade 1 Clarence House at Ascot and Constitution Hill’s romp at Cheltenham, it’s now the turn of Jango Baie to strut his stuff in style at Sandown for the Seven Barrows maestro.
PAA year on from his Cheltenham disaster, Hendo is back and arguably better than ever[/caption]
Jango Baie faces just three rivals in the Grade 1 Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase, putting his Cheltenham Festival credentials on the line.
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The now six-year-old was a talented and consistent hurdler, landing a Grade 1 at Aintree in 2023.
My Saturday NAP
Paul Nicholls’ charge won this last year and is absolutely thrown in off this mark.
He chased home the useful Personal Ambition in a Grade 2 at Kelso the following year before heading back to Liverpool and finishing second in a big-field handicap.
However, and perhaps not surprisingly as a point to point runner-up over two and a half miles, his future looks even more rosy over fences.
On chase debut Under Rules at Cheltenham in December he jumped with aplomb to deny the useful Spingwell Bay, with the much-hyped Caldwell Potter back in third.
On current ratings, Jango Baie is the best in this afternoon’s line-up in a contest live on ITV and won in the past by the likes of First Bout (Henderson), Bradbury Star, triple Gold Cup hero Best Mate, Bristol de Mai and L’Homme Presse.
However, by definition of being youngsters all his three rivals are open to improvement, none more so than Kalif du Berlais, who looked classy when winning at Cheltenham over shorter.
This step up to two and a half miles should suit the former Grade 2 Adonis victor and Paul Nicholls holds the five-year-old in high regard.
Handstands might well try and go from the front, with stamina assured after a success over three miles at this track two outings ago.
He kept on well over about this trip at Ffos Las in January and could also have much more to give.
With recent Ascot victor Mark of Gold completing the quintet, it promises to be an informative renewal.
Jango Baie has to be the selection and he is currently around 12-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival.
As mentioned, three-time Gold Cup hero Best Mate won the Scilly Isles, and Irish star Galopin des Champs will next month also bid for a third success in jump racing’s most treasured prize.
First, though, he’s out to repeat his Savills Chase romp in Ireland’s big race of the day, the Grade 1 Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, also live on ITV.
In opposition is the Savills runner-up Fact to File and Monty’s Star, who chased home Fact to File in the 2024 Brown Advisory.
However Audrey Turley’s 13-time scorer, who has picked up over £1.5million in prize money, should just be too good once again.
Earlier on the Leopardstown card the Grade 1 Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase marks the second run over the larger obstacles for the Triumph Hurdle winner Majborough.
Like Galopin des Champs trained by Willie Mullins, Majborough has always looked a chaser in the making and scored at Fairyhouse in December.
The son of Japanese sire Martonborough made all that day and currently sits as a 4-1 chance for the My Pension Expert Arkle.
He will need, though, to put up a spectacular effort to be troubling Sir Gino at the top of ante-post lists for the Cheltenham speed test.
At Leopardstown tomorrow a piece of the Champion Hurdle jigsaw should be in place after the Grade 1 Irish equivalent.
Current title holder State Man – beaten twice this season by the absent Brighterdaysahead – tackles his Mullins-handled stable companion Lossiemouth, the brilliant Triumph heroine of 2023 and facile Mares’ Hurdle router of 2024.
Paul Townend, who has ridden State Man in all but one of his 16 Irish outings, stays loyal to his old friend and ditches Lossiemouth, herself thrashed by Constitution Hill at Kempton over Christmas.
It’s hard to know whether either are at their very best right now, but even if they were I can’t see anything touching Constitution Hill as he prepares to land a second Champion Hurdle.
Henderson has worked wonders to get the latter back to prime condition, and I actually think you can argue Constitution Hill is in a better place than he’s ever been.
That’s a matter of opinion and one that is up for debate.
What can’t be doubted in any discussion is that this is a huge weekend for a number of leading Festival hopefuls.
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