Nicky Henderson is no stranger to top-level success over the full National Hunt spectrum. From his Seven Barrows base, the six-time British Champion Trainer has landed just about every major prize on the calendar, with the only glaring omission being the Aintree Grand National. Hurdles or fences, two miles or three miles or more, Henderson knows what it takes to hit a Grade 1 target. However, if there is a sphere in which the 73-year-old truly excels, it is in the realm of the two-mile chaser.
An Unrivalled Cast of Stars
Focussing on the 21st Century alone, Henderson has sent out a frightening array of two-mile chase talent. Sprinter Sacre, Altior, Simonsig, Shiskin, and Jonbon all left the comfort of Seven Barrows to take the division by storm.
The above quintet represent only a selection of the star names to have rolled off the Henderson production line. Looking further back in time, Remittance Man, Finian’s Rainbow and others made their contribution to a stellar record of two-mile chase success, which includes:
- Queen Mother Champion Chase, 6 Wins – Joint record with Paul Nicholls and Tom Dreaper
- Arkle Challenge Trophy, 7 Wins – Outright record
- Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, 5 Wins – Second in the all-time list
- Tingle Creek Chase, 3 Wins – Joint third in the all-time list
- Clarence House Chase, 6 Wins – Outright record
- Celebration Chase, 7 Wins – Joint record with Paul Nicholls
Sir Gino Next in Line?
Given that sensational CV, punters always pay close attention to anything Henderson sends in pursuit of Grade 1 two-mile chase glory. Looking at the current team, seven-time Grade 1 winner Jonbon is the flag bearer amongst the experienced chasers and currently heads the betting for Queen Mother Champion Chase gold in 2025.
Behind the established names, Seven Barrows invariably boasts a host of promising up-and-comers seemingly ready, willing, and able to take the step up into the big time. However, before the 2024/25 campaign, the yard appeared to lack an obvious contender for the Arkle Chase on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival – a race representing the pinnacle of the two-mile novice chase division. That has now changed, with the news that one of the star novice hurdlers from 2023/24 will graduate straight to fences in the season ahead.
Perfect Over the Smaller Obstacles
Raced just once in France, Sir Gino bagged a Listed Hurdle at Auteuil before switching to the Henderson yard in October 2023. Held in the highest regard from an early stage, the son of It’s Gino wasted little time delivering on the hype. Kicking off with a 14-length rout at Kempton, he moved up to Grade 2 company in style when slamming the talented Burdett Road by 10 lengths in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham.
Unfortunately, Sir Gino was amongst those affected by the sickness in the yard in February/March, seeing him miss his Cheltenham Festival assignment. However, he showed no ill effects when returning for the Grade 1 Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at the Aintree Grand National meeting. Sent off at 11/10 in a field containing highly regarded runners from the Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls operations, the mount of Nico de Boinville asserted late for a comfortable success by more than three lengths. On the back of that display, many predicted that the biggest danger to Constitution Hill may emerge from within his own yard.
Fluent Fencing Sparks a Change in Plan
However, this week brought the news that Sir Gino’s short but scintillating hurdles career is almost certainly over. This strapping gelding always appeared likely to tackle fences in future campaigns, but possibly not before scaling the two-mile hurdle heights. That chasing future has now become the present.
Unable to resist the temptation, Henderson set about schooling Sir Gino over fences at home – with seemingly spectacular results. Updating the racing public on his progress, Henderson stated:
“We tried him a few weeks ago over a fence, and he was just so good. He’s a highly talented horse as a hurdler, but what we saw the other day from him was extremely good. He looks like a chaser, he’s a big boy.”
Given the talent Henderson has witnessed take flight over a fence, that statement is a ringing endorsement of Sir Gino’s potential as a chaser. With Champion Hurdle king, State Man, representing Mrs J Donnelly in the two-mile hurdle division, Sir Gino will skip his season in open hurdles in favour of an assault on the novice chase division.
Sir Gino is expected to reappear in a 2m2f beginners’ chase at Kempton on 25th November, so keep an eye out for his name in the fast racing results later in the month. This contest may only be a Class 4 event, but it has benefitted from a little Henderson stardust on more than one occasion.
Altior landed the 2010 edition on his chase debut before going on to nine Grade 2 Chase victories, including the Arkle Chase and two wins in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. A decade later, Shiskin stormed 23 lengths clear on his first start over fences before registering six top-level chase victories.
Whether Sir Gino can scale similar heights remains to be seen, but he’s certainly in the right hands and adds significant interest to the two-mile novice chase division. The fact that he has yet to jump a fence in public hasn’t deterred punters, with Sir Gino currently trading at a general 6/1 for the Arkle Chase.
