Nicky Henderson believes Epatante must be treated as “still a possible runner” in the Mares’ Hurdle – despite her not featuring among the initial entries for the Cheltenham Festival contest.
The winner of the Champion Hurdle in 2020 before placing behind Honeysuckle the following two years, Epatante has been given the option of a third crack at stablemate Constitution Hill as one of 17 to put their name in the hat for the Unibet Champion Hurdle on March 14th.
But Henderson admitted she should also have been given an entry for the mares-only Grade 1 40 minutes later on the opening day card and is keen to point out the supplementary system gives her just as much chance of lining-up in that contest as the Champion Hurdle – and therefore should still be considered as a potential runner for betting purposes
He said: “She should have been entered, she was meant to be entered and as far as everyone is concerned she is still a possible runner because she can be supplemented.
“She should have been entered, it was my mistake, which is embarrassing.
“She is still a possible runner in the Mares’ Hurdle. Just because she is not in it, doesn’t mean she can’t run in it and she has got as much chance of running in it this afternoon as she had this morning.”
He continued: “The supplementary system is very good and she can still be supplemented, therefore she should be considered as an entry in my opinion. It’s my mistake and I apologise, but she should not be excluded from the betting in the Mares’ Hurdle.
“Now I have no idea what race the intention of running in is, she should have been entered in both and she will run in one of the two, god willing. I can’t say which it will be because we don’t know and we wouldn’t know even if she had the entries for both races.
“But she must be considered as if she has been entered (for the Mares’), because we can supplement her at the five-day stage and we will do so if that is the race we want.”
Henderson, who is the Champion Hurdle’s leading trainer, could also be represented by Gerry Feilden winner First Street in the opening day feature while the Seven Barrows handler’s only other possible for the Mares’ Hurdle is defending champion Marie’s Rock, who is the current market leader at a best price of 5/2.
Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 87y
Tuesday 14th March
Bob Olinger (IRE) 8 Robcour Henry de Bromhead Ireland
Constitution Hill 6 Mr Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson
First Street 6 Lady Bamford & Alice Bamford Nicky Henderson
I Like To Move It 6 Anne-Marie & Jamie Shepperd Nigel Twiston-Davies
Jason The Militant (IRE) 9 Mr G. Nicholson Philip Kirby
Knappers Hill (IRE) 7 Mr P K Barber and Mr P J Vogt Paul Nicholls
Not So Sleepy 11 Lady Blyth Hughie Morrison
Pied Piper 5 Caldwell Construction Ltd Gordon Elliott Ireland
Sharjah (FR) 10 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland
Sir Gerhard (IRE) 8 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland
State Man (FR) 6 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland
Vauban (FR) 5 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland
Zanahiyr (IRE) 6 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland
Echoes In Rain (FR) 7 Barnane Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland
Epatante (FR) 9 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson
Honeysuckle 9 Mr K. Alexander Henry de Bromhead Ireland
Love Envoi (IRE) 7 Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates Love Envoi Harry Fry
17 entries
9 Irish-trained
Current betting: 1-3 Constitution Hill; 4-1 State Man; 7-1 Honeysuckle; 8-1 Vauban; 20-1 Epatante; 33-1 Sir Gerhard; 40-1 Bob Olinger, Love Envoi; 50-1 Sharjah, Echoes In Rain, I Like To Move It, First Street; 66-1 Pied Piper; 100-1 Zanahiyr, Knappers Hill, Jason The Militant; 150-1 Not So Sleepy
Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 3f 200y
Tuesday 14th March
Ailie Rose (IRE) 7 Miss E. Hamilton S. R. B. Crawford Ireland
Anna Bunina (FR) 7 Ms Caroline Ahearn John McConnell Ireland
Bop Bop Bobbin (IRE) 5 Mr Luke Comer Luke Comer Ireland
Braganza 8 Mrs Sharon Noonan W. P. Mullins Ireland
Brandy Love (IRE) 7 Mr Claudio Michael Grech W. P. Mullins Ireland
Echoes In Rain (FR) 7 Barnane Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland
Gauloise (FR) 7 Mr K. Alexander W. P. Mullins Ireland
Get A Tonic (IRE) 7 Cherry Knoll Farm, M&T Ward & D Skelton Dan Skelton
Holly Hartingo (IRE) 7 The HHH Partnership Alastair Ralph
Honeysuckle 9 Mr K. Alexander Henry de Bromhead Ireland
Indefatigable (IRE) 10 Mr Philip Rocher Paul Webber
Lady Adare (IRE) 7 Dare and Dolan-Abrahams Families Harry Fry
Love Envoi (IRE) 7 Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates Love Envoi Harry Fry
Marada 8 Little Lodge Farm & Dan Skelton Dan Skelton
Marie's Rock (IRE) 8 Middleham Park Racing XLII Nicky Henderson
Midnight Ginger 7 Mr A. V. John Andrew Martin
Molly Ollys Wishes 9 Mr Dean Pugh Dan Skelton
Queens Brook (IRE) 8 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland
Royale Margaux (FR) 5 DahlBury Racing Tom Symonds
Santa Rossa (IRE) 9 Mrs P J Conway Dermot Anthony McLoughlin Ireland
Shewearsitwell (IRE) 8 Closutton Racing Club W. P. Mullins Ireland
Skyace (IRE) 8 T.J. McDonald/Miss Rachel O'Neill John Joseph Hanlon Ireland
Telmesomethinggirl (IRE) 8 Mr K. Alexander Henry de Bromhead Ireland
West Balboa (IRE) 7 Bullen-Smith & Faulks Dan Skelton
24 entries
13 Irish-trained
Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 7f 213y
Thursday 16th March
Ashdale Bob (IRE) 8 Diarmuid Horgan Mrs J. Harrington Ireland
Asterion Forlonge (FR) 9 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland
Beacon Edge (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade Ireland
Blazing Khal (IRE) 7 Byrnes Bloodstock Ltd Charles Byrnes Ireland
Botox Has (FR) 7 John and Yvonne Stone Gary Moore
Buzz (FR) 9 Thurloe for Royal Marsden Cancer Charity Nicky Henderson
Chacun Pour Soi (FR) 11 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland
Dashel Drasher 10 Mrs B Tully and Mr R Lock Jeremy Scott
Flooring Porter (IRE) 8 Flooring Porter Syndicate Gavin Cromwell Ireland
Gelino Bello (FR) 7 Mr and Mrs J. D. Cotton Paul Nicholls
Goshen (FR) 7 Mr Steven Packham Gary Moore
Haut En Couleurs (FR) 6 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland
Hewick (IRE) 8 Mr T. J. Mcdonald John Joseph Hanlon Ireland
Home By The Lee (IRE) 8 Mr Sean O'Driscoll Joseph Patrick O'Brien Ireland
Klassical Dream (FR) 9 Mrs J Coleman W. P. Mullins Ireland
Langer Dan (IRE) 7 Mr Colm Donlon Dan Skelton
Monkfish (IRE) 9 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland
Paisley Park (IRE) 11 Mr Andrew Gemmell Emma Lavelle
Saint Sam (FR) 6 Mr Edward J. Ware W. P. Mullins Ireland
Sams Profile 9 Michael O'Flynn/John F O'Flynn M. F. Morris Ireland
Sharjah (FR) 10 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland
Sire du Berlais (FR) 11 Mr John P. McManus Gordon Elliott Ireland
Sir Gerhard (IRE) 8 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland
Summerville Boy (IRE) 11 Mr R. S. Brookhouse Henry de Bromhead Ireland
Teahupoo (FR) 6 Robcour Gordon Elliott Ireland
Zanahiyr (IRE) 6 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland
Indefatigable (IRE) 10 Mr Philip Rocher Paul Webber
Marie's Rock (IRE) 8 Middleham Park Racing XLII Nicky Henderson
28 entries
19 Irish-trained
Current betting: 5-1 Flooring Porter; 6-1 Home By The Lee; 8-1 Klassical Dream; 10-1 Blazing Khal, Ashdale Bob; 12-1 Marie’s Rock, Teahupoo; 14-1 Paisley Park, Sharjah; 16-1 Asterion Forlonge, Buzz, Sir Gerhard; 20-1 Chacun Pour Soi, Gelino Bello, Monkfish; 25-1 Dashel Drasher, Haut En Couleurs; 33-1 Goshen, Saint Sam; 40-1 Hewick; 50-1 Beacon Edge, Botox Has, Indefatigable, Zanahiyr; 66-1 Sams Profile, Sire Du Berlais, Summerville Boy; 100-1 Langer Dan