William Hill Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1)

WE’RE used to seeing Constitution Hill (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville) winning by wide margins, but for once his rider seemed at pains to keep something back at the finish, and the 2/15 favourite cruised to victory over Sharjah (Willie/Patrick Mullins) by the unusually narrow margin of three lengths.

Some were unimpressed that the winner needed to be pushed out to maintain his advantage, but de Boinville was monitoring the big screen in the closing stages and having built up a sizeable lead on Constitution Hill, was content to allow the field to narrow the gap in the straight, and merely nudged his mount out to ensure he didn’t idle his lead away.

“That couldn’t have been more straightforward,” said Henderson in the aftermath. “Two and a half miles out there on your own, your mind could wander, but he’s just had a dawdle around and was in second gear the whole way. Nico said he was hardly doing anything on the way round.

Decisions

“I’m sure he’d get three miles, but there’ll be no decisions made today about next year [in terms of staying over hurdles or going chasing]. We’re not edging one way or the other.

“I’m not saying we won’t school him over a fence, but we’re not leaning any way. As long as he keeps doing it like that, we’ve got a long summer to look back on it and enjoy it and talk about what will happen next.

“There’s only so many races he can run in next year, Fighting Fifth, Christmas Hurdle, I do think the International will come into it on Trials day and then Champion Hurdle and come here. Some might say that’s boring, but we won’t find it boring. All options are still open, and we won’t make a decision until the autumn I’d have thought.”

Alder Hey Aintree Bowl (Grade 1)

NICKY Henderson was in fine form on Thursday, with Shishkin bouncing back from a frustrating display in the Ryanair to win a compelling race for the Aintree Bowl.

It looked like Nico de Boinville’s mount would have to play second fiddle to the front-running Ahoy Senor (Brian Hughes) as the pair pulled away from a tiring A Plus Tard from the penultimate fence, but the leader misjudged the obstacle, and although recovering well enough from the error, found Shishkin bearing down on him, and was unable to repel the challenge of the well-backed 7/4 favourite, with the pair separated by a length and a half at the line.

Shishkin has been called a few names, but aside from his capitulation in last year’s Champion Chase, he has always put his head down and battled in his races and did so again to pull this out of the fire on his first start at around three miles.

Few could argue that he didn’t stay the trip thoroughly and this win puts him in line for races like the King George and Gold Cup next season.

Good race

Henderson said: “He’s a very good horse and that was a very good race, fair play to Ahoy Senor, he was going well in the Gold Cup when he came down. He was so much better today than at Cheltenham. He does finish very well, he’s tough and he stays but he is getting quite lazy in his races.

“He won a Grade 1 over two mile and five at Ascot, and we thought we were right staying at that trip in the Ryanair but to be honest he wouldn’t have won over any trip. There were a few issues, he was very sore all over and we’ve had lots of people working on him.

“We took the tongue tie off as he didn’t like that. We’ve got to tweak things and that’s our job. I think it’s body not mind.”

Regarding Shishkin’s immediate future, the trainer added: “Three miles is where we’ll stay, we won’t be coming back. I know the Gold Cup is not much further than this, but it is a different track.

“The obvious place is the King George, then take it from there. Whether you go Betfair and then King George, you are fairly limited in your options, but the King George is the obvious target. He won’t go to Punchestown now.”

Racehorse Lotto Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)

BANBRIDGE (Joseph O’Brien/JJ Slevin) was a late withdrawal from the Turners’ Novices’ Chase won by Stage Star at Cheltenham, and there was a sense of what might have been as he thumped that rival in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase.

In the end Stage Star folded tamely when passed, and it was Arkle third Saint Roi (Willie Mullins/Mark Walsh) who gave chase to the easy-to-back 2/1 winner, albeit unable to get closer than a length and a half as Banbridge stayed on powerfully after the final fence.

Banbridge had flopped over three miles here last year having won the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham, but it was a different story back at the right trip and coming here fresh having finished second in the Irish Arkle in February when last seen.

“JJ gave him a lovely ride and it’s great to come here with a fresh horse,” said the winning handler. “He was a little bit sticky over the first couple, normally he’s quite exuberant but he was a little bit slow. Once he got into his rhythm, he was lovely.

Experience

“We took him to Cheltenham early in the season to get experience [won the Arkle Trial in November] and then we ended up missing the Festival, but that’s the way it goes. We ran him in the Drinmore and we knew he was just a much better horse on better ground so there was no point in wasting runs on heavy ground.

“I think we probably saw the result of minding him earlier in the spring today. It was beautiful ground today, on the easy side but perfect spring ground. We’ll look at Punchestown now - he could stay further in time, but I’d imagine it might be back at two miles there because he’s not slow. Two would be more likely but I don’t know yet.”

Jewson Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1)

THE finish of the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle was a cracker, with Zenta (Willie Mullins/Mark Walsh) and Bo Zenith (Gary/Jamie Moore) going to the line locked together, and it was only by a short head that the Triumph Hurdle third gained the verdict, with neither of the jockeys involved sure which had won.

Zenta, sent off a warm favourite at 5/4, travelled notably well and looked like she might win well when sent to the front after the final hurdle. Bo Zenith, who had led from the third-last flight, rallied to such effect that he might have got back up in another stride.

Nusret (Joseph O’Brien/Daryl Jacob) stayed on well from the back of the field to finish a clear third but was still five lengths adrift of the front pair as he hit the finish line.

Rest of the Card

FAMOUS Clermont (Chris Barber/Will Biddick) was a 9/2 winner of the Foxhunters’ Chase having been a non-stayer at Cheltenham on his previous start. He saved every inch in giving leading point rider Biddick a belated first win in the event.

Dancing On My Own (15/2) went one better than in 2022 when taking the Red Rum Handicap Chase for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore, and Dysart Enos (Fergal O’Brien/Paddy Brennan) was an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Nickel Coin Mares’ Bumper, winning by nine lengths at an SP of 13/2.