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