Nicky Henderson sweating over Cheltenham Festival ‘secret weapon’ named after sporting great

10 months ago 59

NICKY HENDERSON is praying his ‘secret weapon’ can make the cut in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham.

The six-time champion trainer ran the rule over his star-studded Festival squad during his annual press morning at Seven Barrows.

Doddiethegreat (left) is a 12-1 shot for the Coral Cup at Cheltenham[/caption]

He has Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill, top four-year-old Sir Gino and Gold Cup contender Shishkin to worry about with the big meeting just 19 days away.

But it’s one of his team of handicappers that is giving him the biggest headache.

He is desperate to run the lightly-raced, but very talented, Doddiethegreat in the Coral Cup.

The eight-year-old is named after the late rugby union legend Doddie Weir, who tragically died in 2022 aged just 52.

The horse returned from a long injury lay-off to win at Ascot first time out this season, and he has since run well in big handicaps at Cheltenham and Newbury.

He was fourth behind his stablemate Iberico Lord in the Betfair Hurdle last time over two miles, and Hendo reckons he is crying out for a step up in distance.

But the horse is still rated 132 after that run and his trainer is worried he won’t make the cut in the Coral Cup – with the final horse to make the cut last year rated 134.

The horse is currently a top-price 12-1 for the fiercely competitive hurdle race, and Hendo said: “I’m worried he might not get in which really is hurting me.

“He wouldn’t have got in last year and if he doesn’t it will be really sad because he is crying out for a step up in trip.

“He ran a great race at Newbury in the Betfair Hurdle, and when I went to bed that night I was thinking about Doddie in the Coral Cup, not Iberico Lord who won the race.

“I think Doddie would be my secret weapon if he were to make the cut, I really like him.”

The gelding also has an entry in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle, and last year the cut-off for the last horse in was rated 126, so that could be a viable alternative.