JP McManus-owned horse stuns trainer with New Year's Day performance
A new plan could be on the cards for the veteran
Nicky Henderson was visibly stunned as Chantry House rolled back the years to take the Betfair Handicap Chase in decisive fashion at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
The JP McManus-owned veteran was a dual Grade One winner in his novice chasing days, winning at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree in 2021.
He would go on to be a Gold Cup contender the following year, but was pulled up in the blue riband after claiming the Cotswold Chase on Trials day. Since then he has found victories hard to come by and has most recently been seen campaigning over hurdles.
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Reverting back to the larger obstacles on the day he turned 11, Chantry House showed plenty of his old zest when sent off at 8-1 and travelled kindly for his pilot Nico de Boinville to stalk Ben Pauling’s Bowtogreatness and Sam Thomas’ Our Power into the straight.
He was delivered by De Boinville heading towards the last before galloping home six and a half lengths clear of Our Power who edged out Bowtogreatness for second. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 5-6 favourite Broadway Boy was well held in fourth.
A surprised Henderson told ITV Racing: “The plan was to actually go hunter chasing with him and I just needed to get another run into him to get him ready.
“I’m not sure we haven’t made a bodge of this and I’m not sure he is still eligible (for hunter chases) now – he might have to go and win a Grand National or something instead!
“It has scuppered me a little and we were just trying to rekindle his enthusiasm as he was a very, very good horse. We might have to rethink.
“He’s really enjoyed himself and he hasn’t been over fences for a long time only because he had a fall at Wetherby a couple of years ago which really hurt him and damaged his confidence.
“He spent last year running intermittently over hurdles and it has been hard work, I must admit, but he is just lovely.
“He’s jumped well, travelled well and he’s just followed them round. I thought he would get tired, but it is lovely to see him come back and do that. It was slightly unexpected at the time though I must admit.”
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