Soldatino adds another string to Henderson's bow
Posted March 12th, 2010 at 10:49 AM by horseracingblogger
Updated June 21st, 2010 at 08:48 PM by Miles312
Updated June 21st, 2010 at 08:48 PM by Miles312
Nicky Henderson will send a tremendously powerfully team to this year's Cheltenham Festival, a hand further strengthened by the impressive win of British debutant Soldatino in the Racingpost.com Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton, writes Elliot Slater.
The French bred grey had only been with the Seven Barrows handler for five weeks and some reports suggested that he had more than his fair share of temperament. A record of two defeats in French bumpers before a win at Pau in a three-runner novice hurdle in January hardly looked on the face of it to be anything out of the ordinary.
In recent years Henderson has used Kempton's Grade 2 juvenile hurdle as a step up the racing ladder for some of his very best horses – he won with Punjabi (2007) and Binocular (2008) – so probably the hint should have been taken. Soldatino's task was made significantly easier with the absence of the anticipated odds-on favourite Mille Chief due to injury, but there was no mistaking the authority with which the four-year-old despatched proven performers Toubab and the favourite Ultimate.
Even though the time of the race was anything but spectacular bookmakers seemed suitably impressed with Barry Geraghty's mount who was cut from 40/1 to 20's soon after crossing the winning line seven lengths clear of the field.
Henderson however refused to definitely commit Soldatino to a crack at the JCB Triumph Hurdle, pointing out that it is still possible he might run new French import Super Kenny and even short-priced Sandown flop According in the two-mile juvenile cavalry charge that opens the fourth and final day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Whether or not he does race next in the Triumph Hurdle, there seems little doubt that Soldatino appears to have plenty of ability and should pay his way in the future, something to consider when placing a Cheltenham Bet in the coming weeks.
The French bred grey had only been with the Seven Barrows handler for five weeks and some reports suggested that he had more than his fair share of temperament. A record of two defeats in French bumpers before a win at Pau in a three-runner novice hurdle in January hardly looked on the face of it to be anything out of the ordinary.
In recent years Henderson has used Kempton's Grade 2 juvenile hurdle as a step up the racing ladder for some of his very best horses – he won with Punjabi (2007) and Binocular (2008) – so probably the hint should have been taken. Soldatino's task was made significantly easier with the absence of the anticipated odds-on favourite Mille Chief due to injury, but there was no mistaking the authority with which the four-year-old despatched proven performers Toubab and the favourite Ultimate.
Even though the time of the race was anything but spectacular bookmakers seemed suitably impressed with Barry Geraghty's mount who was cut from 40/1 to 20's soon after crossing the winning line seven lengths clear of the field.
Henderson however refused to definitely commit Soldatino to a crack at the JCB Triumph Hurdle, pointing out that it is still possible he might run new French import Super Kenny and even short-priced Sandown flop According in the two-mile juvenile cavalry charge that opens the fourth and final day of the Cheltenham Festival.
Whether or not he does race next in the Triumph Hurdle, there seems little doubt that Soldatino appears to have plenty of ability and should pay his way in the future, something to consider when placing a Cheltenham Bet in the coming weeks.
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