As ever, runners hailing from the Closutton yard of Willie Mullins dominate many of the ante-post markets ahead of the looming National Hunt season. However, the Irish training titan is likely to face stern resistance from the leading British yards. Dan Skelton, Paul Nicholls, and Olly Murphy are names to note, but in terms of sheer star quality, the Seven Barrows operation of Nicky Henderson leads the way among British trainers.
Not everything went right for Henderson in a 2024/25 season plagued by injuries and loss of form. Nevertheless, the 74-year-old trainer ended the campaign with seven Grade 1 victories and over £2.2 million in prize money. Bettering those tallies is a realistic goal for 2025/26. With the weeks counting down to the start of the season, Henderson has outlined his plans for four of the most talented horses under his care.
Constitution Hill Passes MOT
Despite ending 2024/25 with successive falls at Cheltenham and Aintree, and an abject display at Punchestown, Constitution Hill remains the biggest name in the hurdling game. Those most recent efforts do pose a question but are not enough to erase a record that includes eight Grade 1 wins, including two at the Cheltenham Festival. But can the soon-to-be nine-year-old bounce back?
Henderson has left no stone unturned in his efforts to restore the 2m hurdle sensation to his former glories. A full MOT revealed nothing amiss, while a positive eye test suggested that those springtime tumbles were caused by poor judgement rather than poor vision.
Henderson is certainly keeping the faith about a horse he labels, “Still the best jumper over a hurdle in the world.” Constitution Hill is set to make his return in the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday, 29 November, before heading to Kempton to defend his Christmas Hurdle crown. Should all go well, all roads lead to the Champion Hurdle – a race for which he can be backed at a general price of 10/1.
Slow and Steady with Recovering Sir Gino
While Constitution Hill saw his star diminish slightly in 2025, Sir Gino was denied the chance to light up the springtime highlight. Stepping in for Constitution Hill, he sauntered to victory in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, before dismissing Ballyburn on his debut over fences in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase. The sky appeared to be the limit for the five-year-old, only for a nasty ligament infection to threaten not only his career, but also his life.
Happily, following an extensive course of antibiotic treatment, Sir Gino returned to Seven Barrows in March. While keen to take things slowly, Henderson gave a positive update on the five-year-old’s progress.
“For him to come out the other side and look amazing is unbelievable. He’s developed again. It tells you how strong and solid he is, because he had six weeks of the most intense antibiotics you could drill into a horse.”
Despite such a rocky road, Sir Gino’s unbeaten record and undoubted ability place him second best in most betting lists for the Champion Chase. However, the Desert Orchid Chase at the Kempton Christmas meeting is only tentatively pencilled in as a potential comeback date, as Henderson explained:
“I would’ve thought it’s unlikely we’ll see him race before Christmas, as we’re going very slowly, but we’re probably ahead of the predicted plan for him.”
Jonbon to Stick to Two Miles
With three runner-up finishes at the Cheltenham Festival, Jonbon can’t seem to get it right at Prestbury Park in March. However, his overall level of form gives him legitimate claims of being the king of the two-mile chase division. Now a 10-time Grade 1 winner, the JP McManus star is set to stick to what he does best in 2025/26, at least initially.
Long touted as the sort who may enjoy stepping up to three miles for races such as the King George VI Chase, Henderson looks set to resist that urge for now. Having kicked off the past two seasons with wins in the Shloer Chase and Tingle Creek Chase, Henderson suggested the nine-year-old will tread a familiar path this year:
“We’ll go to the Shloer and the Tingle Creek, and then we can always review if we need to go further, but the plan is definitely those two.”
Jonbon is available to back at a general 12/1 for the Champion Chase.
King George Target for Jango Baie
Constitution Hill and Jonbon came up short at Cheltenham 2025, while Sir Gino missed the festival entirely. However, it wasn’t all bad for Henderson in March. One of the highlights came in the Arkle Chase, where Jango Baie came from way off the pace to grab Grade 1 gold.
That win was all the more remarkable considering the two-mile trip was considered a bare minimum for the six-year-old. Many Arkle winners go on to contest the Champion Chase, but for Jango Baie, a step up in trip appears to be on the cards. Outlining the plans for the Countrywide Park Homes Ltd runner, Henderson said, “He’s a very exciting horse and he’s got to be considered a stayer in the making. I’d have thought the King George would be under consideration.” With those words in mind, Jango Baie may be a popular each way option for the festive feature at a widely available 25/1.
Much to look forward to at Seven Barrows. Hopefully, Henderson will enjoy a little more luck with his big-name stars than he has in recent seasons.