Welcome winner for Henderson

His Seven Barrows stable may be enduring a frustrating time at the moment but Nicky Henderson was given a welcome lift by Papini at Newbury today.

He also enhanced his prospects of landing a race at Cheltenham he would especially like to win when the four-year-old landed the Berkshire Stand Bookshop Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.

Henderson has not had much to shout about during the first half of the campaign, owing largely to a bug which has affected a number of his team.

But Papini’s half-length triumph over At Your Request had the trainer looking ahead to the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, a new race at this year’s Festival.

After the 7-4 victor had been greeted by a jubilant group of people belonging to the Newbury Racehorse Owners Group, a relieved Henderson said: “At the moment it’s only me and half the staff that are coughing, thank God, although I admit that we won’t be overly busy for the rest of the month.

“This is partly due to the fact that we’ve had quite a lot of them revaccinated.

“Papini will make a smashing chaser one day but I think he’s made for the Fred Winter race, which I would especially like to win.”

Henderson, who assisted the late Winter before taking out his licence, added: “He stays and he tries, which is half the battle with these four-year-olds.”

Another Cheltenham hint was dropped when the James Fanshawe-trained Pole Star (1-2) outclassed his rivals under Robert Thornton in the Fabulous Fakes Novices’ Hurdle.

The seven-year-old is proving a good purchase for his owner Paul Green, who can look ahead to a choice of engagements at the Festival.

Coral cut the one-time Ascot Gold Cup third, who beat Spartan Place by seven lengths, from 25-1 into 20s for the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle.

But Fanshawe observed: “He will have one more race beforehand and could go back to two miles, although he obviously stays well.

“He is getting rejuvenated by his jumping and that was nice and easy for him. It’s great fun to have novices like him, Reveillez and Prins Willem, especially when they win like this one did.”

The fortunes of Jim Old have taken an upswing this month and that trend continued when young Collier short-headed Dun An Doras in the CiSTM Racing Club Handicap Chase.

The winner, 5-2, was headed on the run-in only to battle back under Wayne Hutchinson to lead again on the post.

Owner Wally Sturt was a relieved man and admitted: “I was convinced we’d won but it took so long for the judge to call it that I was beginning to lose my confidence.

“This horse is still a bit of a baby and he looks as if he wants to go further.”

Hutchinson, however, was subsequently found guilty of improper riding by the stewards, who decided he had hit Young Collier in an incorrect place.

They suspended him for two days, January 24 and 25.

Supporters of last month’s Mandarin Chase winner, Ulusaba never held hopes of collecting as the gelding was always well back in the cantorspreadfair.com Handicap Chase won by King Harald.

In another exciting finish, the 11-2 chance was headed on the run to the line by The Bandit before regaining the lead in the shadow of the post under Mattie Batchelor.

His trainer Mark Bradstock said: “He’s taken a long time to learn about jumping fences but as he is lightly raced there should be plenty more to come.”

The CiSTM Racing Club Novices’ Chase looked like being won by three different horses before Mixsterthetrixster arrived late on the scene under Joe Tizzard.

Grey Report tried to pull himself up going round the paddock bend, then Captain Corelli spoiled his chance by diving at the final fence, which left See You Sometime holding the whip hand.

However, Tizzard timed it to perfection on Mixsterthetrixster, who was giving Tracey Barfoot-Saunt a first winner since her marriage to Geoff Barfoot-Saunt.

And there was a popular conclusion to the afternoon when Creinch and Jimmy McCarthy outpointed the favourite Le Galactico in the bumper.

The 9-1 winner is trained by Oliver Sherwood for his long-standing patron, Brian Stewart-Brown.

The Sim Harris Retirement Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle was won with ridiculous ease by Celtic Son (13-8), who was gaining a third success from his last four outings in the space of nine days for the holidaying Martin Pipe.