Structure Hill: Hurdling sensation a ‘much-happier horse’ this season, Nicky Henderson tells Unbridled

Coach Nicky Henderson instructed the Unbridled podcast Structure Hill is a much-happier horse as he steps up his preparation to win again his Champion Hurdle crown on the Cheltenham Competition in March.

Regardless of stumbling on the final in Saturday’s Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham, Britain’s finest two-mile hurdler claimed a simple Grade Two triumph on Cheltenham Trials Day and now turns his consideration to Champion Hurdle again at Prestbury Park in March.

Chatting with Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan on Unbridled, the Seven Barrows man stated: “He immediately realised he’s fairly vital, he actually believes that now. Kempton was superb and the gang really will get him going. He is such a placid laid-back horse, all the pieces he does is unexciting however it’s as if he is immediately bought himself into a brand new way of thinking.

“He is a a lot happier horse than he ever was earlier than and he likes the brand new home we constructed him. I simply suppose he is having fun with life an terrible lot. He is nicely, that is the important thing factor.”

When requested if his famous person might ever get again to the heights of his 2022-23 marketing campaign when he received the Preventing Fifth, Christmas Hurdle, Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle, Henderson remained unconvinced.

He stated: “It could be exhausting to be higher than what he was. Within the Supreme and Champion Hurdle you could not think about a horse might probably decimate these he did with out coming off the bridle, however he can do this. After all he was the identical on Saturday however, with due distinction to the opposition, he was doing one factor they usually had been minding their very own enterprise.

“He is in command and having fun with himself – that is probably the most superb factor, however I do suppose he is transferring very nicely. He is bought that swagger about him and the gang was simply sensible on Saturday – pre-race and afterwards.

Structure Hill’s exploits have seen many onlookers evaluate him to the good Sprinter Sacre, who struck Grade One gold 9 instances for Henderson throughout his heyday years of 2012 to 2016.

Evaluating the 2, Henderson noticed: “He is an extended, great distance in stature and presence from what Sprinter Sacre was however Sprinter knew he was the perfect wanting horse in England, in addition to the perfect horse. Structure Hill is just not the perfect wanting horse in England however he is getting that type of thought about it that folks do fairly like him, it is like ‘oh, take a look at me!'”

A uncommon day when Structure Hill didn’t take a look at his glowing finest was throughout a public gallop alongside Sir Gino final autumn, which drew comparisons to a equally poor piece of labor at Kempton within the run-up to the 2024 Cheltenham Competition.

Trying again, Henderson stated: “I would surrender public gallops and I am attempting to be good when he is not racing to point out he is alive and nicely. I am very glad we did do this in public final yr as a result of it was such a disaster I am undecided anybody would have believed me anyway. At the very least everybody might see the place we had been – in a nasty place – and admire that.

“To be truthful, the Newbury gallop wasn’t that unhealthy as a result of I used to be attempting to point out everybody look out, [Sir] Gino is a really sensible horse. That is what Structure Hill was taking over at Newbury, there wasn’t something fallacious with him – the opposite horse was only a bit extra ahead than him however he is very excellent.”

After success on Trials Day, Henderson is ready to provide his Champion Hurdle hope a brief break earlier than the preparation for the Champion Hurdle really begins – towards the desires of jockey Nico de Boinville.

“Nico bought off him final week and stated ‘this horse is just too contemporary, maintain working him, do not give him any break day!’ He is having this week off, I can guarantee you, whether or not you are Nico or Paddy [Brennan].

All roads result in the Sport Spirit for Sir Gino, with Jango Baie primed for Sandown check

Regardless of beginning his season over hurdles within the Preventing Fifth, Sir Gino has loved a stellar marketing campaign over fences for Seven Barrows to this point.

When requested if the upcoming Sport Spirit Chase might be a possible subsequent check, Henderson replied: “I feel that is the plan, I might wish to go to Newbury and he is in good kind.”

One other of Henderson’s costs displaying promise is Jango Baie, who sparkled on seasonal look at Cheltenham’s December assembly, beating the likes of Springwell Bay and Caldwell Potter.

Trying forward, Henderson commented: “[The Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase] has been his goal all the way in which alongside and hopefully we’ll be there [at Sandown] on Saturday.”

East India Dock to check Lulamba in Triumph

James Owen’s East India Dock emerged as the principle challenger to Henderson’s Lulamba for the JCB Triumph Hurdle with an attention grabbing success in a Trial at Ascot not too long ago, which caught the eye of the six-time champion coach.

“I used to be impressed with him [East India Dock]. We have got to do our factor, they will do theirs. He units tempo and if he is going to try this come March then he will give them a pleasant lead and I hope we’re someplace on his tail to take a look and see what’s occurring.

When requested if he had any others within the yard he could not wait to run, the 74-year-old replied: “The opposite one which comes out is Fortunate Place for the Stayers’. That kind is superb! When he received on New Yr’s Day, he beat Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse [Gowel Road] giving it 6lbs and that got here out and received Saturday. I feel that kind is fairly stable. We’re taking that he’ll keep three miles on belief so he did not run on Saturday, however I feel he comes into the equation.”

What is the newest on Palladium?

All eyes had been on Huntingdon on January 23 when €1.4m buy Palladium flew the flag for Henderson for the primary time, donning the colors of Woman Bamford. Regardless of a good quantity of nay-sayers on social media after the victory, his coach was happy with what he noticed.

He stated: “We had been thrilled with him. It is a type of foolish conditions due to price ticket. When you keep in mind years in the past each time Jonbon ran they needed to point out what he price. You may discover now they by no means point out what he price, as a result of he was low-cost.”

“Palladium does must run once more. He is an enormous colt they usually take fairly much more work – he is fairly stuffy. I used to be even speaking to the earlier trainers who stated he wasn’t good at dwelling, he solely got here on on the racecourse. He’ll have a summer time marketing campaign on the Flat. We’ll win the Hardwicke after which he will develop into a stallion after going for the Melbourne Cup.

Earlier than hanging up the cellphone, Matt Chapman squeezed in a ultimate query about the potential for at some point sending Structure Hill Flat racing.

Jovially, Henderson responded: “We talked about it a few years in the past and I stated to John Gosden, ‘look out we would go for the Gold Cup!’ He thought I used to be speaking about Cheltenham, however I used to be speaking about Ascot! It is all the time crossed my thoughts. The bottom can be the horrifying factor to maintain him up for that lengthy to seek out out it is too agency to run on.”

Watch Unbridled with Matt Chapman and Paddy Brennan in full on the At The Races YouTube channel.