Despite being set to turn 74 before the end of the year, Nicky Henderson remains a leading figure in the National Hunt Racing sphere. Last season was a particularly tough one to take for the veteran, as several of his leading chances at the Cheltenham Festival fell ill and changed the landscape of the markets for those who bet on horse racing.
Constitution Hill’s withdrawal from the Champion Hurdle a week out from the Festival rocked the world of jumps racing, and after five of Henderson’s runners were pulled up on the opening day at Prestbury Park, he was forced to extract several big names — including Jonbon and Shishkin — and he ultimately ended the week without adding to his 73 Cheltenham winners.
A solid April, which included three Group 1 wins and a Group 2 success, saw Henderson finish the season the season strongly. The onus is now on the 73-year-old to bounce back from that disappointment and be a threat at the big meetings throughout the upcoming campaign.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at four Nicky Henderson-trained horses to watch in the 2024-25 jumps season.
Constitution Hill
Where better to start than with star hurdler Constitution Hill?
When it was revealed that the seven-year-old had a respiratory infection and suspected colic in the buildup to the defence of his Champion Hurdle crown at the Cheltenham Festival, it was feared that he might never race again.
The good news is that he has had a precautionary wind operation during the off-season and he is reportedly in good form.
The plan is for Constitution Hill to reappear in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November, which he won in 2022, with the ultimate goal to regain the Champion Hurdle.
Jonbon
Jonbon vs El Fabiolo in the Champion Chase was billed as one of the biggest battles ahead of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, but the blockbuster matchup was foiled when the JP McManus horse was one of the string of runners pulled by Henderson.
The eight-year-old still had a stellar campaign, however, winning at Cheltenham in November and Sandown in December before bouncing back in the spring with Grade 1 wins at Aintree and Sandown — beating El Fabiolo in the Celebration Chase.
Jonbon looks on course for the 2025 Champion Chase and is the 4/1 favourite to land the day two feature race at Prestbury Park.
Luccia
The only one of Henderson’s six runners to actually finish on the opening day of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, Luccia was a very respectable third behind State Man and Irish Point from 33/1 in the Champion Hurdle.
Her campaign also included a Premier Handicap win at Ascot in December, also placing in a Listed Mares at Wetherby and in another Premier Handicap at Cheltenham in November.
Going back down the Champion Hurdle route is less likely this season, with a run in the Mares’ Hurdle looking more probable.
Sir Gino
A hugely exciting juvenile, Sir Gino went last season unbeaten but was also denied a maiden Cheltenham Festival appearance when forced to withdraw from the Triumph Hurdle as the red-hot favourite.
Hugely comfortable wins on his first two starts for Henderson at Kempton on debut and in the Grade 2 Triumph Trial at Cheltenham in January set the four-year-old nicely for the Triumph itself before illness struck.
A return at Aintree in April saw Sir Gino win the 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle and he could take on his stablemate Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle next March.