Nicky Henderson’s Champ ‘to pass’ on Many Clouds Chase comeback at Aintree

The Nicky Henderson-trained nine-year-old has not been seen since pulling up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March – which was just his second run of the season.

Champ, owned by JP McManus, held an entry in Saturday’s illustrious Grade Two race in Liverpool, but Henderson would rather wait until there is appreciably more cut in the ground.

“He’s going to pass this one. He’ll school again tomorrow. He’s difficult to place. We thought about the Many Clouds, but we’re going to leave that one alone for now,” Henderson told Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast.

“He’s one that has a bit to find yet and probably wants some easier ground as well. Funnily enough, we’ve been on the grass for the first time this season today. He wants an easier surface and he’s got a bit to do.

“We put him in the Long Walk Hurdle which is going to be interesting because Buzz is going there, On The Blind Side is almost certainly going there. It is possible but, as you saw in the Gold Cup, we’ve got to get his jumping right.

“When he schools tomorrow we’ll decide which route to take. He had significant surgery on his back, it’s not serious but it was significant. We’re finding it more and more common because it’s easily detectable but the surgery is relatively simple.”

Meanwhile, David Pipe’s Remastered is faring well after walking away from a heavy fall in the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

The eight-year-old was running a superb race having started at 11-1 under Fergus Gillard, travelling competitively towards the head of the field as the leading contenders reached the home straight.

Approaching the fourth-last fence in the slipstream of eventual winner Cloudy Glen, the chestnut then stepped at the obstacle and crashed out of the Grade Three contest when falling heavily upon landing.

Thankfully, both Remastered and his unscathed jockey got to their feet following the tumble and Pipe is hopeful the gelding will be none the worse in the long run.

“He doesn’t seem too bad, he’s stiff and sore but the physios are looking at him today so hopefully there’s not too much wrong,” he said on Monday.

“He looked as if he was going to run a massive race but, thankfully, the horse is OK and the jockey is OK.

“The signs are good, the physio will look at him and the vet will look at him.”

In other news, Lucinda Russell will map out a plan towards the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in March for impressive Newbury winner Ahoy Senor, with Warwick or Lingfield pencilled in for his next run.

The six-year-old scorched to a 31-length victory in a Grade Two on Saturday under former Grand National-winning jockey Derek Fox.

Russell’s partner and assistant Peter Scudamore initially suggested that the Grade One Kauto Star Novices Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day was the next target.

But the Grade Two McCoy Contractors Hampton Novices’ Chase at Warwick on January 15 has been pencilled in for Ahoy Senor’s next start, although a trip to Lingfield is also a possibility.

Scudamore, a former champion jockey, added: “He will have an entry at Kempton, but I think our preference is probably Warwick or Lingfield. We will probably have to keep an eye on the ground.

“We will probably go to Warwick or Lingfield and then go to Cheltenham. With Warwick, the timing is perfect – two months from Cheltenham.”