Henderson open to Aintree with Gold Cup runner-up Jango Baie

Nicky Henderson sees “no reason” why Jango Baie will not attempt to end his season on a high at Aintree after his second to Gaelic Warrior in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Seven Barrows handler has been encouraged by the early signs he has seen from his Cheltenham team since a fine week at Prestbury Park, which saw him return three winners.

He is now beginning to formulate plans for his string as Aintree appears on the horizon, and leading the charge could be Tony Barney’s blue riband runner-up, with the Aintree Bowl Henderson has previously won with Might Bite (2018) and Shishkin (2023) seen as an obvious port of call.

Henderson said: “Jango Baie ran a terrific race and I see no reason why he wouldn’t go on to Aintree for the Bowl.

“We had a good week at Cheltenham and we also had plenty running well without making the winner’s enclosure.

“We had three winners and the three seconds were all very good seconds, Act Of Innocence, Jango Baie and Jonbon – all great. Any one of them could have won on a different day and they did nothing wrong and the three that did win were terrific.

“The most important thing is when we’ve been going through them all again and again since, they are all sound and moving well. Some will go on and run again, some won’t, but they have come back in really good shape.”

Jango Baie could be joined on the Aintree teamsheet by Jonbon, who is unbeaten at the Liverpool track, winning Grade Ones at the Grand National meeting for the past four years, including the last two renewals of the Melling Chase.

The popular 10-year-old headed to the Ryanair Chase on the back of two brave victories at Ascot in the depths of winter, with Henderson inclined to wonder if those appearances slightly took their toll in his search for an elusive triumph at the sport’s marquee meeting.

“If anything I would be thinking about that (Aintree) with Jonbon as well, but we will know more in 10 days’ time,” he continued.

“Jonbon had a tough race at Ascot only four weeks before Cheltenham. He appeared to be a million per cent beforehand. Did he run a little bit flat? Possibly, but he still finished second and I just love that.

“JP (McManus) and I have chatted about it (Aintree) and in the run-up there was a moment we weren’t even going to go to Cheltenham.

“We thought he was just really well and bright in himself, which he was, but it would appear in hindsight that he might have been a little bit flat – and when I say that I do only mean a little bit, but in a race of that calibre that’s all you need to make a difference.

“Hindsight would say waiting for Aintree would have been sensible, but everything was saying he was tip-top. He probably ran like a horse who had a hard race at Ascot, but nobody can look inside their heads and they can’t talk, the poor boys – I wish they could.

“He tried his socks off and he doesn’t know how to run a bad race. However, being one degree off is all it takes.”

Lulamba may have failed to emulate Jango Baie when losing his unbeaten fencing record in the Arkle, but Aintree looks a real possibility for him also, with the Lambourn handler keen for a step up in trip for the William Hill Manifesto Novices’ Chase.

“I would love to run Lulamba again and he’s only had three races before the Festival,” continued Henderson.

“He will be over two and a half miles, definitely, and I don’t think you’ll see much of him again over two miles.

“We knew that he probably needed further going into the Arkle and in the long term he’s definitely not a two-mile chaser. He’s a little bit like Jango Baie, who got away with it in the Arkle, but they didn’t go as quick as we thought they would this year and he would have enjoyed a stronger gallop.”

However, the Gordon and Su Hall-owned pair of Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero Old Park Star and Turners runner-up Act Of Innocence are unlikely to appear again this term, with Henderson excited about their long-term prospects over fences.

“I do think Act Of Innocence and Old Park Star won’t run again, they are two nice chasers for next season and I think we’ll put them away,” added Henderson.