Sir Gino, the odds-on favourite for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham’s festival meeting next month, will miss his intended prep run in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday after sustaining “a small wound” during routine exercise, Nicky Henderson, the gelding’s trainer, said on Friday.
Sir Gino, who was the hot favourite for last season’s Triumph Hurdle before he was forced to miss the festival when Henderson’s string was badly affected by a virus, made a huge impression on his chasing debut at Kempton in December, beating Ballyburn – a Grade One winner in Ireland last weekend – with ease.
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He was expected to start at short odds at Newbury on Saturday on the way to a much-anticipated meeting with Willie Mullins’s Majborough at Cheltenham.
“Regrettably, Sir Gino will be unable to run at Newbury tomorrow as he has sustained a small wound to the inside of his near-hind leg,” Henderson said in a statement on X. “We anticipate that he will be back to normal by the beginning of next week, so the timing is very unfortunate.
“This will leave us with a dilemma where to go in order to get another run before the Arkle. The Pendil at Kempton [on 22 February] would be an option although it is [two-and-a-half miles] which is not ideal. There are very few alternatives except for a newly-created two-mile novice at Bangor on 26 February but that is getting horribly close to Cheltenham.”
Sir Gino eased slightly, from 4-6 to 8-11, in the Arkle betting following Friday’s news while Majborough, a Grade One winner at last weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival, is now top-priced at 2-1 (from 9-4).
Henderson goes into Saturday’s valuable card at Newbury as the clear second-favourite behind Dan Skelton in the race for the 2024/25 National Hunt trainers’ championship, and he has two runners – Iberico Lord, last year’s winner, and Joyeuse – in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle, the richest race of its type all year, as he attempts to make up some ground on his main title rival.
Nico de Boinville’s decision to ride the lightly-raced Joyeuse could be enough to send her off as the favourite, but this is a typically competitive renewal with just 8lb between the entire 18-strong field on Timeform ratings.
From many live possibilities, one potentially over-priced runner could be Washington (3.35), who seems transformed by a switch to Harry Derham’s stable.
The nine-year-old is unbeaten in two starts for his new stable and was a rare British-trained winner in Ireland in December when making short work of a similarly competitive field at Fairyhouse.
Newbury 1.50: Shutupshirley made light of a 25-month absence to register an easy win at Fontwell in December and the eight-year-old can continue to make up for lost time here.
Warwick 2.05: There is little sign as yet that L’Eau Du Sud has stopped progressing over fences and he should remain Arkle-bound – and unbeaten - after four chase starts.
Newbury 2.25: Bravemansgame is high-class at his best but without a win since the King George at Kempton in 2022 and Djelo, impressive around Huntingdon in December, makes more appeal to bounce back to winning form.
Warwick 2.40: Gala Marceau has an absence to overcome but is the clear pick on these terms on the fair assumption that Willie Mullins will have her ready to fire.
Newbury 3.00: In the unfortunate absence of Sir Gino, Matata should back up the significant improvement he showed to win at Windsor last month.
Warwick 3.15: Having won the ultra-competitive Plate at last season’s Cheltenham festival, Shakem Up’arry has an obvious chance in veterans company off a 4lb higher mark.
