Quwetwo defeats Zaynar at Kelso and is now headed for Aintree

  PICTURE: John Grosick  

Henderson has no reason to be down - Johnson

HOWARD JOHNSON has advised his colleague Nicky Henderson not to be too despondent over Zaynar's shock defeat at Kelso on Thursday.

In the biggest betting bombshell of theseason, the Johnson-trained Quwetwo held off the previously unbeaten 1-14 shot Zaynar by a length inwhat was expected to be the latter's cakewalk to the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Johnson told racingpost.com on Friday that, because Quwetwo needed his races to be well spaced out, he will not reappear until Aintree's John Smith's Grand National meeting.

He said: "Make no mistake, this is a very classy horse and with his very long stride he'll never be the easiest to pass. If I was Nicky Henderson I wouldn't feel there was a reason to be too despondent."

Nicky Henderson: no regrets

  PICTURE: Getty Images  

In the aftermath of the defeat, Zaynar has drifted to a top-priced 8-1. The grey was travelling back to Lambourn on Friday.

Henderson reiterated that he did not regret the decision to run at Kelso.

"Zaynar blew up three times on very difficult ground he clearly didn't like - show me a Daylami [sire of Zaynar] to appreciate conditions like that," he said.

"I'm pleased we got the race into him; that was the important factor. Put it this way, if he had gone to Cheltenham without that run under his belt he definitely wouldn't be winning the Champion Hurdle."