A National hero on show at Lambourn Open Day? Nicky Henderson certainly hopes so

Nicky Henderson is relishing the return of the Peter O'Sullevan Lambourn Open Day this spring after a three-year hiatus because of the pandemic and hopes he has a Grand National hero to show off on April 15 in Caribean Boy.

The popular Good Friday event, first staged in 1990 and held in a virtual fashion 12 months ago, is an annual opportunity for the general public to visit the village's yards, which include Henderson's star-studded Seven Barrows base – one of nearly 30 stables in the area that will fling their doors open.

Money raised from the day will be donated to the Lambourn Valley Housing Trust, Air Ambulance and other local causes, and Henderson said: "We lost a couple because of the weather over the years and in 2018 we could open but everywhere else couldn't because the car parks were flooded, but losing it to Covid these last two years has been a major disappointment.

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"We've been thwarted of late, but more times than not we've been blessed with glorious weather, so we mustn't complain but look forward to this year and, because of the pandemic, our intention is to have an absolute bonanza.

"The whole atmosphere and build up is good and all the trainers are bang up for it. We're ready to welcome as many people as possible because the causes are so worthy."

Henderson regularly has a Cheltenham Festival winner or two to help draw in the crowds, but the way Easter falls this year means the Randox Grand National takes place six days before the open day, which would add extra gloss to the occasion should the trainer end his Aintree hoodoo.

"It would be handy to have a few Cheltenham winners for the public to see," he said. "They help make it, but the open day this year comes after the Grand National, so that's what we've got to do – win the National and then everyone can come and see the winner on Good Friday. Easy-peasy, but I've been trying to win the National for 44 years!"

Nicky Henderson with Altior and Sprinter Sacre at the Lambourn Open Day in 2019Credit: Matthew Webb

In Caribean Boy, who runs in the distinctive double green silks of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, Henderson has a talented eight-year-old whose odds for the world famous marathon range from 40-1 to 66-1.

"The one we're aiming at Aintree is Caribean Boy," he said. "He will stay – he stayed on strongly over three miles at Kempton last time, and got knocked over when trying the National fences in the Topham last year. It wasn't his fault; he just jumped into the back of another horse.

"He's got the profile and would be the best hope I've had for a few years for the National, which is his big objective.

"The idea is he'll go to Kempton this month for the Coral Trophy and then straight to Aintree. He was really good last time, so I've as much optimism as I've had for many years, probably going back to Zongalero, Classified and The Tsarevich, who were placed, although not recently.

"We've had some rotten luck though, horses falling when right in contention, so it's not like we can't do it and we've won five Tophams over the fences. It's one of those things and we'll try to put it right. We haven't got a lot of time left, so we've got to kick on."

Tickets and more information for the open day are available at .

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