'Who wouldn't go for a Grade 1 at the festival?' - Theatre Glory to be on Henderson Mares' Hurdle team

Nicky Henderson could add spice to the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle by fielding Epatante, but he is also set to supplement the progressive Theatre Glory.

The six-year-old was a star for connections last season, when she won five of her six starts, and produced a career-best when bolting up in a Listed race at Warwick last month.

That was the same contest the Henderson-trained Marie's Rock won before she went on to land the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last year.

The race, which takes place on Tuesday week, looks a cracker with Honeysuckle and Love Envoi in contention, along with Marie's Rock, who also has the festival option of the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle.

Epatante needs to be supplemented for the £120,000 Grade 1 and Theatre Glory's team are keen to pay £4,599 to add her to the field as well.

She runs in the colours of Canter Banter Racing, which is run and managed by Katie Croft and her partner Dave Fehily – key members of Henderson's Seven Barrows operation.

Croft said: "She goes there with a fighting chance of the top five or six because it's a hot race, but she's progressive, so why shouldn't she be there.

"We've not exactly looked after her handicap mark, so we can't say we're well in for the Coral Cup. That's not to say we can't go for that, but the mares' race is the plan. She's not ground dependent in any way, shape or form, but – to see the best of her – we'd like to be on good ground.

"For us it's quite a straightforward decision. We're a syndicate and might never get a horse like her again. Who wouldn't want to go for a Grade 1 at the festival? We have to."

Theatre Glory is rated 145 and Croft, thrilled to see Canter Banter's Spring Note win at Newbury on Friday, added: "We're under no illusions that we could meet two Champion Hurdle winners in Epatante and Honeysuckle, and Marie's Rock could be there as well, but we just want to have a crack at it."

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