'I want to run Champ now but there isn't a race' - Henderson in Gold Cup dilemma

Champ clears the last in the RSA Insurance Novices' ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Nicky Henderson has admitted that his planning for this season's Cheltenham Gold Cup is proving something of a headscratcher as he attempts to plot a route to the festival for last season's top staying novice, Champ.

While 2020 Gold Cup runner-up Santini has already been seen at Aintree and Kempton this season, a combination of the difficulties of travelling to Ireland and a feeling that Champ was not quite ready to be fired into Grade 1 company at Christmas meant a proposed crack at Leopardstown's Savills Chase was scrapped.

JP McManus' leading Gold Cup hope has not raced since pulling off an unlikely success when coming from another county to run down Minella Indo and Allaho in what proved to be the final incarnation of the RSA Chase at the festival last March.

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Scott BurtonFrance correspondent

Published on 14 January 2021inNews

Last updated 09:47, 14 January 2021

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