Kempton non-runner: Henderson plumps for wedding over racing

An ever-present at Kempton and arguably the staunchest supporter of the Sunbury course will not be attending on 32Red Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle day on Saturday.

There is good reason for Nicky Henderson’s absence, however, as the Seven Barrows trainer misses an afternoon at one of his favourite tracks to marry long-term partner Sophie Waddilove in Scotland.

Henderson is well represented in the feature £45,000 handicap hurdle with market principals Diese Des Bieffes and William Henry and hopes to keep close tabs on the action during the afternoon.

He said on Friday: “It will be a surprise to some people that I won’t be at Kempton as that is the one place I always go to. We’re up in Scotland for our wedding – it’s really cold. I won’t be wearing a kilt!

“It will be strange not to be at Kempton – we have plenty of runners tomorrow but we had to have the wedding on one weekend so here we are. I don't think I've missed a meeting there in yonks.

“Unless the vicar is very fast, I will be struggling to watch the novice hurdle, in which we run Duke Debarry and Chef Des Obeaux, but I should be okay to watch the rest of our runners."

Josses Hill, Charming Zen and Jenkins complete the Henderson team at Kempton, while, of his two runners at Warwick, the Grade 2 Ballymore Leamington Novices’ Hurdle contender Mr Whipped appears to have a favourite’s chance.

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