No Champ: Henderson opts to run Birchdale in Ballymore trial

Birchdale, rather than Champ, will carry the hopes of Nicky Henderson and owner JP McManus in Saturday's Grade 2 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, the champion trainer revealed on Wednesday.

On his official Twitter account (@sevenbarrows), Henderson said: "To keep everyone updated as best as we can, we have decided that Birchdale will run @CheltenhamRaces on Saturday because he needs to gain plenty more experience and Saturday's race is ideal. Champ would just be having a run for the sake of it so will not go."

Birchdale won a point last spring but has run just once so far under rules, readily winning a maiden hurdle at Warwick which has worked out favourably. The second, third and fifth have all won since.

Champ, named after McManus' former retained jockey and 20-time champion Sir Anthony McCoy, has contested five hurdle races and already won at Grade 1 level in last month's Challow at Newbury.

Champ (right): won the Challow Hurdle at Newbury last monthCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

McManus' current number one rider, Barry Geraghty, had been provisionally booked on Champ, suggesting a change in plan from connections since Monday.

Champ is a general 4-1 shot for the Grade 1 festival equivalent of Saturday's race, the Ballymore. Birchdale is a general 20-1 for that race and similarly priced for the Albert Bartlett.

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