New owner 'dreaming' of big things with exciting Nicky Henderson bumper horse

Nicky Henderson has a handful of new owners this season and they include Carolyn Kendrick, who has high hopes for the well-regarded Bombay Sapphire.

By Shirocco, Bombay Sapphire won a bumper at Gowran Park in February and was scouted by former jockey Jerry McGrath, a key Henderson ally whose career was cut short by injury.

The five-year-old makes her debut for new connections in the Aintree bumper on Sunday (5.05).

Kendrick, whose son Max is a jump jockey, has owned horses for around 20 years and enjoyed a standout campaign in 2020-21 when she had 18 winners, but this is the first time she has been represented at Seven Barrows.

"It's very exciting and Nicky is obviously fantastic at what he does, but they've got a great team there too," she said. "They've got a sense of integrity about them and I like their approach, while I think Nicky's wife Sophie does an awful lot for the riders and staff too. You can see how they've supported Jerry – they're a phenomenal team.

"I'd been to the yard before and when I first started owning horses I had them with Charlie Morlock, who is a big part of the operation."

Kendrick, a Suffolk-based reinsurance broker whose late husband Adam once rode out at Morlock's when he trained, also has the unraced Ted Da Titan with Henderson.

"Max is friendly with Jerry, who sourced Bombay Sapphire, who was a homebred," she added. "The breeders asked where we'd send her and, because of Jerry's connection with Seven Barrows, we thought we'd do it.

"Given how Max and Jerry get on, Charlie Morlock and Nicky being fantastic at what he does, it made sense and it's a fantastically professional outfit, but – like I said – there's more to it. Things have all slotted into place.

"You never know how she'll do, but we're dreaming and Nicky seems to like her. I was guided by Jerry and Max, who were keen on her, while we bought Ted Da Titan as a store horse. He had an injury, but is hopefully on an upward trajectory. He's a very big horse, so it's probably not a bad thing we've taken our time."

A comprehensive A-Z stable tour with Nicky Henderson will be available to Racing Post members online on Sunday at 6pm and also feature in Monday's edition

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