Punters back Henderson's plan to pitch novice Brain Power into Clarence House

It may be an "odd thing to do" according to his trainer, but punters on Monday were convinced Nicky Henderson's plan to run the novice Brain Power in the Clarence House Chase will prove a masterstroke.

Having enjoyed a weekend to remember in more ways than one, a newly wed Henderson is targeting further Saturday success after giving Brain Power the go-ahead to take on multiple Grade 1 winner Un De Sceaux at Ascot on Saturday.

The seven-year-old was all the rage on Monday, starting the day at a readily-available 8-1 but ending it as low as 3-1, with no bigger than 5-1 on offer. Un De Sceaux was the general 4-7 favourite after eight horses were left in at the forfeit stage.

Henderson sent out four winners last Saturday, including Lanzarote victor William Henry at Kempton and Mr Whipped in the Grade 2 Leamington Novices' Hurdle at Warwick, on the same day as his wedding to Sophie Waddilove on the Ben Alder estate in the Highlands.

Many a scotch would surely have been quaffed and Henderson now has eyes on the £150,000 Royal Salute Whisky-sponsored contest at Ascot, where he hopes to play the role of party-pooper to perennial front-runner Un De Sceaux's bid for a historic hat-trick.

Brain Power: winning at Ascot last season over hurdlesCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Speaking on the train back from Scotland on Monday, the champion trainer said: "We're going to run Brain Power in the Clarence House. It's an odd thing to do with a novice, but it's about finding a race where someone will set a pace for him.

"We're going to get a lead and drop him in. You wouldn't be able to do that in an ordinary novice chase and he's got to learn. You have to be quite careful of his head and I want him to have a nice time.

"We've used the Game Spirit as a prep for the Arkle in the past with Sprinter Sacre and Altior, but I haven't thrown one in quite as deep as taking on something of the calibre of Un De Sceaux."

Brain Power, a best-priced 14-1 with Betfred for the Racing Post Arkle, bolted up on his chase debut at Kempton in November, a race won last season by subsequent Arkle hero Altior.

On his next start in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase, the Michael Buckley-owned Brain Power attempted to dominate in the hands of David Mullins before unseating at the last when looking held by winner Sceau Royal.

"He didn't really need to be making the running and it wasn't the plan," said Henderson. "He's come out of Sandown 100 per cent. His schooling last Thursday before I left on my sabbatical weekend was exemplary. He jumped ten fences and you'll not see a horse jump ten fences better."

Ideally Henderson would be running Altior at Ascot, but the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite has resumed exercise only in the last few weeks, having undergone a wind operation.

The Betfair-backed Game Spirit at Newbury on February 10 has been identified as a potential return date, but the trainer has no qualms about Altior going straight to Cheltenham, with a racecourse gallop or two at Newbury along the way.

Altior: the Arkle winner is likely to head to the Champion Chase without a prep runCredit: Patrick McCann

"I think our chances of getting him to the Game Spirit are probably 60-40 against," said Henderson, whose other Champion Chase entry Top Notch is heading for the Ryanair.

"It could go either way, I'm not going to rule it out but I'm certainly not going to rule it in. The horse is in fantastic shape. He didn't have an injury, lameness or anything like that, we just had to stop and do a wind operation.

"At the moment we're very happy with were we are. He started cantering three weeks ago and everything is going according to plan. I'm not fussed if we have a race or not before Cheltenham, it really doesn't worry me."

Henderson will also be looking to bolster his support team for Unibet Champion Hurdle favourite Buveur D'Air on Saturday, with Call Me Lord and Lough Derg Spirit among 11 entries – including The New One – for the Grade 2 Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock.

"I've put them in and it's a possibility but they're both really heading for the Betfair Hurdle," said the trainer.

The stable's options for the Betfair Hurdle were increased on Saturday by William Henry and Jenkins, whose victories Henderson managed to catch "in between jigs and reels" at his wedding.

"We had a wonderful weekend," he said. "It wasn't four weddings and a funeral, it was four winners and a wedding!"

If you are interested in this, you should read:

Henderson and his wife are absent but course treats the happy couple kindly

Kempton non-runner: Henderson plumps for wedding over racing

'He's another AP without a doubt' - more praise for Bowen after exceptional ride

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