Nicky Henderson: It looks like the championship is over - we're too far behind

Nicky Henderson conceded the trainers' championship appeared out of reach with less than two weeks to the jumps finale at Sandown but remained in a buoyant mood after two Grade 1 wins at Aintree.

The six-time champion trainer was second in the table before racing on Sunday, with £2,351,103 in prize-money after winning big races with Jonbon and Epatante, and trailed last year's winner Paul Nicholls on £2,618,884, with Dan Skelton third on £2,034,273.

"It looks like the championship is over," said Henderson on Sunday. "There are only a couple of weeks left and I think we're too far behind.

"We had a bash at it and we've had a great season. I was delighted with our week at Aintree, a lot of our horses ran well. There were a couple of blips, but you expect that after the Cheltenham Festival."

Epatante, who was second in the Champion Hurdle in March, got the ball rolling for Henderson on the opening day of the Grand National meeting when landing the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle by 14 lengths.

Jonbon (far side): got up late to win the Top Novices' Hurdle at AintreeCredit: Edward Whitaker

He then scored on Friday with Jonbon, who built on the promise of his second behind Constitution Hill in the Supreme when narrowly denying El Fabiolo in the Top Novices' Hurdle under Aidan Coleman.

"They were brilliant," said Henderson. "It was a good week. It could have been better but, like Cheltenham, you'd always settle for two winners. It's just sad we didn't have a runner in the Grand National."

Jonbon's victory provided a big boost to the form of Constitution Hill, who could next be seen at this month's Punchestown festival, with the option of running in the Champion Novice Hurdle or taking on unbeaten mare Honeysuckle in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle.

"We're going to talk to his owner Michael Buckley," said Henderson. "We'll sit down next weekend to decide what we're going to do. We'll have to wait and see how he is, and then we can make a plan."

Read more:

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