Nicky Henderson aiming to rule supreme with promoted Mister Fisher

2.05 Haydock
Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle | 1m7½f, 4yo+ | ITV4/RTV

Being Nicky Henderson's supposed second string need not mean you have anything other than a first-rate chance of coming out on top.

The champion trainer had planned to run Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Angels Breathhere only to have a midweek reshuffle and send Mister Fisher.

His 'deputy' is still one of the leading British hopes for the opening race at the Cheltenham Festival having been an authoritative winner of the traditionally informative novice hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Watch Mister Fisher win at Kempton

Henderson, who won this race three times between 2000 and 2007, said: "We've redirected him here and switched programmes with Angels Breath, who had initially been coming here but isn't quite right.

"This looks a good race to run him in and we're happy with how he is at home, so hopefully he'll put in a good performance."

Bright Forecast is unbeaten in two runs over hurdles and has "untapped potential" according to his trainer Ben Pauling.

"He hasn't had all that much experience but he could have done no more than he's done so far," said Pauling.

"He was very green at Newbury but he still won and then he won under a penalty at Leicester. We don't know how good he is, but I hope he'll be very competitive here."

Bright Forecast: bidding to complete a hat-trickCredit: Edward Whitaker

Esprit Du Large steps up in class after a successful hurdling debut at Uttoxeter last month and Evan Williams said: "I thought it would be a good opportunity to test him in a race of this nature where there’s a smaller field and what should be lovely ground for him.

"It’s very difficult when you win a maiden hurdle like he did because he was impressive so it makes you think about stepping up. I’d have loved to have given him another run in a little race with a penalty but the ground has been so squiffy, so we’ll take him to Haydock and have a proper look at him."

Apart from rank outsider Tricks And Trails, Idee De Garde is the only runner without a hurdles win to his name after finishing second at Newcastle on his only run.

"He's a maiden taking on some fancy horses but he ran a really nice race on debut and we're taking the view that if we run him in good races and he's still a novice for next season it wouldn't be the end of the world," said trainer Dan Skelton.

Muratello won in France before running in the race that had to be voided at this track last month on his debut for Nigel Twiston-Davies, who said: "He was going really well at the time. We still don’t really know how good he might be but he’s a promising horse and we’d be hopeful of a good run from him."

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