Super-sub Sir Gino ready to play leading role once again

When Sir Gino dazzled over the larger obstacles at Kempton 12 months ago, few would have imagined he would be back as the red-hot favourite for the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle a year later.

However, racing operates in mysterious ways and with Constitution Hill’s third fall in four outings at Newcastle pouring cold water on his quest for a fourth straight victory at the Sunbury track on Boxing Day, fate has presented an opening Nicky Henderson was loath to resist with the returning Sir Gino.

“Unfortunately we opened the door for Sir Gino into the Christmas Hurdle with poor old Constitution Hill’s misdemeanour,” said Henderson, who is no stranger to using Sir Gino as a ‘super-sub’ having sent him to the north east to land the 2024 Fighting Fifth in Constitution Hill’s absence.

“But I’m hoping it’s the right thing to do for Sir Gino and I just felt it was an easier way to come back.

“He’s ready to run and it was a case of what can he run in. The Desert Orchid Chase was the following day, but it’s a handicap. He’s a brilliant jumper of fences, but he’s also good over hurdles and it just looked like the Christmas Hurdle might just be a nice place to start.”

That imperious chasing debut when brushing aside Ballyburn a day shy of a year ago was the last time Sir Gino was seen in action, with a life-threatening infection curtailing his progress prior to a scheduled run in Newbury’s Game Spirit Chase in February.

However, he is now fit and ready to return to competitive action and while thrust straight in to Grade One duties over hurdles, Henderson is reserving the right to return to fences once the dust settles on what will be a key Christmas for the Seven Barrows handler and his aces.

Henderson added: “We’ll go to the Christmas Hurdle and then decide where we go. If we can get through this and everything is all right afterwards, we can decide whether to stay over hurdles or go back chasing.

“It was more of an illness rather than an injury, so it’s not like we’ve had to mend anything and we’re just trying to get him back.”

No horse has benefited greater from Constitution Hill’s falls than Jeremy Scott’s Golden Ace who having picked up the pieces to storm to Champion Hurdle glory in the spring, proved to be in the right place at the right time once again at Gosforth Park.

“The ground is probably going to be nearer good than soft and I’m not sure that’s to her advantage, but we will give it our best shot,” said Scott.

“I think she deserves a bit of credit for, if nothing else, always jumping very well.

“That is where she has improved massively, she’s a much slicker jumper and she does look to get worrying low over her hurdles but as long as it’s high enough then that’s grand.”

Also taking aim at the festive period’s main hurdling event is Sam Thomas’ Celtic Dino who has already won a Welsh Champion Hurdle this term before being far from disgraced when chasing home Wodhooh at Ascot last time out.

Thomas said: “It’s nice to be able to compete in these races and with conditions set to suit him, I thought we would roll the dice and see where we stand.

“We’re under no illusions what we’re up against, we’ll be giving weight to the Champion Hurdler and Sir Gino looks a cut above everything else, so we’ve it all to do, but it’s nice to think we’re going there with an each-way shout.

“We were considering the Relkeel to be honest, but we know he loves this ground and if ever there is a chance to beat Sir Gino then it could just be first time out. He’s a very good horse and he put manners on us in the Fighting Fifth last year when we went up there with Lump Sum.

“Celtic Dino would be a better hurdler than Lump Sum though and we’re willing to give it a shot and see what happens.”

Paul Nicholls’ course regular Rubaud, who was second in this to Constitution Hill in 2023 and has won on both starts this term, takes his chance, with Fergal O’Brien’s Dovecote winner Tripoli Flyer another with course and distance winner reverting to timber.

The sixth and final runner is Gary and Josh Moore’s Give It To Me Oj.