Henderson keen to start Old Park Star off at Cheltenham, ground permitting

Old Park Star’s Cheltenham participation this weekend could hinge on feedback on ground conditions on Friday, despite Nicky Henderson’s desire to get his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero up and running over fences.

With the novice chase programme decimated in recent weeks, the Seven Barrows handler has been forced to consider a change from his tried and tested routes, bringing a nerve-jangling chasing bow at Prestbury Park into play for a horse who was unbeaten during his novice hurdling season.

The Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase on Saturday could see the Festival winner clash with the likes of Dan Skelton’s Kabral Du Mathan and Supreme fourth Baron Noir, with Henderson well aware this could constitute a step into deep waters at the first attempt.

Speaking on a Jockey Club media call, he said: “This is against my norm and I’m not mad about novices having their first runs around courses like Cheltenham and Ascot. They are difficult tracks for novice chasers and it’s not as simple as say a Newbury.

“The plan was actually go to Exeter, but Exeter doesn’t exist and they have very kindly put on a novice chase at Ffos Las next week (Wednesday) which would probably be the sensible route, but I’m tempted to go to Cheltenham.

“He’s in very good form and I do realise what he is taking on – Kabral Du Mathan in particular would be a danger and there’s others in there, so it will be interesting to see who comes to join the party.”

Henderson, who is set to run stable stalwart Jonbon in the Shloer Chase on the opening day of the meeting, added: “The intention to run is there and we’ll take a look at what the ground is like on Friday.

“If Nico (de Boinville) is happy on Friday then it’s all systems go and I would look forward to it, albeit with a certain amount of trepidation.

“He was unbeaten last season and he’s the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner with his life in front of him still, and fences very much a part of it. It won’t be easy, but I think he will be up for it.”

Ground conditions on Wednesday were described as good, good to soft in places, with the officials intending to continue watering up until the start of the meeting on Friday with no further rain forecast.

Clerk of the course John Pullin said: “Conditions have improved for the meeting and we had six millimetres of rain overnight which brings us to a grand total of 16mm since the Showcase meeting in October. Obviously we have been irrigating since that meeting and that will continue.

“We updated the ground to good, good to soft in places. The two-and-a-half-mile chute that has been quicker and we’re bringing back into play for this meeting is now good ground and the good to soft would be down the back at this stage.

“Hopefully with irrigation continuing we may see a few more areas that come into that good to soft bracket as well.

“The aim is to continue the watering so we can get as much moisture into the track as we can ahead of Friday.”

He added: “Given the overnight temperatures on Friday and Saturday are less then helpful and we could see temperatures less than zero, that would impact our ability to irrigate between days hence the continuing to water ahead of the meeting.

“Saturday’s overnight forecast is slightly better and temperatures are forecast to stay above freezing so we may have the opportunity to irrigate Saturday into Sunday as the forecast into Sunday is now dry.”