Friday 24 March 2017 18:13, UK
Champion Hurdle disappointment Brain Power could bid to redeem his reputation at Punchestown.
Nicky Henderson is thinking of sending him back to Ireland after he finished third in a Grade One as a novice there last year.
Well fancied at Cheltenham, he travelled well before weakening to be beaten 30 lengths by stablemate Buveur D'Air.
"I think he is a lot better than what he showed and we're thinking about taking him back to Punchestown again after he ran so well there last year. Don't give up on him," said Henderson in his Stan James blog.
Henderson also had news on several of his top performers from Cheltenham, who are likely to run at either Aintree or Sandown.
"Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D'Air looks absolutely fantastic as does Top Notch and, if all goes well, we'll be looking at Aintree with those sorts of horses," said Henderson.
"As for Might Bite and Altior we are watching them carefully and we'll leave it a little later to decide where they go next but I would guess Altior will skip Liverpool and head to Sandown for the Celebration Chase
"Gold Present (second in Close Brothers Handicap Chase) is bouncing after Cheltenham and I'll be speaking with his owner this weekend and if he's happy the Topham will definitely enter the equation. He's a great big scopey horse who could very much be suited by a race of that nature."
One to miss Cheltenham was novice hurdler William Henry and it is likely to be Aintree or Ayr for him.
"It was very annoying that we were forced to skip Cheltenham with him as he picked up something similar to a sore shin which we couldn't really identify properly, but he was quite lame so had to miss a day or two. We've got rid of all that now though and he's back in full work and will gallop tomorrow. Whether I can get him back for Aintree, I don't know, but we'll try and Ayr is a definite possibility."
Of all Henderson's runners at Cheltenham perhaps the most disappointing was Charli Parcs in the Triumph Hurdle given the bullish noises coming out of Seven Barrows, but a problem has emerged.
"Of course we're disappointed when a horse is beaten but I think he was racing a bit keenly and he hasn't come back from that race quite right so will not run again this season. I still swear he is a very good horse and one with a lot of talent."
