Latest news with #NickyHenderson
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Hate to be in his position' – Nicky Henderson waves goodbye to £650,000 of horses as top owner scales down operation
NICKY HENDERSON waved goodbye to £650,000 worth of horses at the sales - as a top owner scaled down his operation significantly. A total of six Olly Harris-owned horses went under the hammer under the banner of Henderson's Seven Barrows yard at the Goffs Doncaster auction. 2 Chief among them was three-time winner and hugely promising sort Kingston Pride. Bought for around £160,000 in April 2023, Henderson fought tooth and nail to keep the six-year-old at his yard. But in an almighty sales ring tussle with rival trainer Olly Murphy, he had to give up the fight when the figure hit £285,000. Kingston Pride - who will now be owned by Grahame and Diana Whateley of Thomas Darby fame - was one of two Harris horses that went for six figures. The other was Haddex Des Obeaux, who never actually ran under Henderson but was still listed as being in his care after eight runs for Gary Moore. The eight-year-old gelding, who was last seen finishing third to Jonbon in the Tingle Creek, was bought for £105,000 by prominent Scottish owner Jimmy Fyffe and will now be trained by Donald McCain. But Kingston Pride - who Hendo called a 'really proper type' after his latest win at Kempton in March - was the one the legendary boss really wanted. He had to bid farewell, though, when Murphy struck the crucial blow. The bet365 Gold Cup-winning trainer said: "It's unfortunate for Nicky, I'd hate to be in the position he's in when you train a horse like that and don't get to keep him. "But he's the horse we wanted for the last three days. "He was a lot of money but hopefully he's the sort of horse who can run in graded chases at the middle distance and staying chases down the line." The setback came after Henderson was also outbid in the battle for £300,000 Poetisa by Willie Mullins. And he also had to say goodbye to Timetoshine - a serial-winning mare who is off to the US - for £145,000. Among the other Harris horses consigned by Henderson was Willmount, whose value plummeted by £320,000 since he was last sold. Having won a Newbury novice hurdle by 13 lengths on his first run for Henderson, Willmount was sent off 9-4 for the Grade 1 2023 Challow. But he was pulled up and then fell on chase debut almost a year later before flopping when 6-4 fav for a Kempton handicap hurdle on his most recent run in December last year. Purchased for £340,000 in February 2022 he was sold to Irish Grand National and National Hunt Chase-winning trainer Rebecca Curtis for just £22,000. Chris Gordon bought two-time winner Bo Zenith for £55,000, while Inneston and Diyaken were sold for £15,000 and £20,000 respectively. Harris - who won huge at the 2024 Grand National - sold some of his other horses including the likes of £240,000 purchase Peaky Boy and £70,000 Break My Soul earlier this year. While he also gave up ownership of In The Air, Kansas Du Berlais, Montys Soldier and Perseus Way this year too. Minella Premier, a £400,000 purchase by Henderson at the same sale last year, has never run for the Seven Barrows boss and was originally listed for sale before being withdrawn. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
Irish Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Willie Mullins beats Nicky Henderson to purchase Cheltenham winner for €355,000
The serious jumping action may be on its summer break but that hasn't stopped the juggernaut training duo of Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson clashing. It's at this time of the year that trainers look to recruit new talent for the 2025/26 National Hunt season and at the Doncaster sales on Wednesday, the top two trainers in Ireland and the UK locked horns in an attempt to purchase a potentially smart horse. Cheltenham bumper winner Poetisa was the standout name at the Goffs UK Spring Horses in Training and Point-to-Point Sale and not surprisingly both Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson brought their sizable cheque books to buy the filly. Poetisa won a very competitive Cheltenham mares' bumper last month, at odds of 20-1, and connections had opted to sell the Toby Bulgin-trained daughter of Poet's Word. She wasn't long in the sales ring when the Mullins and Henderson camps made their move and began to tussle, with Henderson and his bloodstock agent Jerry McGrath's huge bid of £280,000 (€332,000) looking to have won the argument. But after a long pause, Harold Kirk, long-time talent scout to Willie Mullins, sealed the deal with a bid of £280,000 (€355,000). 'I thought she was gorgeous,' Kirk told the Racing Post. 'She's by a promising young sire and out of an Old Vic mare. She's a Cheltenham winner already and she'll only improve. She was very classy when she won. She's a lovely mare and hopefully she'll go down the mares' route over hurdles as there's a big programme for these mares now. 'She just looked like she had a lot of class. As an individual she's got loads of quality and a great mind. Everybody wants a Cheltenham winner. Okay, it wasn't at the festival but she can do no more than what she's done.' 'I thought she'd make between two (hundred thousand) and 250,000 but there's always going to be somebody else involved. If you're up against Nicky Henderson, you're going to have to be strong. I hope she's lucky now.' Poetisa had been bought by the Bulgins for £42,000 and Nicola Bulgin (wife of trainer Toby) said: She added: 'It was a hell of a price. We came close to selling one for three figures before, but nothing like this. 'Nicky had been down to see her a few times and Willie had been on the phone to Toby about her, so we knew we were in the right place in the market. I have to say, the thrill of her winning still beats this, though.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email.
Glasgow Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Constitution Hill removed from Gold Cup reckoning
Nicky Henderson teased the exciting prospect of his hurdling star switching codes when handing the eight-year-old an entry for the Group One staying showpiece. However, after a disappointing spring, which has included falls at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree, he will now head for a summer break after a lacklustre performance at the Punchestown Festival. Speaking at Newbury, Henderson told Sky Sports Racing: 'He's good and he's actually been having various tests throughout the week. He had a body and bone scan which actually told us very little and there is nothing chronically bad about it at all at the moment. 'We did actually take him out of the Gold Cup at Ascot this morning and he will very shortly be going to Charlie Vigors (of Hillwood Stud) for his summer holiday. I think some R and R is the best thing for him.' Constitution Hill may have left Seven Barrows for the summer, but Sir Gino is still under the watchful eye of his handler as he continues to recover from the leg injury which became infected and left him in hospital. Henderson continued: 'He's good and he's still at Seven Barrows. Gradually we are getting there and he's walking further and further. Hopefully we'll get him out in a field before too long.'
North Wales Chronicle
17-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Constitution Hill removed from Gold Cup reckoning
Nicky Henderson teased the exciting prospect of his hurdling star switching codes when handing the eight-year-old an entry for the Group One staying showpiece. However, after a disappointing spring, which has included falls at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree, he will now head for a summer break after a lacklustre performance at the Punchestown Festival. Speaking at Newbury, Henderson told Sky Sports Racing: 'He's good and he's actually been having various tests throughout the week. He had a body and bone scan which actually told us very little and there is nothing chronically bad about it at all at the moment. 'We did actually take him out of the Gold Cup at Ascot this morning and he will very shortly be going to Charlie Vigors (of Hillwood Stud) for his summer holiday. I think some R and R is the best thing for him.' Constitution Hill may have left Seven Barrows for the summer, but Sir Gino is still under the watchful eye of his handler as he continues to recover from the leg injury which became infected and left him in hospital. Henderson continued: 'He's good and he's still at Seven Barrows. Gradually we are getting there and he's walking further and further. Hopefully we'll get him out in a field before too long.'
Rhyl Journal
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Constitution Hill removed from Gold Cup reckoning
Nicky Henderson teased the exciting prospect of his hurdling star switching codes when handing the eight-year-old an entry for the Group One staying showpiece. However, after a disappointing spring, which has included falls at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree, he will now head for a summer break after a lacklustre performance at the Punchestown Festival. Speaking at Newbury, Henderson told Sky Sports Racing: 'He's good and he's actually been having various tests throughout the week. He had a body and bone scan which actually told us very little and there is nothing chronically bad about it at all at the moment. 'We did actually take him out of the Gold Cup at Ascot this morning and he will very shortly be going to Charlie Vigors (of Hillwood Stud) for his summer holiday. I think some R and R is the best thing for him.' Constitution Hill may have left Seven Barrows for the summer, but Sir Gino is still under the watchful eye of his handler as he continues to recover from the leg injury which became infected and left him in hospital. Henderson continued: 'He's good and he's still at Seven Barrows. Gradually we are getting there and he's walking further and further. Hopefully we'll get him out in a field before too long.'
