Cheltenham: Chantry House rolls back the years with Nicky Henderson’s decisive win | Racing news

Chantry House rolled back the years to take the Betfair Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in decisive fashion.

Nicky Henderson’s veteran was a two-time Grade One winner in his rookie days, winning the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree in 2021.

He will be a contender for the Gold Cup next year but has been retired to the blue ribbon after winning the Cotswold Chase on trial day. He has struggled to win since then and was recently seen campaigning over hurdles.

Returning to the bigger hurdles on the day he turned 11, Chantry House showed plenty of his old verve when sent off at 8-1 and traveled kindly to his pilot Nico de Boinville to stalk Ben Pauling’s Bowtogreatness and Sam Thomas’ Our Power in the straight.

He was delivered by De Boinville who charged towards the last before galloping home six and a half lengths from Our Power who edged out Bowtogreatness for second. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 5-6 favorite Broadway Boy held on well in fourth place.

A surprised Henderson told ITV Racing: “The plan was actually to go hunting with him and I just needed to run into him one more time to set him up.

“I’m not sure we haven’t been able to help with this and I’m not sure he’s still eligible (for chases) now – maybe he’ll have to go and win a Grand National or something instead!

“It confused me a bit and we were just trying to revive his enthusiasm because he was a very, very good horse. We might have to think about it.

“He’s really enjoyed himself and hasn’t been over the fence for a long time only because he had a crash at Wetherby a couple of years ago that really hurt him and knocked his confidence.

“He’s spent the last year running intermittently over hurdles and it’s been hard work, I have to admit, but he’s just wonderful.

“He jumped well, traveled well and just followed them around. I thought he was going to get tired but it’s good to see him come back and do it. It was a bit unexpected at the time though I have to admit.”

Kalif Du Berlais impresses for Team Ditcheat

Kalif Du Berlais got Paul Nicholls’ new year off to a flying start with a bloodless display in the inaugural Sonic The Hedgehog 3 in the cinemas now novice Limited Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

Some of Ditcheat’s handlers have failed to shine over the Christmas period, including Regent’s Stroll who was beaten favorite in co-owner Sir Alex Ferguson’s same colors at Newbury last Saturday.

However, there were no such problems for 4-7 favorite Kalif Du Berlais, who readily disposed of his two rivals under the unmoved Harry Cobden to build on his winning streak in the autumn.

Cobden told Racing TV: “We’ve always liked him a lot and he was very lucky not to get injured at Carlisle the first time when he had a terrible ditching.

“Today the plan was to take the lead, but I didn’t think we were going too fast, so I just let him drop and I thought his jumping was fantastic.

“He doesn’t ride like a five-year-old, and he just became that today. Everything was very safe and there was never any doubt.

“We have a lot of options where we can go and he’ll definitely get two and a half miles. But he’s only five, right, so he probably doesn’t want tons of mileage on the clock at a young age. We’re lucky to have him.”

Diva Luna (5-4 favourite) bravely held off the challenge of Newton Tornado to win the Richmond Villages And Bupa Care Homes Maiden Hurdle.

Trained by Ben Pauling and ridden by Kielan Woods, Diva Luna was a Grade Two winner at Aintree but suffered a surprise defeat when she was beaten over her hurdles last month.

The six-year-old redeemed herself with a gutsy performance, digging deep after jumping last to hold on for a one-and-three-quarter-length verdict, reducing her to 14-1 from 25 with Paddy Power for the Mares ‘Money’ Hurdle at the March Festival.