Nicky Henderson set to wave goodbye to 21 horses as owners decide it’s time to move on
A GRAND total of 21 Nicky Henderson-trained horses are set to be put up for sale later this month – as owners decide it’s time to move on.
Doncaster’s Spring HIT/PTP Sale will see a whole load of Seven Barrows runners go under the hammer.
Among them is Grade 2 winner Shanagh Bob, owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly of State Man, Sir Gino and Lulamba fame.
The lovable seven-year-old never reached the same heights as his owner’s other superstars.
But he closed out his time with Henderson with one final victory – his first since December 2023 when he scooped the Graded race at Cheltenham – in a match race at Ludlow on Sunday.
Hendo said: “He’s always been a lovely horse and is very straightforward to train.
“It’s fair to say he’s not quite been as nice as we thought he’d be but he won well and he’s still got a bright future. He’ll go to the Doncaster sales now.”
Also up for sale is First Street, owned by billionaire Lady Bamford.
First Street, an eight-year-old gelding, actually finished second to State Man in the 2022 County Hurdle.
The future Champion Hurdle winner was famously thrown in that Grade 3 handicap race off a ridiculous mark of 141.
He would go on to be rated a best 169.
First Street gave State Man 1lb that day and went down just over a length at 16-1 under Nico de Boinville.
Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, who own the likes of Impaire Et Passe, have also listed their five-year-old gelding Katana as being for sale.
This many horses going under the hammer doesn’t mean owners are leaving Hendo, just that these particular runners may do better elsewhere under a different ownership.
Henderson, who also recently saw £1.2million world-record jumps horse Palladium leave his yard, endured a tough end to the season when stable star Constitution Hill imploded yet again at Punchestown.
The former Champion Hurdle king jumped poorly in the Grade 1 Boodles Champion Hurdle, finishing 27 lengths behind winner State Man.
He fell in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and again capsized a few weeks later at Aintree.
But he could be seen again next month after being given an entry in Ascot’s Gold Cup.
And there is real hope for the future with the likes of Lulamba.
He made amends for his narrow Triumph Hurdle defeat at the hands of 100-1 Poniros with victory in the Grade 1 Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown.
The Willie Mullins-trained Poniros, owned by Brighton boss Tony Bloom, finished four lengths behind in second.
List of Nicky Henderson horses due for sale at Doncaster
Broxy Music
Hooper
Marengo Bay
Jasmin Bellevue (withdrawn)
Uptown Lass
Raffles Nobu
Timetoshine
Attacca
Soldier Saint
Captain Morgs
Shanagh Bob
Nativehill
First Street
Sutherland
Katana
Inneston
Bo Zenith
Kingston Pride
Haddex Des Obeaux
Diyaken
Minella Premier
Willmount
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