Nicky Henderson: Cheltenham 2023 entries, odds and Festival record

Our racing expert selects the horses who can give the most successful English trainer in Festival history further success this year
The 2023 Cheltenham Festival (14-17 March) is almost here and this article looks at the English trainer’s hopes of adding to his remarkable haul of 72 winners at the meeting.
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Here is a breakdown of Henderson's record:
Henderson is Britain’s most successful Cheltenham Festival trainer and has saddled a stunning 72 winners at the meeting over nearly four decades, a figure only bettered by Willie Mullins (88).
The Seven Barrows supremo has won more Champion Hurdles than anyone, with eight, and many believe he is sure to add another this year with Constitution Hill.
Henderson, now 72, trained his first Cheltenham winner way back in 1985 as See You Then won the first of three successive Champion Hurdles – a feat only Istabraq has managed since.
He has become a doyen of British jumps racing and has been champion trainer on six occasions in his career.
Henderson has won pretty much everything there is to win at Cheltenham, with the likes of Binocular, Buveur D’air and Epatante adding to his Champion Hurdle haul.
Long Run and Bobs Worth snared Gold Cups, and dual winners Sprinter Sacre and Altior contributed to six Queen Mother Champion Chase victories. He also has two Stayers’ Hurdles on his CV, ensuring the complete set of the Championship races.
In particular, the careers of Sprinter Sacre and Altior were superbly choreographed by Henderson, with lots of pressure on their every move, so few will be worrying over his ability to contend with Constitution Hill now being the most exciting prospect in jumps racing.
Sprinter Sacre’s second Champion Chase in 2016 – three years after his first – was a remarkable comeback story after heart issues troubled the horse, and Henderson has ranked that success as his most enjoyable in racing.
Shishkin has overcome some problems of his own and heads to Cheltenham 2023 with a similarly restorative narrative to his story.
Not since 2008 has the name of NJ Henderson failed to feature on the Cheltenham Festival winners’ list.
The sequence started with Punjabi in the 2009 Champion Hurdle, at that point a first Festival winner in three years, and was extended to 14 successive winning years in the Cotswolds when Constitution Hill smashed the course record in his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle romp last March.
There is no doubt that Constitution Hill, the 2/7 favourite with bet365 to win the Champion Hurdle, is the ace in Henderson’s pack this year.
He is the most eagerly anticipated performer in jumps racing right now and will be expected to continue his relentless unbeaten march by accounting for main rival State Man on March 14.
Constitution Hill @ 2/7 with bet365
The Seven Barrows trainer will be hoping he is on the scoresheet before the Champion Hurdle, as Jonbon bids for Arkle glory around an hour and 20 minutes before. He is unbeaten over fences and the only defeat of his career came behind Constitution Hill here 12 months ago. Jonbon is 7/4 to give Henderson a record-extending eighth Arkle win.
Jonbon @ 13/8 with bet365
Shishkin has those shades of Sprinter Sacre after he was pulled up in the Champion Chase here last March and then beaten again in the Tingle Creek in December after his diagnosis of a rare bone condition last spring.
However, he roared back to his best in the Ascot Chase in February, seemingly rejuvenated by the step up in trip, and is now 5/6 to win the Ryanair Chase on March 16.
Shishkin @ 5/6 with bet365
Another potential key afternoon for Henderson comes on the third day of the Festival, with Luccia the clear favourite at 13/8 for the Mares Novices’ Hurdle.
Luccia @ 13/8 with bet365
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