Verdana Blue set for Champion Hurdle

Horse Racing
Fusil Raffles set for return

Nicky Henderson is plotting an outing at the Champion Hurdle for Verdana Blue after her win in the Unibet Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.

The five-year-old mare was making her second appearance of the season over hurdles on the back of last month’s impressive win at Kempton and made it two victories from two after surging clear of If The Cap Fits to win the Grade 2 race by two and a half lengths.

Verdana Blue appeared poised for the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, but it seems Henderson will go for the Champion Hurdle instead.

He said: ‘We’ll try to keep her going but she is very ground-dependent.

She’s in the Greatwood at Cheltenham [next Sunday] and we could take a look if the ground isn’t soft.

‘She’ll end up going for the Champion Hurdle if the ground allows, and after that I wouldn’t mind switching her back to the Flat as she is very definitely not slow.’

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