Henderson hoping International is rescheduled for Epatante

Seven Barrows handler keen to avoid rematch with Constitution Hill.

Nicky Henderson is hoping Saturday’s Unibet International Hurdle will be rescheduled so Epatante can avoid another clash with stablemate Constitution Hill.

The 2020 Champion Hurdle heroine was firmly put in her place by Constitution Hill in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle on their respective seasonal returns and Henderson opted to turn Epatante out again quickly at Cheltenham rather than head to the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. She was due to be joined by stablemate First Street at Prestbury Park.

However, frost claimed the Cheltenham card and Henderson would love a repeat of 2008, when the International was moved to Ascot and his runner Binocular triumphed.

Constitution Hill was too good for Epatante
Constitution Hill was too good for Epatante (Steven Paston/PA)

He told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme: “It would be lovely to think – and it has been done before – that the International is rerouted to Ascot. It would be nice to think that’s a possibility, otherwise you haven’t got much option but to go back to Kempton and take on Constitution Hill again.

“First Street could run in the handicap (Betfair Exchange Trophy) at Ascot on Saturday with 12st because I’m pretty sure the two top weights are going to do different things.

“Constitution Hill is the only one entered (in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas) and he wants to go to Kempton, so that leaves Epatante without a slot and that’s why the International was so important.

“I have made a call (about the possibility of rescheduling the International) but I haven’t managed to talk to anybody yet.”

Options are open for Shishkin
Options are open for Shishkin (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Henderson is also facing something of a dilemma with Shishkin, who finished 15 lengths behind Edwardstone in third on his return in the Tingle Creek last weekend.

The Seven Barrows handler indicated a step up in trip was on the cards for him and that remains the plan, although Henderson reports the multiple Grade One winner is also being treated for a back issue.

He said: “We looked at his back and I think we can help him there. It did look a bit laboured and his jumping wasn’t as slick as he can be. The chiropractor and physios have been working away and they have identified an issue which we can correct. He was sore.

“If you go back to the Clarence House Chase last year, he was off the bridle the whole way but he stayed and he only got that because of stamina. If you go round time and again, flat to the boards, they get rather bored of it to be honest with you. They’d like to be in a comfort zone.

“It’s not easy as the only place we can probably go is the Silviniaco Conti or the Ascot Chase – those are the only two-and-a-half-mile races. Over three, it’s nearly coming down to running him in a handicap or the Cotswold Chase, but then Chantry House has got to come into the equation.

“He unseated in the Many Clouds which was very disappointing as we’ve been very pleased with the way he has come on this year and I was looking forward to that, but that’s left him out in the cold with nowhere to go, except the Rowland Meyrick or something like that. The Cotswold Chase is the obvious one for him as he won it last year.”

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