Epatante regains Christmas Hurdle crown with stylish success

Henderson mare too good at Kempton.

Epatante regained her Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle crown in style as she came home clear in the Kempton Grade One.

Nicky Henderson’s charge landed the prize in 2019 before going on to Champion Hurdle glory the following spring, but she suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Silver Streak last term and could finish only third at Cheltenham in March.

The mare underwent back surgery over the summer and having dead-heated with the reopposing Not So Sleepy in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle last month, she made sure of outright victory here under Nico de Boinville.

Epatante (4-5 favourite) stepped up to challenge Not So Sleepy with three to jump and the result hardly looked in doubt from that point onwards.

She just had to gallop out to the line, prevailing by two and a quarter lengths from staying-on 28-1 shot Glory And Fortune.

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest