Henderson to bounce back

Nicky Henderson has his string in great form, but was upstaged over the weekend by runners from the Paul Nicholls (Saturday) and Willie Mullins (Sunday) stables. However we expect him to bounce back with winners at all 3 U.K. meetings. The best card today is at Kempton, which stages above-average racing for a Monday, and Henderson saddles Whoops a Daisy (Barry Geraghty) in the main event, a listed mares hurdles race at 14.30 CET. She was runner-up in a similar race last time and could go on better here, although Irish raider Elyaadi (Jon Queally/ Timmy Murphy) could be dangerous. Henderson and Geraghty have even better chances in the first two races with Darlaan in the opening novice hurdle at 13.30 and Chablais in the novice chase half an hour later. Both are among the stables most promising novices. The same team should also take the beginners chase at 15.05 with Mossley, who in theory only has to jump round to defeat his 3 modest opponents. German-bred Amore Mio (Richard P hillips/ Robert Thornton) has only ever won once, almost 2 years go, but still appears to have a good each-way chance in the handicap hurdle at 15.35.

Henderson´s likely winner at Ffos Las is Top of the Range (David Bass) in the opening maiden hurdle at 13.50 Valley Lad (Richard Johnson), one of 3 Tim Vaughan entries here, looks the main danger. Later on, the much improved My Brother Sylvester (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore), who has won his last 3 races - all in October- has top weight in the handicap hurdle at 16.00. Obviously he has good prospects of completing a fourtimer, but he has gone up a massive 29 lb in the weights, and we make Dantari (Evan Williams/ Adam Wedge) a possible each-way alterntive in receipt of 18lb, including the jockeys allowance He has been running - admittedly without much success- in better races.

Henderson has more good chances at Ludlow, where Owen Glendower at 14.10 and Foxbridge at 14,45 will both start short-priced favourites for jockey Andrew Tinkler. The selling hurdle at 13.40 also looks interesting. Numen (Lucy Jones/ Jake Greenall) is the obvious choice here, having won 3 times before being outclassed at Cheltenham, but one time German classic winner Aviso (David Evans/ Jimmy McCarthy) is also interesting on his N.H. debut.