Punjabi spices things up at Kempton

Nicky Henderson had to use the hastily-arranged Racing Post iphone App HBLB Champion Hurdle Trial as a stepping stone to Cheltenham on 16 March following the loss of the Kingwell Hurdle last weekend.

Punjabi was turned over in that Wincanton race 12 months ago but enjoyed a much more straightforward preparation a year down the line as he cantered home some 12 lengths to the good.

Barry Geraghty had to survive a scary moment in the saddle down the back when hampered by the fall of Treaty Flyer and his mount also jumped slowly at the third-last.

But the 1-6 favourite tanked his way to the front running to the penultimate obstacle and came away from the field as one would have expected – unlike stablemate Zaynar who was turned over as the 1-14 favourite last week.

Henderson said: "I am very grateful to Kempton and the BHA for arranging this race as he needed to do that.

"He has had a thoroughly nice time and while I know it may not be everyone's cup of tea watching 1-6 favourites, we know they can get beat at 1-14!

"This will have helped him and put him right. He jumped and quickened nicely and will have got the adrenaline from racing.

"It would have been nice to win the Kingwell and lots and lots of money, but I am just as happy to win this as he needed to get it done.

"This puts this fellow slap bang in there and he is heading to Cheltenham after an easy win as opposed to last year when he was beaten at Wincanton."

Bookmakers were not so inclined to agree with Henderson and both William Hill and totesport left him unchanged for a repeat win at 11-1.

Geraghty will have to choose between Punjabi and Zaynar at Cheltenham, with Henderson adding that champion jockey Tony McCoy will probably take the mount on whichever his colleague rejects.

Zaynar is 7-1 with Ladbrokes for the Champion despite his shock Kelso reverse at the hands of the Howard Johnson-regarded Quwetwo.