Jingko all the way for birthday boy Henderson

Jingko Blue gave Nicky Henderson another reason to celebrate on his birthday with a promising chasing debut at Uttoxeter.

The five-year-old won his sole point-to-point start before joining Henderson, for whom he then won two of his three novice hurdle completions last season.

He was last seen being pulled up in the Grade One Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival when the stable were enduring a spell of ill health, but the recent form of the yard has ensured that episode is now but a distant memory.

Jingko Blue lined up an 11-4 chance under Nico de Boinville for his first performance over fences, contesting the 2025 Uttoxeter Annual Membership Now Available Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase against four rivals.

All of those had at least some experience of jumping fences and all were receiving weight from Henderson’s gelding, but neither that nor soft ground looked to hinder him.

He jumped accurately all the way round and only the 11-8 favourite Jagwar could go with him as the last fence approached, but when that horse slipped on landing the race was Jingko Blue’s for the taking and though he looked a sure winner anyway, the margin was increased to nine and a half lengths.

“I loved that, I was very, very pleased with that. He was great,” said Henderson, who turned 74 on Tuesday.

“He’s a good horse and that was a good performance, first time out as well, he was excellent.

“The ground is no problem for him, he goes in soft ground, he wouldn’t be the biggest horse in the world but he is very intelligent and a very intelligent jumper, I’d say.”

Of future plans for the five-year-old the master of Seven Barrows added: “We’re quite lucky to have so many nice novice chasers this year, we’ve a strong team and we’ll have to see how the rest of them go this week and think about where to send them all.

“Tony (Barney, owner) also has Jango Baie as well as Jingko Blue. Jango Baie was meant to go to Aintree on Saturday and now he’s going to have to go to Cheltenham on Friday and clash with Peaky Boy.

“We’ve got so many nice novices that it’s proving very difficult to map them out.

“Would he get three miles? I don’t know, possibly. You won’t see him again until the new year anyway, I’m sure, but that was a competitive race and I was delighted.

“It was certainly a brilliant way to celebrate my birthday, that gave me a lot of pleasure to watch.”