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Newbury double for title-chasing Nicky Henderson

Nicky Henderson during the Hennessey Gold Cup preview day at Newbury Racecourse.
Image: Nicky Henderson: Two from two at Newbury on Friday

Nicky Henderson only sent two runners to Newbury on Friday but both Reigning Supreme and Maestro Royal made the short journey back to Lambourn as winners.

It has not surprisingly been a quieter week for the Seven Barrows handler after a hectic Cheltenham Festival, but with a lead over Paul Nicholls to maintain in the race to be champion trainer, Henderson cannot afford to take his foot off the peddle.

Reigning Supreme was an expensive failure for punters last time out, but the 7-4 chance cruised through the Be Wiser Insurance Novices' Hurdle and found plenty for David Mullins.

"He's totally one for the future. Barry (Geraghty) recommended him to Michael (Buckley, owner) and he's going the right way," Henderson said.

"He's gone and done that well today, and to be fair for a four-runner race it was quite a good contest.

"Barry won on him here and I spoke to him this morning, just to what we were going to do. Barry has always thought he has a big future, but it's over fences. This is an education for him and he's got to learn a bit more.

"We can see, but he's won his two novices now and I hope the handicapper won't take that too literally. He's just a nice chaser for next season, he's a lovely big horse."

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Henderson took a brief holiday after the Festival and was in need of a break.

"A week on it seems a month ago. We escaped on Sunday and got back on Wednesday. It (Cheltenham) seems an absolute eternity ago, it's extraordinary. It's that long build up to it, I think it takes it out of everybody," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Maestro Royal (7-2) and Nico de Boinville just got the better of Alan King's Inner Drive in the two-mile handicap hurdle. The runner-up was returning from a 494-day absence.

"He's from a family we know well, he's a half-brother to Barbers Shop," said Henderson.

On the title, he added: "We're not going to do anything rash, the horses will run in the right races, but it could come down to the Grand National and Paul has a stronger hand than me."

The race changed in complexion when Minella Charmer fell in the straight, badly hampering the strong-travelling favourite Optimus Prime.

Richard Hobson's Chic Name (12-1) finally got off the mark over fences in the Oakley Coachbuilders Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.

A runner-up in the Finale Hurdle at Chepstow last season, he was beginning to look disappointing but relished the step up in trip.

"I claimed him for #9,000, I just liked the look of him, he was great value as he's been second in a Grade One for us," said Hobson.

"We've always thought a step up in trip would suit him and he had no weight on his back today. There are a couple of races in France I've got my eye on."

Hobson splits his time as a trainer between that and being a bloodstock agent, finding Hurricane Fly before he went to Willie Mullins, and told Racing UK: "Hurricane Fly was fantastic but he was expertly handled by Willie Mullins, whether he'd have won 22 Grade Ones with another trainer, I don't know.

"If I find another like him in my lifetime I'll be very lucky."

Ten Sixty (8-1) finally got his act together in the Be Wiser Insurance Handicap Chase after his early promise appeared to have fizzled out for Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson.

"I'm very surprised, the horse has been a little bit disappointing. We thought when he went into training as a young horse he was very good," said owner Andrew Cohen, who has owned dual Grand National runner-up Suny Bay among others.

"But today, a big galloping track seems to have been the answer to him. I had a bit of trepidation coming here today, I really felt he was going to disappoint - I'm surprised, and that's the beauty of racing, the glorious uncertainty.

"I'm over the moon. We'll be patient, he's only seven and we'll see how he progresses."

Jockey Tommy Dowling was taken to hospital with suspected back and rib injuries after the fatal fall of Bold Runner in the Smith & Williamson Handicap Hurdle won by Beer Goggles (10-1).

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