'He was just so good' - Sir Gino to go novice chasing with Nicky Henderson eyeing Altior and Shishkin route to the Arkle

The manner in which Sir Gino has taken to schooling over fences has encouraged Nicky Henderson to fast forward his unbeaten star's chasing career, with the Arkle identified as his new target at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

The Grade 1-winning four-year-old had been set to stay over hurdles this season but Henderson described his jumping at his Seven Barrows base as "extremely good" and is plotting a similar route to March to the one he used for stable greats Altior and Shishkin.

Those two, who won Cheltenham's two-mile novice championship chase in 2017 and 2021 respectively, kicked off their careers over fences in Kempton's 2m2f beginners' chase which is Sir Gino's intended seasonal comeback on November 25.

"He's a big, strong, chasing-type of horse and there's a lot to be said for starting off over fences as a four-year-old because of the allowances," the six-time champion trainer said on Tuesday.

"We tried him a few weeks ago over a fence and he was just so good. He's a highly talented horse as a hurdler but what we saw the other day from him was extremely good. He looks like a chaser, he's a big boy."

Sir Gino was cut to 6-1 (from 10s) with Ladbrokes for the Arkle after the news broke on Tuesday. Henderson is the race's most successful trainer, although none of his seven winners was a five-year-old and no horse of that age has won since Voy Por Ustedes in 2006.

The trainer added: "He's a two-mile horse. I suspect I'll eat my words by the end of the year but I'll be surprised if I do. It's all about pace and he's got bags of it. 

"I think we'll look at that race at Kempton which is over two [miles] two [furlongs] which we used for Altior and Shishkin so we'll look to go to friendly quarters. We'll take it one step at a time but all being well the intention is to get to the Arkle.

"I think it'll be a good division as I think JP's [McManus] horse [Majborough] who won the Triumph is going novice chasing as a four-year-old as well."

Sir Gino was given an entry in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Tuesday morning but Henderson confirmed that was purely a "back-up" in case last year's Champion Hurdle hero Constitution Hill does not appear.

"All's going well on that front with Constitution Hill, it's just a back-up," the trainer said. "It's time for Sir Gino to go down his own road. It was worth a look over hurdles. The [owners] Donnellys also have State Man so it's convenient on that score."

Sir Gino could appear alongside Constitution Hill at Newbury's Coral Gold Cup gallops morning on November 19 ahead of his chasing debut.

My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase, March 11
Ladbrokes: 2 Ballyburn, 5 Firefox, 6 Sir Gino, 8 Inthepocket, Slade Steel, 10 Impaire Et Passe, 12 Majborough, Mystical Power, 14 bar

Read more like this:

Constitution Hill named among Fighting Fifth entries - find out which Willie Mullins-trained runner could take him on 

'All being well he'll run - I couldn't be happier' - Nicky Henderson set to unleash Jonbon in Shloer Chase on Friday 

'It was crazy and totally out of character' - Nicky Henderson perplexed as odds-on Jeriko Du Reponet is pulled up on chase debut

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