Cheltenham Gold Cup 2022 Horse Profile: Chantry House
Nicky Henderson's Chantry House will be one of the leading British contenders for the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 18, and we profile the Seven Barrows inmate here...
Chantry House
Age: 8
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Chase Runs: 8
Chase Wins: 6
Notable Race Wins: 2021 Marsh Novices' Chase (Cheltenham Festival), 2021 Mildmay Novices' Chase, 2022 Cotswold Chase
Nicky Henderson's has trained two winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup during his illustrious career (Long Run 2011 & Bobs Worth 2013), and the legendary handler will aim to land the hat-trick on March 18, and saddles the classy Chantry House, who is bidding for back-to-back wins at the Cheltenham Festival.
A 9/1 chance for last season's Marsh Novices' Chase (now Turners), Chantry House benefited from the early fall of hot favourite Envoi Allen, and the JP McManus-owned raider romped to a three-length victory before going on to Aintree to claim more Grade 1 honours in the Mildmay Novices' Chase.
Kickstarting his 2021/2022 campaign at Sandown Park, Chantry House faced a sole rival in the shape of The Big Breakaway on his first run, and duly eased to a 37-length victory, which primed him for a crack at the King George VI Chase. However, his winning run came to an abrupt end at Kempton Park on Boxing Day as he was pulled up early in that Grade 1 contest, which saw his price eased for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Returning to Cheltenham racecourse for his next start, Chantry House lined up in the Cotswold Chase, which is one of the premier trials at the track for the Gold Cup, and under a fine ride from Nico De Boinville the eight-year-old stormed up the hill to beat the likes of Santini and Aye Right.
Now, set to line up in the Gold Cup on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, Chantry House will face his toughest assignment to date as he takes on a flurry of top notch staying chasers from Ireland, and it's going to be a tough ask for him to reign supreme once again at Prestbury Park.