Cheltenham Festival ‘madness’ as bookies slash odds of Nicky Henderson horse who ‘can’t run’
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 'madness' has kicked in - after bookies slashed the odds of a Nicky Henderson horse who 'can't run' there.
JP McManus' brilliant mare Joyeuse hammered rivals in last weekend's big William Hill Hurdle at Newbury.
Sent off 9-2 under Nico de Boinville, she travelled like an absolute dream and cruised home by eight lengths.
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Bookies immediately slashed her odds to 8-1 for the County Hurdle at next month's Festival.
But both Henderson and De Boinville hit out at the qualifying criteria for the handicaps after it emerged Joyeuse would not run.
A horse has to run five times before the Festival to be eligible for this year's County.
Joyeuse has run four times since January 8 but Henderson said he will not squeeze another in before March.
De Boinville said the whole situation was 'madness' - adding: "She went through the race really easy and jumped great. It was very straightforward.
"It’s madness she can’t go to Cheltenham.
";I’d say it’s pretty much bonkers that you can win a handicap like that but can’t run at Cheltenham, there’s more money here than Cheltenham."
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