Grand day for Henderson Grandouet staked a big claim for the Champion Hurdle with an emphatic victory in the StanJames.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham. The highly-progressive four-year-old proved superior in a quality field as he completed a big-race double for trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Barry Geraghty, after the success of Quantitativeeasing in the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup. The ultra-game Overturn set off in front in customary fashion, but was hounded by Irish raider Pittoni until the race hotted up before the final flight. Grandouet, the 5-2 joint-favourite, moved menacingly to land fractionally in front and bounded up the hill in impressive style, scoring by four lengths from Overturn with Brampour a neck away third. Geraghty said: "I was just trapped a little wide two out, I had to switch and thankfully had room. "I knew he'd travel and take me there. I didn't want to get there as soon as I did, but he battled well. "He improved all through last year and he's better than your average four-year-old going five-year-old I'd say. He's improved an awful lot since last year. "He travelled brilliantly, you don't see horses travelling much easier than that going to the last. He's very good. I never had any doubts (about going up the hill)." Henderson said: "Today was all about finding out if he could cope with the stiff hill. He's stronger than last year, but you always thinks four-year-olds are going to struggle. "We had to come here to see if he's a Cheltenham horse rather than wait for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, which would have been the obvious thing to do with a speed horse."
