Flat option for Punjabi Nicky Henderson has given Punjabi a speculative entry in a provisional race on the level at Kempton on Saturday. The current champion hurdler missed an intended engagement in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las and has only had one race this season for one reason and another. Henderson has three Champion Hurdle contenders with Binocular and Zaynar also on the team, and keeping them apart could be difficult. "Punjabi is wearing the crown and it's got to be knocked off his head. He's in good form. Everybody wants to know where he's going and so does the trainer, but I have no idea at the moment," said Henderson. "In fairness, I did put him in a Flat race at Kempton on Saturday and that is a great initiative, putting on a series of races to try and attract horses like Punjabi. But I don't think he'll go there. I'd like to go to Haydock (Champion Hurdle Trial) I think or go to Ireland (Irish Champion Hurdle)." "I don't want them all meeting at this stage of the season as it seems rather unnecessary but we keep running out of races and the problem becomes more acute." "There's races like the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso that could come into it, but I really need Punjabi to have a run now so he can still go to the Kingwell (Wincanton, February 20) as he needs two runs." Punjabi's jockey Barry Geraghty still believes he is the forgotten horse in the Champion Hurdle saying, "I definitely think he has a chance of retaining his title." "It was a good race last year and while it looks every bit as competitive this year I don't think there is any horse that looks better than last year's first three, it looks very wide open." "He was the forgotten horse last year having been fourth in it the year before and I think he could be the forgotten horse again." Geraghty respects the Champion Hurdle claims of Colm Murphy's mare Voler La Vedette whom he partnered to an impressive success at Down Royal over Go Native - subsequently winner of the Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdles. Voler La Vedette was less impressive at Leopardstown against her own sex last time out, and will be seen next in the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle on January 24. "She was very good on the day at Down Royal and she couldn't have done anything more than she did," said Geraghty. "The ground was probably on the slow side but she trounced Go Native and there was no second really. It was a very, very good performance. She was good at Leopardstown last time but it's such a wide-open race you couldn't rule out any horse and she definitely will be one to respect." "Colm has said she'll go for the Irish Champion Hurdle and they'll decide which race to go for at Cheltenham after that," he told At The Races.
