Nicky Henderson discusses Betfair Hurdle chances for Broomfield Burg and First Street with both set for Super Saturday at Newbury

Seven Barrows trainer Nicky Henderson holds a strong pairing in Saturday’s £155,000 Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

A total of 14 horse have been declared for Britain’s richest handicap hurdle, with Broomfield Burg and First Street representing the Henderson team.

The Betfair Hurdle is the featured race on Super Saturday and the field includes last year’s winner, Soaring Glory, and the highly-rated Knappers Hill.

“I am rather pleased with both of them,” admitted Henderson. “They’re both novices and it seems to be the trend at the moment that novices are winning the Betfair these days.

“I think they both have a good profile and they both want a lot of pace in their races.

“They both want a really good, solid gallop and they want to go like the clappers because they travel well and they travel strong.”

Henderson was surprised to see only 14 entered into the race, but is aware how wide-open the race always tends to be.

“It’s not a big field again, there is only 14 entered which is strange for a race that can have 24 and there wasn’t a full field last year.

“It is a race that has been good to us over the years, but it’s always hard to win and you need something that has a few pounds in hand.

“Soaring Glory won it last year and it’s hard to do that twice because you have exposed yourself, while Knappers Hill is a novice like ourselves.

“It is always a wide open handicap and everyone has a chance, everyone thinks they have a chance.”

Henderson will be in attendance at Newbury where his former stable star Altior is set to parade around the track before the Game Spirit Chase.

“He’ll enjoy his day out because he won the Game Spirit three times,” he said.

Altior will be joined by Native River, who has won the Denman Chase three times and also been successful in the Ladbrokes Trophy in 2016.

The pair will make their first public appearances since their retirement by parading between those two races.

At his yard in Lambourn, Henderson alos confirmed that Mister Fisher will be declared for the Ascot Chase on February 19, before any talk of him heading to the Cheltenham Festival in March.