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Previously I’ve always been a “flat” guy who almost goes into hibernation during the jumps season and only has a few sporting bets at the Cheltenham festival. This coming “proper” season I have decided to give the jumps a real go.
Nicky Henderson has stated that he hopes to get Sprinter Sacre, Bobs Worth and Simonsig right back to their previous bests. What I would like is to gauge a few peoples opinions on whether or not they think it’s possible that any of them will return to what they once were.
do they ever come back?
I had Simonsig in my Ten To Follow last year, after reading upbeat reports about him from the trainer.
It soon became clear that there was a problem and that he was another equine Lord Lucan. I was against Sprinter Sacre and Bobs Worth all of last season because I felt that Sprinter was always against it with his medical problems and I had always had a sneaking suspicion that Bobs would be another Gold Cup “One and you’re done” champion.
The Lexus changed my mind on Bobs Worth the previous season and he was my main bet that year for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but it remains a mysterious race won by Lord Windermere and one of the biggest fluke results in my memory. What wasn’t mysterious was the way Bobs Worth slid down the handicap like Batman down his Bat Pole as one poor run stacked up after the other. He looks done to me.
Plenty retained faith that an 80% Sprinter Sacre could win a Champion Chase again but I never fancied him to do so, even in a year where reigning champion Sire De Grugy had a serious amount of problems, jumping calamities, plastic shoes and revelations that he needed six cups of Horlicks, two whiskies and a copy of the UKIP manifesto in order to relax him sufficiently to allow a blacksmith near him. A year on I doubt he will be any better, as his problems may be exacerbated by age.
Simonsig remains the one of the three with potential I believe. He is only nine and has only raced nine times under rules. Obviously the fact that he is so lightly raced is an indicator of fragility but he has now had two and a half years off and if he is finally sound there is a chance he could yet win something decent. There will be one hell of a lot of cobwebs to blow away and the expectation of a bounce will be at the level of Eric Pickles on the end of a Bungee Rope but he seems the one of the trio with some petrol perhaps sloshing around in the tank somewhere.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Simonsig faces two major issues: he seems very difficult to keep sound, and he can’t jump fences properly – the two might well be related as his inability to flex sufficiently over fences could be due to an underlying physical weakness/fragility. If he does end up with a ‘career’, I suspect it will be over hurdles.
Sprinter Sacre’s size and appetite for stretching himself through enthusiasm, might have caught up with him, and I wouldn’t bet that he’ll get back within a stone of his best.
Bobs Worth is a mystery. At least the other two have physical problems to pinpoint. Other than always saying Bobs Worth was ‘difficult to train’, NJH has never suggested there was a physical issue, and the horse shows no signs of one whne racing.
But you don’t go from an ultra-consistent top class, triple-festival winner to almost nothing without some reason. Whether there is an undiagnosed problem, or the horse has just become sick of racing, I don’t know. But it’s very unusual, to my mind anyway, that such a talented horse seems to lose all form.
Do they ever come back? Well Kauto did.
However, don’t think he had whatever is wrong with these three.
When reading what Henderson actually said, seems to me his words have been exaggerated by some of the press. To my mind he’s more hopeful than anything else.Bobs Worth has always been lightly raced and had breathing ops in the past. In the glory days found plenty under pressure/up the Cheltenham hill so obviously the first one worked. But gives the impression subsequent visits to the equine hospital have been less successful. Looked to be going as well as the previous year when disappointing 5th in Lord Windermere’s Gold Cup. Fact found less than usual a sign of breathing problems. Not the same since. Suspect he’s had another op in the summer and everthing will depend on how that went. Has come down the handicap so won’t need to produce his best form to win a Hennessey. Even so, once one wind op doesn’t work it is unlikely others will.
Value Is EverythingAt the start of 2013/14 season Sprinter Sacre missed the Tingle Creek with a bad scope. Then pulled up with an irregular heartbeat in Desert Orchid Chase on belated reappearance. Sprinter Sacre’s heart problems don’t seem to be over. At home he’s probably fine, but once coming under pressure finds absolutely nothing. May be it’s in his mind, not wanting to exert himself because of the thought of what might happen (remembering the irregular heartbeat). But looking at his early days, travelled better than anything in Supreme Novices Hurdle before finishing 3rd. Then went chasing and so brilliant, never needed to come under much pressure to win any race. So truth is either has never needed to or (when neeeded) never found much when pressed. Denman had a similar heart problem and did come back, but he was always one to find plenty for his rider, an ultra genuine racehorse. Sprinter Sacre physically has a big heart, unfortunately don’t think his heart is in it. Love to see him back, for one year better than anything I’ve seen; just can’t see it happening.
Value Is EverythingGinger, unless I’ve missed something (not at all unlikely these days), Bobs Worth had what NJH described as a tweak to his soft palate after his Feltham defeat 4 years ago – well before his glory days.
Here’s Henderson’s quote:
“We had a look and he’s had a very minor tweak of the soft palate. It doesn’t interrupt anything as it’s not invasive and the horse is already back in work and cantering”
Since storming home in the Lexus, like a horse with no breathing issues, he’s run just 4 times, getting progressively worse in each run. If breathing was causing that level of form drop, I’d have thought you’d hear him roaring from a mile off. Henderson has often hinted at ‘training problems’ with him, but has never elaborated. It would be good to know what those problems were.
Would be loathe to back any this season especially after last season with Henderson spouting about both SS and BW been back to their best at some point in the season.
I very nearly backed BW in the Whitbread at the end of last season due to his handicap mark but eventually went against him. He ran absolute stinker. Joe’s assessment of something physically troubling him may not be way off the mark (he was right about The New One). He’s only had a handful of runs for a 10 year old so can’t really expect age to come into it. But he also may have just fallen out of love for the game.
Sprinter Sacre imo should be retired, but connections will believe if they can get him back to 90% of what he was then he still has a chance of some big prizes. Although with UDS now on the scene this will have probably diminished more so.
Simonsig is the one who may come back, but for me two and half years out of the game makes me suspect not. It’s alright saying Kauto did it. Kauto did it three times, twice with leg injuries, fortunately when young and then when he looked finished, only to come back and tan the Young Pretender’s arse (twice). He was a one-off, an absolute legend. The racehorse of a generation or more.
I’m sure at least one will make me look silly come the end of the season, but even if they don’t, NH had the 1-2-3 in the Triumph, so definitely has some class in his yard and may have for the next few years.
I was always of the opinion that a lot of Simonsigs problems were in his mind as well as his body, the other two seemed far more straightforward a couple of seasons ago.
Joe,
As said:Bobs Worth has always been lightly raced and had breathing ops in the past. In the glory days found plenty under pressure/up the Cheltenham hill so obviously the first one worked.
But gives the impression subsequent visits to the equine hospital have been less successful.
The first op (after the Feltham) worked well. Subsequent op/s have not worked anywhere near as well.
It is true that after Bobs Worth’s second op he did win the Lexus, but have a look at that form. Beat First Lieutenant 1 1/2 lengths with another 1 length back to Rubi Ball. At the time (on FL’s previous form) it looked a pretty good performance, with Rubi Ball credited with a big improvement. But RB was never seen again and both BW and FL’s subsequent performances have put big doubts about how good that Lexus win actually was. 4th placed Sir Des Champs obviously below form and another not seen again. imo Bobs Worth’s performance not a great deal better than his 5th in the Gold Cup. Horses don’t have to “roar” to have breathing problems and he won what turned out to be a poor Lexus. Agreed, the problem has got progressively worse.
Value Is EverythingGinger, I didn’t say the problem had got progressively worse, I said his form had. What I’m trying to find out is how many more breathing ops he had after the soft palate ‘tweak’ NJH referred to. Do you have any further info on these ops?
Ginger, I didn’t say the problem had got progressively worse, I said his form had. What I’m trying to find out is how many more breathing ops he had after the soft palate ‘tweak’ NJH referred to. Do you have any further info on these ops?
Timeform Chasers And Hurdlers 2013/14 Bobs Worth write up states:
“Had a wind operation in his novice chasing season and it was tweaked again before his latest (2013/2014) campaign”.
Henderson has said all three have had “minor issues sorted”. What Henderson thinks as “minor” am always sceptical. Seems to be more inclined to talk issues down since getting in to trouble by almost writing off Binocular before his Champion Hurdle. Knows if he were to appear pessimistic about any of the three -and then it won – he’d get criticised. I’d be surprised if Bobs Worth’s breathing had not been “tweaked” yet again since last season.
Value Is EverythingHigh time then that every wind-related op was made declarable, no matter how trivial connections believe it to be. Had I known the horse was having continuing wind problems, I would have avoided him altogether, as would, I think, many others.
Most definitely. Also can a number of these operations start to take its toll on a horse in the long term?
High time then that every wind-related op was made declarable, no matter how trivial connections believe it to be. Had I known the horse was having continuing wind problems, I would have avoided him altogether, as would, I think, many others.
Agreed Joe, it has been said before that wind ops should be declared.
Why don’t they do this? Possibly because people would see just how many NH horses have these operations and therefore adding to criticisms of it being a cruel sport.Value Is EverythingAnyone having a bet on seeing none of the 3 racing this season ? We heard all this from Henderson last year and and when they raced they were shadows of their former great selves.
Does it state known wind ops on the form guides?
I’m always looking out for horses that have had wind ops. Cole Harden in the world hurdle is one I caught right but only because the racing post said something like – ‘needs to improve, recent wind op could help’
I would never have backed him if it wasn’t for that tiny bit of information.
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