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Charles, I don’t blame the trainers. I’m coming ever closer to the conclusion that winning races on heavy ground (which has predominated now for several winters) can gut a horse. I think this might apply twice over to graded races, the hardest ones to win, even without accounting for the going.
When Nigel Twiston-Davies is scratching his only Gold Cup entry within a couple of weeks of it running in the Cotswold Chase, you know how much of a toll has been taken, Twister will normally run any horse, any time, anywhere.
I think Sizing John’s season this year is evidence that trying to win all and sundry in one year blows a horse out.
Whilst i think Native River could’ve ran more than twice this year and still have done what he did on Friday, i think he had a setback in Autumn which prevented this.
They are right to take it easy after winning a GC from the front, at the end of the day, not many come back from it.
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!Remember what happened to Sprinter Sacre the year after he went to all three festivals: Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown. To be honest seeing how Might Bite finished the race I would be concerned to see him turned out for either Aintree or Punchestown too. Time for Henderson to wrap him up in cotton wool.
Exactly CNC. I understand people want to see horses run, and rightly so to an extent but when you see whats happened to past Gold Cup winners afterwards Tizzard is only trying to keep the horse going for longer. It could turn out to look stupid, as he could go and get injured and miss it next year anyway but he’s trying something to secure longevity.
He’s only raced twice this year but that was due to a setback. He won the GC the hard way from the front and on testing ground. Dont get me wrong, they are his favourite conditions, but it will still have taken a lot out of him. If anything Punchestown would be the option he could go for but that will be Spring ground (hopefully!!)As for Might Bite, i find it hard to believe he’s a 9yo, i suppose he arrived relatively late to the scene, debuting at 6, and taking a while to actually prove himself as good as he is. Again, if he runs again, i would like him to head to Punchestown….Nico didn’t go too mad on him when he knew he wasn’t picking up.
I have a feeling a lot of Chelt horses wont run at Aintree as it was a harder festival than usual on horses.
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!I know many of the top trainers try and say that you have to keep a horse fresh for the Gold Cup and certainly Nicky Henderson has trodden a weak path to Cheltenham will all of his Gold Cup horses in the past but I simply don’t buy it. Kauto Star won 5 races the season before his first Gold Cup (Old Roan, Betfair, Tingle Creek, King George, Aon). War Of Attrition managed 4 pre-Gold Cup races and he even backed up to win at Punchestown. Kicking King similarly managed 4 races and also backed up at Punchestown.
Might Bite was defeated at Cheltenham. Would his owners be happier sat with a King George trophy and the taste of Cheltenham defeat or with another trophy in the bag to go with that KG (I believe he’d of won the Hennessy & the Irish Gold Cup had they tried).
taking Kauto out of these examples as he was a freak by recent examples for longevity,, Kicking King never made it back to Cheltenham I don’t think after his gold cup season, and only won a poor King George from MOnkerhostein,, and War Of Attrition I also think never made it back and won anything or much of note post Gold Cup win.
Its a race down the years that really really takes it out of a horse, and we were blessed in era to have Kauto / Denman / Imperial Commander / Exotic Dancer and Neptune Collognes / long Run rocking up for a few years.
Im a huge both Native river and Might Bite fan,, but I really think that race is going to take a hell of a lot of getting over – would be folly to run either again this year IMO
Tizzard said Native River was pretty shook for a good while after last year’s gold cup and Might Bite is a big horse so wind and limb probably vulnerable to the effects of hard races. Henderson rarely does a lot with his best ones (except Beuveur d’Air who he reckons needs it, plus 2m hurdling not as taxing) and Tizzard has discovered the benefits of a light campaign and thus flushed with success (and TC having had season-ending problems after the Cotswold last year) might be inclined to experiment with less racing for his top horses than he has in the past. I don’t think either horse will run again this season.
Yes Might Bite would probably have won the Hennessy. But Henderson had Whisper for that, who had a hard race there and was sent to the King George a few weeks later (was not wrapped in cotton wool like King Might Bite and saved for Cheltenham because Whisper was second string and thus cannon fodder). Had an “issue” after that and out for the season.
Bristol de Mai developed stomach ulcers as do many horses under the stress of training, travelling and racing. Sizing John has a stress fracture of his pelvis. Thistlecrack has a stress fracture of the tibia. Racing is hard on them and staying chases are hardest of all. If the majority of horses end up with one season target or a maximum of two big targets- so be it.
Although the one negative about Native River winning is that it will heighten the thought that you shouldn’t run in any other race all season except a prep. Tizzard saying that’s it for Native River this season after just two runs and that next year it’s just Haydock, Newbury, Cheltenham.
The first two had only 3 runs between them going into the Gold Cup and it’s been one of the biggest problems facing the Staying chase division for the past decade.
Think it might have more to do with Native River and Might Bite being the best two horses in the race rather than number of runs.
Can understand Tizzards not running the horse again this season, isn’t really another race to suit other than the Grand National. I backed him ante-post for that race, but tbh am glad he isn’t going there. Had a very hard race last week. Asking a lot to win the Gold Cup with an attacking ride like that on very soft ground… and then run/win the Aintree showpiece.
Could run more often than three times and have a different campaign if Native River were blessed with plenty of speed. Hennessey and Welsh National winner. Unless going for one or the other of those two under massive weights makes perfect sense to go Betfair, Denman, Gold Cup. Normally run on very soft ground, Haydock puts the emphasis on stamina at the trip. Denman an ideal warm up race (good chance of winning without having too hard a race) before the 3m2f big one. Three miles on goodish ground around a flat course like Kempton or Aintree is fine for many other horses, comparitive speed tests just won’t see Native River to best advantage.
Value Is EverythingYes Might Bite would probably have won the Hennessy. But Henderson had Whisper for that, who had a hard race there and was sent to the King George a few weeks later (was not wrapped in cotton wool like King Might Bite and saved for Cheltenham because Whisper was second string and thus cannon fodder). Had an “issue” after that and out for the season.
Absolute rubbish.
How the …. was Whisper “cannon fodder”?
Whisper showed a lot of improvement when second in the Ladbroke/Hennessey. Giving a lot of weight away and not beaten far by Total Recall, who himself would’ve been involved in the finish for third here had he stood up. In different ownership and just because Might Bite was first string doesn’t make Whisper “cannon fodder”. Dai Walters had every right to see his horse go for glory on Boxing Day. Horses have been victorious there after running at the Berkshire track. If progress shown at Newbury had continued at the same rate at Kempton then the second string would’ve won the King George. As with any trainer, if Henderson knew the horse was going to be injured he would not have run. Some horses need a long break, others don’t. Time between Ladbroke and King George was less than Whisper had between RSA and Mildmay runner-up spots or between chase debut and Dipper wins… And it had also been less than a month between World Hurdle 5th and Liverpool Hurdle victory. So without hindsight seems resonable for Whisper to run in both Hennessey and King George. Reportedly lost a shoe in the latter race too.Value Is EverythingI know many of the top trainers try and say that you have to keep a horse fresh for the Gold Cup and certainly Nicky Henderson has trodden a weak path to Cheltenham will all of his Gold Cup horses in the past but I simply don’t buy it. Kauto Star won 5 races the season before his first Gold Cup (Old Roan, Betfair, Tingle Creek, King George, Aon). War Of Attrition managed 4 pre-Gold Cup races and he even backed up to win at Punchestown. Kicking King similarly managed 4 races and also backed up at Punchestown.
Might Bite was defeated at Cheltenham. Would his owners be happier sat with a King George trophy and the taste of Cheltenham defeat or with another trophy in the bag to go with that KG (I believe he’d of won the Hennessy & the Irish Gold Cup had they tried).
You could well be right on Hennessy and GC , but it was 3m21/2 on soft ground (Irish Gold cup). As we saw last week- its the test of his staying powers. Run him there, and you risk having a not 100% runner for the GC.
So really we are back to wanting the GC runners to run at Chelt, Aintree and Punchestown….but now adding Leopardstown into the equation. This doesn’t normally end well with horses.
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!
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