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Nicky Henderson looks to have introduced yet another decent hurdler in the shape of <b>Stellino</b> at Taunton just now.
I would love to be in his shoes come Festival time. He might not have the ammunition in the Championship races, but boy has he got a strong hand in the novice/junvenile hurdle ranks.
Mike
Was a decent horse in Germany winning an Ausgleich/H`cap 2 (-20 with 57kg) by 3 legnths, would have come to England with the equivelent flat mark of about 90!!
I thought it would win like it did, was a major bet for me!!
Our horse Weststern came up against Stellino a couple of times last year – at Cologne in July and then at Frankfurt in September, both times in a Class 2 handicap. We were well ahead of Stellino at Cologne, but Stellino turned the tables on us at Frankfurt thanks to a huge weight pull. I don’t think there is much between the two on form, but I think Stellino will make a really good hurdler. Incidentally, he is a half brother to our other horse, Sworn Mum (being out of Sweet Tern). Yes, I think Stellino could be a really decent prospect.
Darren – AngloGerman
Just watched a replay of the race on At the races website, Stellino was good but couldnt believe the fall of GO BUT GO, I cringed watching it, think that is probably the most horrific fall ive seen all season and the commentators never even flinched.
The horse must certainly be dead but racing post and atr have no mention, wish i hadnt watched it now
Would you believe he got up from that.
He looked distinctly wobbly but he was walking around a couple of minutes after the fall.
Whether he will be OK in the morning is a different story.
Colin
Seriously? Im glad he has, he was going quite well until that. Cant believe he’s survived, it looked like his neck, and a whole lot more, was definitely broke.
Good on him
, cheers for the info ColinDidn’t do a lot for me although he’s a nice enough horse.
At a guess he cost more than all the other runners put together and it looked one desperately bad race.
Wouldn’t have him on my mind for Cheltnham the second looked like it would be hard pushed to win a seller.
Just watched a replay of the race on At the races website, Stellino was good but couldnt believe the fall of GO BUT GO, I cringed watching it, think that is probably the most horrific fall ive seen all season and the commentators never even flinched.
The horse must certainly be dead but racing post and atr have no mention, wish i hadnt watched it now
OMG knowing that he got up is fantastic news , just hope he recovers fully …….
Was a horrible looking fall but he was still moving .Hopefully he was just badly winded and he’s ok
I’m absolutely astonished (and also very pleased) that the faller got up. I was watching the race in my local bookmakers during my lunchbreak, and I turned round to a couple of the cashiers and said that, sure, I was really happy to see Stellino win but I hate it when a horse gets killed. I was 100% certain he wasn’t getting up from that, as it looked to me he had broken his neck. However, I have seen some falls in my time, and several nasty ones (including last years Belgian Grand National), when the horse somehow looks to be finished, only to rise up and be seemingly OK. And as I’m writing this, I feel compelled to add three words on the end here – Spot the Difference!
Darren – AngloGerman
Didn’t do a lot for me although he’s a nice enough horse.
At a guess he cost more than all the other runners put together and it looked one desperately bad race.
Wouldn’t have him on my mind for Cheltnham the second looked like it would be hard pushed to win a seller.
Have to agree with your first comment, he looks a decent horse but it would be silly to get carried away, it`s 130 form at this stage, nothing more!!
Don`t agree with your second comment, you wouldn`t pay a lot for a 5-y-o h`capper in Germany, where could he go on the flat?,another h`cap!!, i would guess they paid between Euro 25-35K, nothing more, so that`s a lot less than the 580,000 Gns they paid for Talentini albeit a while back
, or 36K paid for Bold Policy, a few of the others would have fetched more ……….. he certainly looks better value than the others!!Third comment i agree with, it didn`t run like a particular good race, Cheltenham would simply be a dream at this stage!!
I thought I heard he cost in the region of £100,000 but I couldn’t swear to that.
Colin
Knowing how closely matched Stellino and Weststern were on the flat in Germany, and having an idea of how much Weststern was sold for, I would guess that Tonys estimate is a little low, and that Colins is a little high – I would go for around the £35,000 – £45,000 mark. At this figure, I think Stellino could well turn out to be a bit of a bargain.
I think the most ever paid for a German horse to go hurdling is Donaldson, who was EUR 300,000 from what I remember, but he was a proven group horse on the flat in Germany. I spoke to his trainer, Peter Rau last year at Baden-Baden (a true gentleman and a very nice chap), and he said that although the horse was no Saddex, he was good enough to win Listed/Group 3 races at least. Hopefully, he’ll come good over hurdles (his 3rd place last time out was quite encouraging). Certainly Donaldson would be a different class to Stellino on the flat.
Darren – AngloGerman
If I got a horse like him for 45k I would be a very happy man. May not be a cheltenham horse but there’s more than a few races to be won with him. Little touch at the right time and you could be well in pocket plus have loads of fun. I just read in the paper that Fitz reckons h’e more of an Aintree type but gives no reason for saying it. Could be he thinks 2 miles is his maximum trip I suppose. Either way seems like they got a decent buy.
In the last hour, I’ve received a very interesting e-mail from Germany. It would appear that, in addition to Stellino, Henderson also has another German Flat recruit in his yard, but this one could be a bit special!! Turfshuffle is the name, and I remember him giving Weststern 4 kg and an absolute hammering in a decent race at Cologne in August last year when trained by Uwe Ostmann. I understand he’s just arrived at Hendersons yard (that’s Turfshuffle, not Uwe Ostmann!!), but he’s a really decent horse, and I for one can’t wait to see him run!
Darren – AngloGerman
, cheers for the info Colin
, or 36K paid for Bold Policy, a few of the others would have fetched more ……….. he certainly looks better value than the others!!- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.