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Marlingford is spot on. The current plans can only be 100% to run. Another schooling session will tell them zero unless he falls. His problem is not jumping; it’s either concentration or confidence when in a race, and there is bugger all a horde of Yogi Breisners can do about that.
All the preamble is window dressing. For two men who claim to love the horse so much but are willing to send him out on a literal wing and a prayer simply to have the chance of saying ‘I told you so!’ is beyond my comprehension.
I very much doubt he would run at Royal Ascot as there is really only the Hardwicke Stakes as a viable race for him as he wouldn’t stay the Gold Cup trip in his horsebox.
There are so many options on the flat and we all know how they like to water the ground and if we are talking early spring targets (with the amount of rain we have had) true good to firm is unlikely, there is also the fact that races in the Autumn are more liable to be run on easier going and there is also races in Germany/France where ground also tends to be much softer.
Over hurdles he has just the Champion Hurdle (which he has already won) as the main target with stop at Newcastle and Kempton along the way.
Regards the BHA, they clearly have no real authority to step in to stop him from running over hurdles as this would open the proverbial can of worms over do they stop every horse with multiple falls over several races (what would be the guidelines, would a horse being brought down count to the number of falls etc) and where do you draw the line……what about horses that have pulled up multiple times over several races (Mr Vango for instance has pulled up in 2 of his last 3 races and 3 times in his last 7 races)…should he be banned from running????
Horses that cause problems and/or refuse to be loaded into starting stalls thus requiring a stalls test is one thing but they aren’t going to touch banning horses for too many falls. El Fabiolo fell 3 times over fences in 4 starts, common sense told connections to stop chasing (even though he is clearly talented enough to win a QMCC) with the obvious next step being going back over hurdles which he did and where he won again……..in CH case, the move to flat racing is the common sense move but at the end of the day connections have the right to run him wherever they choose and the BHA can’t just intervene based on the fact that they think it isn’t the right thing to do.
I agree; Flyingbolt should be considered a brilliant horse. But they never changed the handicapping system for him as they did for Arkle. In doing so the English authorities embarrassed themselves.
As for Condtitution Hill, I still hope they concentrate on the flat, especially as they think they might have a tilt at the Melbourne Cup.
I would argue this is an exceptional circumstance in relation to Constitution Hill. The whole sport will come under the microscope if he falls fatally. The BHA as the regulator cannot remain silent and should consider horse welfare first & foremost before anyone’s vanity projects and ego trips.
CH has not unseated, pulled up or been brought down. As Brough Scott commented all 3 falls could have resulted in a broken neck.
To quote the BHA’s website;
‘It is the responsibility of the BHA and everyone involved in the sport to ensure that we do everything possible to minimise avoidable risk and to ensure that no injury or fatality occurs which could reasonably have been prevented’
Not sure allowing CH to run in the Champion Hurdle meets that criteria. IMHO.
Completely agree with what Astralcharmer has posted above.
The reputational damage to the sport would be huge if the worst were to happen and that has to be taken into consideration, especially as the horse’s recent 75% fall rate must surely enter the “minimise avoidable risk… reasonably have been prevented” criterion.
The spring targets on the flat suggested mooted by some seem to be worth c. £50k -70k. Mr Buckley didn’t seem very excited by those options. Winning the Champion Hurdle would get him about £250k
Perhaps the John Porter etc seems a bit too vin ordinaire for the old bon viveur.
His first fall may have gave him the problem of concentration/lack of confidence as he didn’t before that and if its the case its a harsh one as it was a bit of a freak mistake when Brighterdaysahead hit the hurdle and moved it before Con Hill already in the air landed on the moved hurdle on its way back.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
365 now offering a boost on him winning the Champion Hurdle
7/2 NRNB – guess the max stake is limited to a tenner
Classic Henderson ‘Every day I change my mind, but we’ve got to make a decision’.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
I’ve heard a rumour Henderson doesn’t have his breakfast to 3 in the afternoon …… Big decision … Coco pops or Frosties…. can’t be rushed , makes you wish for Mullins , straight to the point , Gaelic Warrior … Ryanair… jockey Patrick Mullins …done….next
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
If he says the decision is 50/50 then surely you err on the side of caution?
I’m normally one of those who believes racing sometimes over does the health & safety aspects of jump racing so hardly a snowflake, but in this instance the clear & obvious risk is there for all to see.
18 hurdles jumped on his last 3 UK races and 3 falls meaning he has a 16% chance of falling at any given padded hurdle. Had he fallen at the last in the International Hurdle that would have been 4 falls in the last 19 hurdles he jumped.
It’s not as though he falls at the same part of every race either so you can’t even predict when he may do it.
50 50 to run , schooling session today in RP .
The BHA needs to step in here and have a word with them .If you drive through a red light at 50 in a car and get through ok it dont make it right , if he wins it still shows no regard for the horse . The horse dont know hes won a second champion hurdle .
If he runs the cherry on top pre race is ” we just want him home safe ” that old worn out line .Gaelic Warrior is a Gold Cup Festival banker. You should include him in all your accumularors, HDLG.
MY idea of a flat campaign for Constitution Hill would be to start with one of these three:
Sagaro Stakes
Yorkshire Cup
Ormonde StakesThe key to a Melbourne Cup run will either be the rating or a “win and you’re in” race and he looks the type to carry a bit of weight so the Northumberland Plate must be a possible.
Prep race for a trip to Flemington – perhaps the Irish St Leger – and then off to sunny Melbourne and then a stop in Saudi on the way back to run in the Red Sea Handicap before coming back to Blighty.
Imho if he gets to MC he wins or goes v v close , 50 50 on going Spring in Melbourne , scan , some crunching falls but low miles . Its the 3 year olds they get a sweat on .
The scans are BS anyway , any number kicked out go well later with zero issues .Ruby even Hughsie knows Garlic is going on the Thursday
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
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