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I have given Henderson a fair amount of criticism in this forum but I find myself in the unusual position of defending him this time – and not just because of my ante post investment!
It was Michael Buckley who was full of the “Let’s take on Honeysuckle” talk, not Henderson. Once the heat of the moment was over, a bit of sense has prevailed.
It is not normal tactics to take an English novice over to Ireland to run in open company. That would be a real risk with little up side but plenty of down side. Remember, Irish trained Samcro was hailed as the Second Coming – but he was beaten in the race and was arguably never the same afterwards.
Why would Henderson risk ruining potentially the best hurdler he or anyone else has ever trained? We can all agree he has the potential to be great, based on the winning margin and time of the Supreme and how the form has been franked.
If Henderson had said “We are certainly going to Punchestown to win the Grade 1 novice race” and then backed out, then I think the criticism would be fair.
Samcro fell in the race then the next season had a lower respiratory problem which dogged him ever since. Nothing to do with the fall. Melon (independently) fell in the same race at the same hurdle and is still trucking around running decent races.
Looking through recent champion hurdle winners- Buveur d’air made an unforced error and speared himself in the fighting Fifth. It doesn’t mean Newcastle is extra dangerous. Espoir d’Allen came over backwards in the yard at home and killed himself. Annie Power famously splatted in the easy mares hurdle then won the harder champion hurdle. Faugheen won a couple of grade 1 novice chases in Ireland 5 years later (the horror!) Odd things happen in racing.
Travelling to Ireland- unless the boat sinks- isn’t massively extra risky. It perhaps slightly increases a horse’s chance of being beaten (though not Golden Cygnet who ran at Fairyhouse in his next race after Cheltenham and won 10l eased down). And that’s what Henderson is afraid of not the horse being killed. Personally I’d have liked to see him run against Sir Gerhard who is unbeaten over hurdles and whose Cheltenham form was franked- like Constitution Hill’s – in a G1 at Aintree.
“Personally I’d have liked to see him run against Sir Gerhard who is unbeaten over hurdles and whose Cheltenham form was franked- like Constitution Hill’s – in a G1 at Aintree.”
I would like to have seen that as well. But the idea of running against Honeysuckle was pub talk from Buckley, not from Henderson.
“It is not normal tactics to take an English novice over to Ireland…”
This is no normal English novice.
Cork All Star makes a good case although I tend to disagree.
I used to admire Henderson and his enthusiasm at the start of every season but, and it may just be a coincidence but since he started getting paid by a bookmaker for information he appears to have gone downhill.
As we know there have been previous incidents and you’ve got to really question anyone who is in favour of 5 days at Cheltenham. Does he just see it as an opportunity to farm a few more races there with odds on shots before he retires, rather than being for the good of racing?
Regarding Constitution Hill, would he have been in more danger at Punchestown than he will be at Cheltenham?
I don’t see it and did Hendo really refer to Golden Cygnet? That’s a red herring, Golden Cygnet is irrelevant to Con Hill.
I can imagine he was squirming in his seat when Buckley suggested running there, no way would he want to do it and I take “He’s not working as well” with a pinch of salt.Geldings are for racing and why forego the opportunity of racing for 250k with only 1 or maybe 2 realistic opponents?
Hendo’s had a good career but like some good horses, maybe is a bit long in the tooth now.
That’s the spirit Seasider
None of this namby pam you woke training. Get their minds on the job!
Did he lose his licence at all?
I don’t understand how Constitution Hill can ever run again. He would have to tackle open company were he to return over hurdles in the autumn/winter. Surely we’ve established that is too dangerous. Or was Honeysuckle going to kill him herself?
Tongue firmly in cheek but there is a point in there somewhere, is there not?
Up to 20 pages now on a horse that has run three times and will not be seen in public again until late November at the earliest.
“I don’t see it and did Hendo really refer to Golden Cygnet? That’s a red herring, Golden Cygnet is irrelevant to Con Hill”.
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Yes Henderson did refer to Golden Cygnet, Yeats.
It’s on the link CAS put up on page 14 of this thread.Golden Cygnet is relevant because he was the last best ever novice to run against established hurdlers. So is bound to play heavily on a trainer’s mind. Constitution Hill has much better conformation than Golden Cygnet and therefore no novice hurdler has ever had as much potential as “The Hill”. The Hill has much less experience than even Golden Cygnet had. Although he’s jumped well so far, The Hill lacks experience. Had the worst happened Hendo would have had a lot of criticism for taking on established hurdlers in open company with just a thrice raced novice, let alone one with The Hill’s unparalleled potential.
So although if I trained The Hill myself, like to think he’d run in Ireland against Honeysuckle and Co… can see why Henderson has chosen not to.
Value Is Everything“I don’t understand how Constitution Hill can ever run again. He would have to tackle open company were he to return over hurdles in the autumn/winter”.
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Punchestown is not just “open company” though is it, TYT. It’s THE hurdle race in Ireland.
There are many conditions races or even grade 1 open company races early season with only one or two real top class horses to take on. Easy enough to get more experience before taking on a whole Champion Hurdle field.Value Is Everything“Did he lose his licence at all?”
He was an owner, clive, and under the somewhat lax rules concerning animal rights prevalent at that time he suffered no consequences from the Jockey Club.
The earl was a bit odd in other ways. He once threw a waiter out of a first floor window and told the manager to, ‘put him on my bill’. Plus, he would complain to Admiral Rous if the handicapper rated his horses too low. He viewed a light weight as both a personal insult and a ludicrous implication that he, Carr-Boyle, should be capable of owning a bad horse.
Pleased to see “The Hill” in usage – it’s catching on.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"CAS makes a persuasive arguement, but this is hardly a backlash from an isolated incident.
GT makes an absolutely laughable rationale. Its a good decision as CH could have died so its a big positive for the 2023 Champion. How you post such nonsense whilst simultaneously preaching about peoples lack of “intelligent debate” from a soap box strapped to a very high horse, shows some ego and lack of self awareness.
‘The Hill’ isn’t bloody catching on here btw. This thread contains a collection of things liable to make me projectile vomit on my laptop. “Nicky”. “Hendo”. “TRF’ers”. “The Hill”. Horrendous patter!
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Greenasgrass, you made me laugh. One could equally conclude that a light campaign is dangerous – it killed Best Mate, and Shishkin is on box rest.
“‘The Hill’ isn’t bloody catching on here btw.”
I am aware I face something of an uphill task in that department with your good self, Lord Tatling – but I like a challenge, sir!
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“he would complain to Admiral Rous if the handicapper rated his horses too low. He viewed a light weight as both a personal insult and a ludicrous implication that he, Carr-Boyle, should be capable of owning a bad horse.”
They don’t make them like this any more! Thanks for sharing seasider
“I am aware I face something of an UPHILL task in that department with your good self, Lord Tatling”
I see what you did there. Badum, tish.
“He once threw a waiter out of a first floor window and told the manager to, ‘put him on my bill’.”
Christ! If he survived I bet this bloke was quicker with the drinks next time.
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