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Anybody remember a horse callled Snowtown Boy, a top Novice Chaser about 25-30 years ago?
Trained by Fred Winter, he carried all before him until a similar condition was diagnosed. He resumed racing but became inconsistent and never fulfilled his early promise.
Hopefully vetinary science has evolved enough to allow Denman to come back as good as before, but his preference for softer going worries me a bit if he has this cloud hanging over him.
Hope that this kills off any thought of running him in The National
Snowtwn Boy was originally trained by Auriol Sinclair for whom he won the Challow Hurdle before he moved to Fred Winter and he ended up with none other than Jack Berry. He did look likely to become a top notcher until his problem was diagnosed; in fairness, he still produced performances on a par with his best after leaving Uplands, but he certainly became inconsistent and tended to find little off the bridle.
The more i read on the subject the less likely it seems Denman will return to the same form.
One Cool Cat did indeed have an irregular heartbeat. He was sent off favourite for the 2,000 Guineas, but was never a threat, finishing 13th of 14, a distance behind the winner Haafhd.It was diagnosed afterwards as an irregular heartbeat. I doubt he was the same horse after it was diagnosed,though he did go on to win a 6f Group 3 at the Curragh.
It tends to make depressing reading. However, all horses are different and they will all have a variation of the same condition and all respond differently to treatment.I would imagine that with the advancement of technology and the miracles of modern science Denman can hopefully make a full recovery. Paul Nicholls seems fairly upbeat about the situation. Denman is no ordinary horse and if he shows the same amount of tenacity and courage that he shows on the track then these qualities can assist in his making a good and full recovery.
As previously mentioned on TRF Willie Wumpkins,had a heart problem,but still managed to established himself when winning the 1975 Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle as a five-year-old. And in his old age he made the Coral Golden Hurdle his own. He won it at the veteran ages of 11,12 and 13! He was described by his owner as having a heart that rattled like an express train! Although I have to say I don’t know if his was a similar condition to Denman’s.
So there are still grounds for optimism and I’m sure all racing enthusiasts are hoping for a full and speedy recovery.
Now this is probably my addled memory playing tricks again, but didn’t Barnbrook Again have a heart murmur?
I can’t remember if that had any effect on him or not – can anyone recall?
He’s not in the same league as most or all of the horses mentioned so far (not at present, anyway), but Charlie Egerton’s 5yo Shore Thing, who runs in the 2m4f Fontwell novices’ hurdle this afternoon, is another horse with a documented heart problem.
It’s not prevented him from collecting two wins in his last three starts, but it did put him off the racetrack for eight months prior to these.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Who do you think they’ll put up on Denman in the Gold Cup? (Not who do you WANT but who do you think they’ll go for)
I think they might just go back to Sam. They should. Francome (despite his predicatable defending of the jockey) hinted why.
McCoy will ride him. Connections won’t lose face now and they’ll be desperate to prove people wrong.
However Sam Thomas SHOULD get the ride. I really don’t think Denman has a prayer at Cheltenham with McCoy on board.
(Ironically Sam just ridden a blinder on Winterwood at Warwick
)I’m not so sure they’ll be that bothered about losing face. Nicholls has shown in the past that he will make the tough decisions when necessary.
I’m not so sure they’ll be that bothered about losing face. Nicholls has shown in the past that he will make the tough decisions when necessary.
Perhaps but we’re talking Barber and Findlay here. I think Nicholls will have little say ultimately and he’s hardly Sam’s biggest fan anyway.
Jockeys are just performing monkeys – it doesn’t matter who rides, particularly so in the case of a good horse.
Quite ironic after McCoys relatively "soft" unseat that Thomas does a true Velcro recovery on Winterwood a few minutes later.
Corm, who is A N Other, please? Is he a foreign jockey because to be honest I’ve not noticed him riding many winners.
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