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Elliott might but she won’t beat Lossiemouth , they can put another jockey on the hill but where the hell would that leave Nico
Depends what you mean by “proper recognition” Racingorchid.
Yes, jumping is the name of the game, so Golden Ace should have some recognition.
…But the fact is the form she has actually put up in both the Champion Hurdle and Fighting Fifth is (compared to many Champion Hurdle and Fighting Fifth winners) poor… Because of those fallers and other rivals that have not run to form. He’s only beaten Nemean Lion under two lengths today and that simply is not “top class” form.Value Is EverythingI don’t think it is a jockey issue with CH – it is the exact same mistake….goes to let fly then changes his mind and lands halfway up the hurdle with no chance to get his feet over the hurdle to stand up.
Henderson sounds like he doesn’t know what else he can do , I really hope they dont the flat thing , maybe it’s just time to say enough
Istabraq’s last five races read: F1F1PU
But, every time he fell, he was still in contention. CH was maybe in some sort of contention when he fell at Aintree. But, I think it’s safe to say the horse hast lost it’s enthusiasm. We are not talking about racing ability, but confidence in his jumping. Which reads zero right now.“Maybe it is those horrible white hurdles.”
That’s certainly something which has entered my mind more than once, RTB. Okay, he took a chance at the last in the 2023 Champion Hurdle, but his jumping was generally electric before they changed the hurdles to white.It could be that the additional reflection/glare from the new colour is confusing him.
Run him on the flat and see how he gets on with that – perservering with hurdling with his current mindset is asking for trouble….he has had 3 falls in last 4 runs and come away unscathed each time………very lucky to do so.
We saw how his form got worse after falling the first time last season so why would you risk his very life hoping things will be any different next time?
“These days (since losing confidence in his own jumping) Constitution Hill needs to lead. Not even having anything at his side. Put off in his Cheltenham prep, Cheltenham and Ireland before today. Newcastle in front over the first and then upsides at the second… Crash. He’s put off by other runners.”
I don’t know if that’s entirely true about the other runners- he was cruising comfortably clear with his ears pricked in the International when he made an absolute hash of the last and paddled through it. But if you are right that’s very limiting. There’s always going to be somebody to take you on for the lead, especially now they scent a weakness plus with age perhaps blunting his cruising speed a touch, he would need to use petrol to secure an uncontested lead instead of claiming it as of right.
Might be confidence issue, might be- to paraphrase Top Gun- his ego writing cheques his body can no longer cash. Training takes a toll anyway, and two previous fast hurdling falls on good ground are bound to take a toll as well.
We saw how his form got worse after falling the first time last season so why would you risk his very life hoping things will be any different next time?
Especially when Nicky tells us his problems have been sorted out. Which ones?
Yes, The New Lion was far from guaranteed to have won had he stood up, CAS.
However, It was clear TNL hated being in front and also he is more of a 2 1/2 stamina horse than both Anzadam and Golden Ace. So I’d expect TNL not to be going as well at the point TNL fell. And given that… I’d say he was the most likely winner had he stood up.Value Is EverythingT’would be fences for Constitution Hill were he mine. He has the equivalent of golfer yips over hurdles.
14s Golden Ace tempting enough for March – she’s a better mare than last season and there’s probably more to come. Still think Ballbyburn worth chancing at 33. Am not convinced Mullins believes Lossiemouth is a 2-miler.
TNL lost concentration in front, so Skelton will have to rethink tactics if he’s to continue at 2m. Constitution Hill has some sort of mental issue I think- he’s worth a run or two on the Flat and if he shows no spark then retire him. Golden Ace is a far better mare than she’s given credit for and will be a great each-way bet next March. I really think Sir Gino might well end up in the Champion Hurdle next March but we’ll see.
Ginge – I can see your point to an extent given that they finished in a bit of a bunch and he would have been seeing the trip out probably better than the first two for sure….although would race fitness have told like it did for the 2nd and 3rd in the end?
Hard to say definitively what would have happened had he stood up but I do think they made a major mistake with sitting upsides CH on the front end as that is not how they have ever ridden him previously – if it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it.
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