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Yet to run this season. Is he injured or is Ferdy just keeping him fresh for a spring campaign with targets at Cheltenham and Aintree?
He does need Good ground thm,but he is being trained with one race in mind and thats the Champion Chase!Not that he will beat his Arkle conquerer Forpadydeplasterer anyway!
He was due to run at Kelso a few months back and then the Peterborough Chase but has suffered a few setbacks.
Haven’t heard anything more recent than that though. I presume Ferdy may have a bit of a dilemma on his hands right now. One of his last comments was that there are a distinct lack of options where to start KK after he missed Kelso.
Kalahari King didn’t record his season’s best RPRs in either of the last two seasons until about four or five runs in, so the fact he hasn’t turned out at all so far this season can’t help but worry a touch. Connections just aren’t going to get the optimum number of races into him in time, unless his needs have changed markedly.
His last-known hurdles mark was somewhere in the region of a stone below his chase mark, being 140 or thereabouts. Were it simply a matter of getting some races into him, and assuming that mark hasn’t been rounded up in the meantime, what was to stop him being run in something like the Greatwood, albeit off 11st or more?
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.
There must still be something wrong with Kalahari King. you don’t miss most of the season for no reason. He has a record of being stiff in the mornings (I have the same trouble). Doubtful starter in any race at Cheltenham (imo).
Value Is EverythingHe has a record of being stiff in the mornings (I have the same trouble).
Oh no, i just had a vision of that Ginger haired character from Austin Powers lying on a bed with his kilt a loft exposing his Gingerbread man!
Article on Sportinglife website this morning saying he’s being targeted at Doncaster on Feb 6th to return.
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He was delayed by a splint then he didn’t want to run him on soft ground. Doesn’t need a lot of racing to get ready so can’t imagine Ferdy will be too bothered.
Wouldn’t be having your wages on him if it comes up soft at Donnie. Preparation is the name of the game
Jeremy, it ia more appropriate to look at the time of year for Kalahari King’s best ratings, not the number of runs. The trainer tunes them up for a clear target at Cheltenham, and the runs along the way last year were more about getting experience than fitness.
CJB
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Kalahari King didn’t record his season’s best RPRs in either of the last two seasons until about four or five runs in, so the fact he hasn’t turned out at all so far this season can’t help but worry a touch. Connections just aren’t going to get the optimum number of races into him in time, unless his needs have changed markedly.
His last-known hurdles mark was somewhere in the region of a stone below his chase mark, being 140 or thereabouts. Were it simply a matter of getting some races into him, and assuming that mark hasn’t been rounded up in the meantime, what was to stop him being run in something like the Greatwood, albeit off 11st or more?
gc
I hear what you are saying Jeremy and in many cases I would agree. However, very early on I backed this horse ew antepost for both his visits to the festival so I have watched his career very closely
The first time was just after he won at Mussleburgh when a friend and very good judge couldn’t wait to call me and tell me about this wonder horse he had just seen. By memory I think I backed him at around 25/1 ew for the Supreme Hurdle and then he flopped next time out and I thought I had done my money.
What I do remember between then and Cheltenham that he had aparantly been a sick horse at some stage and Ferdy saying he could have done with another week or two to get him spot on for Cheltenham. That setback whatever it was could easily lead people to think he’s a stuufy horse who needs a lot of racing to come right.
He won easily enough at Kelso and somewhere else? before getting bogged down in bad ground at Haydock then Ferdy gave him a 6 week break and took him back to Mussleburgh when conditions improved.
Ferdy had said long before he jumped a fence he was aiming him for the Arkle and knowing the way he trains I doubt if he pushed the horse to the full for any of his build up race but at Cheltenham he was 100%.
Where I would start worrying is if Ferdy tries to get 2 runs into him in Feb like he did the last time he had a set back. Taking it there are two opportunities for him.
I suppose like us all he’ll be wondering if Master Minded will turn up and will have the Melling Chase in mind for Kalahari King after the QMCC. Good prize the Melling and could be his fr the taking so I can’t see him trying to take any shortcuts and probably it will be one run and hope for the best.
Fist, Aintree will be on the agenda after Cheltenham, as will Punchestown. That meeting is a favourite, Ferdy loves winners there and Kalahari won there the year before last.
Ferdy Murphy hopes to get his Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase hope Kalahari King back on the course at Doncaster next month.
Last year’s Arkle Trophy runner-up and Aintree Grade One winner has yet to make his seasonal debut after suffering a setback.
However he is back on track now and Murphy is targeting the Flying Scotsman Handicap Chase over an extended two miles at Doncaster on February 6.
"He’s good and we’ve got him back on track and he goes to Doncaster for a run there," said the West Witton trainer.
"It’s an open handicap, there’s nowhere else for him to go really. Hopefully we’ll get good ground.
"He had a splint and it just flared up. We didn’t know what the problem was for a long time then it came out.
"He had X-rays and scans and nothing showed up, then low and behold he threw one (a splint). You wouldn’t think at his age he’d get one, but they do.
"It was just one of those things. Hopefully he’ll get to Doncaster and we’ll make more plans after that."
Kalahari King is a top-priced 10-1 for the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival
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