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I don’t think PN was referring to horses back peddling being a problem. That happens in almost every race. He’s worried about some horse who has no business being in the race falling and brining down one his runners or worse.
If we had a rag that was clearly a poor jumper then I would be concerned but Cerium’s record is not littered with F’s and UR’s.
It would just be knee jerk stuff if Cerium brought down a favourite as opposed to Kauto Star say.
PFN may have a point about about raising the threshold and is at liberty to exploit the rules as they stand but it certainly does not look a principled argument to use the rules and complain about them.
Peddling back at Cheltenham is surely not a problem is it? Especially when they hit the straight. Not exactly the bend at lingfield is it?
From memory most, if not all, of those outclassed in either the Ch Hurdle or Gold Cup are usually trailing very early on.
Is Paul Nicholls forgetting his own Kauto Star bringing down Dempsey in the 2006 Champion Chase?
Should we just rule out anything that’s fallen/brought down/unseated etc. that season – would he prefer that?
Would Lake Cariba have got a Gold Cup run a few years back under Nicholls system? He went on to finish third at a monster price.
The owners are entitled to race in which ever races they can do.
Old Quixall Crossett ran in a Tommy Whittle in a field of about 5 or 6 and completed in his own time to pick up a few hundred quid and gave his owner a day out and hospitallity and a Grade One course.
You may aswell say that teams from The Championship downwards cannot enter the FA Cup as they have no chance of getting to Wembley.
Just out of interest: Lake Kariba was actually 5th at 150-1 and only 6 finished in Looks Like trouble’s Gold Cup. Following is the RP analysis:
Lake Kariba, with no earthly chance on form shown over much shorter distances, excelled himself despite pulling hard for a long way and, what’s more, there seemed very little fluke about it on his return from a lengthy break. He’s always been a horse with tremendous natural ability, and it seems Venetia Williams has tapped into it. He’s sure to be fully effective over shorter, but whether he can hold his form well enough to offset an assured hefty rise in his BHB mark of 145 is another matter.
Sadly he collapsed and died after finishing his next race – 3rd at Aintree (in the race that claimed the life of Strong Promise).
Just out of interest: Lake Kariba was actually 5th at 150-1 and only 6 finished in Looks Like trouble’s Gold Cup. Following is the RP analysis:
Lake Kariba, with no earthly chance on form shown over much shorter distances, excelled himself despite pulling hard for a long way and, what’s more, there seemed very little fluke about it on his return from a lengthy break. He’s always been a horse with tremendous natural ability, and it seems Venetia Williams has tapped into it. He’s sure to be fully effective over shorter, but whether he can hold his form well enough to offset an assured hefty rise in his BHB mark of 145 is another matter.
Sadly he collapsed and died after finishing his next race – 3rd at Aintree (in the race that claimed the life of Strong Promise).
Thanks Ten Plus – getting my races confused in old age (did remember the end part of what you say mind)
Graded races are non handicaps and therefore, there should be no limit on ANY horse talking part. Owners are entitled to run there horses where they want.
Graded races are non handicaps and therefore, there should be no limit on ANY horse talking part. Owners are entitled to run there horses where they want.
So should an unraced novice be allowed take part in the Gold Cup? Clearly you think so.
Nicholls has tied himself into a bit of a knot (not for the first time) here but there is some sense to the rules regarding the bottom rating for a horse in the Gold Cups.
Every other sporting highlights (Olympics, Wimbledon, World Cup etc) there is a bottom line that all competitors have to achieve….racings Olympics should be no different.
Latalomne was bang in with a chance two-out in consecutive Champion Chases, despite being rated over two-stone lower than the main protagonists in both races.
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Venn Ottery was 5th in the Champion Chase off an OR of 110, when trained by…. eerrrmrm……………………. Paul Nicholls.
Venn Ottery was 5th in the Champion Chase off an OR of 110, when trained by…. eerrrmrm……………………. Paul Nicholls.
Most appropriate comment so far; the horse might well have been placed but for Carter forgetting to declare the tongue tie. Of course Nicholls only took on the horse in a fevered bid to beat Martin Pipe to the trainers title. Another of Nicholls’ gaffes.
I understand Paul Nicholls being unhappy with the new connections of Cerium. Let’s not forget, Cerium was a useful handicapper not so long ago, but he completely lost his way and was last seen pulling up with "an irregular heartbeat" as the excuse.
The horse is a light of former days and Nicholls would know how much Cerium has deteriorated. I imagine he advised the previous owner to retire him. No wonder he’s angry to see the poor thing humiliated in the Gold Cup (and probably Champion Hurdle, Scottish National and Topham too).
Paul Nicholls seems to care about his horses even after they leave his care. He slated Oliver Carter over Venn Ottery.
Ripping Ring, unlike Cerium, is young, fit and able to play a meaningful part in the Champion Hurdle as pacemaker.
didn’t PN get into a spot of bother over the County Hurdle a few years back!
Yes indeed
I’ve had very little respect for PFN since Cheltenham 2004 when he declared Rigmarole for the County Hurdle, thus putting all bar 5 horses out of the handicap. Sporazene then won the race while Rigmarole was a NR.
Lets be clear here, I am not sayng I would do such a ridiculous thing if I was an owner/trainer. But, if an owner wants to run an unraced novice in a Gold Cup then why not? If anyone can give me one good reason why they shouldn’t then I am all ears. (And falling and interrupting other horses is not a reason as that can happen in any race).
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