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“The problem probably began at Haydock, but didn’t appear until a couple of weeks after and he’s got a little niggle in the bone under his knee; where the cannonbone meets the knee.”
If no expressed regret, at least an ackowledgement
Not retired yet, Ruby though Sara says touch and go for the Gold Cup. Crazy decision to bring the horse back for a balls-out race with Cue Card in desperate ground. They both go on and on about how precious he is and then go and do something like that – madness.
“The problem probably began at Haydock, but didn’t appear until a couple of weeks after and he’s got a little niggle in the bone under his knee; where the cannonbone meets the knee.”
If no expressed regret, at least an ackowledgement
Coneygree wasn’t an outsider in the Betfair, only 2/1 and question marks about Cue Card too. Had the Tizzard elder statesman run to Wetherby or Kempton form the Bradstocks would’ve won at Haydock. They didn’t go for the 2015 Betfair, instead started 1\4 favourite in a minor Sandown race on repperance. Winning easily by 25 lengths; giving the impression he was as good as ever if not better. Missed the Hennessey, King George and the rest of the season with foot problems picked up at home (unrelated to Sandown). However, did connections regret going for a Micky Mouse listed race when (evident from the way he ran) the horse was in peak condition? To be honest, the race proved a waste of his considerable talent.
Long history of injuries, also missing 22 months prior to novice campaign. Fragility must have played a part in going for Gold on only 4th chase start. Some said they were foolhardy, more likely to get injured in the Blue Riband against established rivals. Had he done so, Bradstocks would’ve recieved an absolute kicking. Yet it was the race of the season and everyone so pleased for their attacking policy. Logic to it too. No knowing whether he’d still be in A1 condition 12 months later (he wasn’t, out injured). Likewise, no knowing if he’d be ok for this season’s King George and beyond – so (importantly) with an exceptional record fresh and excellent chance of winning – why not go for the Betfair when in good health?
Where’s the evidence Haydock’s Betfair was any greater risk (for this particular injury) than anywhere else? So I see no reason why the Bradstocks should express regret, even though no doubt in hindsight they do regret running. Doesn’t every owner when their horse comes back injured? Unfortunately with a fragile horse coming back from injury there’s a fair chance of injury on reappearance at any course and in any race; or at home.
Give the Bradstocks a break, Joe.
Value Is EverythingGetting tired of it myself, Mark, but I said before the Betfair they were taking a big risk and I’m still frustrated that the horse (although I’ve never backed him) will now miss another season.
Where’s the evidence Haydock’s Betfair was any greater risk (for this particular injury) than anywhere else?
Well, I can’t produce Exhibit A, but I don’t think it unreasonable to assume that a nice gallop round on good to soft ground at a steady pace is much less likely to do damage to those ‘giraffe legs’ than plugging them into and dragging them out of mud more than 200 times at full racing pace. And had Dicky done what Sara thought he should and gone faster through the first circuit, they might not have had a horse to take home at all.
My comments echo the tenor of the thread title. I was as teary-eyed as anyone when he won his Gold Cup, but they’ve a history of defensive bullcrap, not least when they forgot to declare him for the KG.
Anyway, in the end I’ll heed your call and call it quits.
Happy retirement Coneygree!!!
And once again stop talking crap Sara Bradstock!!!!
What did Thistlecrack beat? The past 3 winners of the KG and last years Feltham winner with ease!!!Your horse, as nice as he might be, will have a nice retirement and would never have had the legs and constitution to match the likes of Thistlecrack or Cue Card. Thistlecrack will be open to further improvement and Cue Card will go to the Ryanair with a live chance, please admit that.
Maybe she doesn’t quite think the King George form was up to much? Me neither…it sounds good when you say he beat the last 3 King George winners but come on…what has SC done of any note in his last ten starts?
Maybe Sara is speaking with the knowledge of knowing her horse wasn’t right at Haydock? We already know he lacked fitness and was at a course that doesn’t really suit him…and now we find out he could have been injured too…
With that in mind how good is this seasons Cue Card? We were led to believe after it was one of the best performances ever but beating an unfit, injured horse doesn’t quite add up now…Cue Card was disappointing in the Charlie Hall and in the King George, so how good a race was it?
Desperate shame by the way…would have been great to see him back at his best serving it up to Thistlecrack come March…too similar to last year though and I’ve feared the worst for a while now…
Well, if you’re afraid of the low sun why do you run the horse at all?
What kind of a person are you, if you know that the sun might harm your horse and you still run it?Then, the next question is why do NH horses have to jump fences while watching into the sun? At some courses they have to and at some not. Who is the clerk of the course with HORSE’S EYES who decides when they can jump and not?
Is this a random selection or how is it determined?
Well, if you’re afraid of the low sun why do you run the horse at all?
What kind of a person are you, if you know that the sun might harm your horse and you still run it?To whom is the word “you” referring?
To ALL connections who are afraid of the low sun and still decide to run.
Oh, it happens a lot of times.The sooner they start voiding races rather than have the farce of a 4 fence 3 mile chase the better, if they can’t jump the advertised number of fences at the commencement of the race it should be voided and all bets refunded
I don’t think it was treated as anything like such a problem, Cormack, but society becomes ever more safety conscious. Who knows how many bad falls, going back 30 or 40 years, weren’t associated with low sun when in actual fact that was the cause?
After events at Wetherby on Saturday, even more caution will now be shown and more races will be affected by the omission of obstacles. Already courses schedule chases earlier on the card but it is almost as disappointing when a good hurdle race is ruined. The top Saturday cards are choc full of fine contests and at the time of year low sun is an issue ITV naturally wants to cover the best of them in its normal time slot so any weaker races are put on first by courses. Can’t see a solution as starting at 11.0 would inconvenience everyone.
I fear we will have to continue to put up with farcical events, Tony, because abandoning a race or two would, on balance, be a worse option.
The sooner they start voiding races rather than have the farce of a 4 fence 3 mile chase the better, if they can’t jump the advertised number of fences at the commencement of the race it should be voided and all bets refunded
Sam Winner won a “Chase” bumper at Aintree three years ago with 9 of the 19 fences being omitted.
I jut watched the race again. Cue Card came down after jumping 4 fences that were in the same ‘sun line’ as the one he fell at. The two leaders jumped that fence foot perfect. Going by the shadows of the horses the sun at its strongest was coming from their left.
I think that the sun maybe doesn’t have such an effect on horses, as their field of vision, being prey animals, is not the same as humans, the jockeys are dazzled not the horses. As most wear sun protection over their eyes it perhaps is not so bad for them either.
I am not sure you can really lay blame on the connections for running the horse when the sun is out – you assume that if there is a potential issue with low sun, the relevant protocols in place will be enacted (i.e. the jockeys will be consulted about whether low sun is an issue and if it is the fences affected will be dolled off). Not sure anyone thought it would be an issue and I am not sure that it was in any case.
If you give the jockeys the option of dolling fences off due to low sun, they will always take it to err on the side of caution – althought I honestly don’t remember say 15-20 yrs ago that fences were dolled off for low sun, I do remember odd times when a fence got damaged by a horse making a mistake on a first circuit that they omitted it the next time round.
I understand that if the jockeys are affected by the sun then it is a safety issue especially if you are on a novice chaser having his first run but I do believe this is an issue that is more prevalent in recent times.
I am not sure it is a valid excuse for these two incidents as I have not heard any of the other jockeys in the race say they had trouble at the fences down the back due to the sun – yes Coneygree is a very good jumper but that is not to say he is immune to making a mistake and it may just simply be he guessed at the fence (maybe age and injuries are catching up with him as he also made crucial mistakes at Punchestown, which arguably cost him victory).
As for Cue Card well that fall bears striking similarities to his fall 3 out in the Gold Cup when Paddy also asked him and he put down on him – that could also be an age thing as these falls are tending to happen towards the business end of the races when pressure is being applied and maybe the mind is willing but the flesh just isn’t able to respond in the same way.
<p abp=”328″>I jut watched the race again. Cue Card came down after jumping 4 fences that were in the same ‘sun line’ as the one he fell at. The two leaders jumped that fence foot perfect. Going by the shadows of the horses the sun at its strongest was coming from their left.
I didn’t think Cue Cards was what I’d term a fall, it appeared to me he didn’t land foot perfect then stumbled.
A farce in the 330 at Cheltenham today, hurdles in the home straight omitted and they couldn’t even run on the hurdle course so went up the chase course instead.
So who knows what the distance ran was , race should have been voided as it wasn’t as advertised when having a punt on it not that I had one but if it says 2+ miles then that is what should be run
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