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Interesting to see that, which could only mean that we might see CH on the track after all. However Sir Gino has received a “back-up” entry for the Fighting Fifth just in case there could be something wrong with the great horse. Is this just an early sign of a very slight warning?
What I find a bit strange about SG is the fact that he was tried over a fence only a few weeks ago and that he was so good which helped them to decide the above mentioned plan for 2024/25. Whatever “so good” means in the Henderson terms of evaluating a horse….
Covering all bases it would seem – although if CH does make it to Newcastle in one piece, then I don’t really see him running both but I guess if CH totally bombs out they can always re-route SG to Kempton although that could potentially be a big ask (depending on whether Mullins sends something over) for a 4 yr old potentially making his seasonal debut off the back of just 4 hurdle runs to his name.
Also bear in mind that the owner already has the current Champion Hudler (State Man) in that division but you do have to wonder just what Hendo has said in order to convince them to be onboard with going down the novice chase route, especially considering he will still be only 5 come Cheltenham and both Altior and Shishkin were 7 when winning their respective Arkles.
Even more strange is the fact that SG also has a Stayers Hurdle entry
LD, a Stayers Hurdle entry is always something strange imo, especially with a 5 year old. Why bother with it at all?
Mullins has stated that he plans going the Stayers’ route with Vauban. I haven’t read the article in full yet, but the question is: Are they already out of options with him? Probably yes, since he can’t win any big stayers pots on the Flat. But six would be the ideal age to send him novice chasing. Though I could imagine that he has no real talent for fences otherwise Willie would have already send him novice chasing.
How much money has owner got , does Sir Ginos owner need any win/ place money ?? , if not id avoid backing him in Novice Chase as two mistakes max and hes out the race id guess .
Good trainer and like seeing his horses win , always have but cannot take anything he says seriously anymore , Mullins steams rollers this lot now in England , dead set mows them down .According to the article, no 5 year old has won the Arkle since Voy Por Ustedes in 2006. That stat alone should be enough to put anyone off Sir Gino. It is ridiculous he is a 6/1 chance before he has even jumped a fence in public.
What Nicky couldn’t say was
“The wheels totally fell off Jeriko didn’t they ? I nearly puked up my cornflakes when I saw that horror show. Now I don’t have an Arkle horse. I’ll give Iberico Lord a go so I can stand in the paddock with JP but he is, well, he was a handicapper – and he’s by Cokoriko so he’s hardly going to be breaking any 2 mile track records. What can you actually do with a 5 year old? Nothing. I’d be better off letting Sir Gino have a quiet few pops round here and there this season- maybe the Maghull if everything was going really well- but everything has to go to Cheltenham doesn’t it? Up until then- he’s unbeaten and I can’t bear to risk a form that only has 1s in it to have any other numbers in it, so till March I’ll guard that unbeaten status like Gollum with the ring. He will only be allowed to run against trees. “As for Vauban
“The mullet and I really want to win the Melbourne Cup but it’s not gonna happen with that one. He’s a 2 1/2 mile hurdle horse but- well, everything has to go to Cheltenham doesn’t it? I don’t really have a Stayers horse cos I like my horses to be keen as mustard bridle grabbers then I keep trying to force square pegs into the Stayers hole. Like Saint Sam last year, what was I thinking. Tried to do a Nichols Canyon with Footpad one time but nope. All the Penhills get sold to Oz.
I put the words “Mystical Power” and “staying hurdles route” in the same sentence in the stable tour – but Frank Berry rang me after and said, do you think JP came down the Shannon in a bubble, the horse wears a hood for goodness sake, JP said to tell you remember who pays the bills. The cupboard is bare and I’ve nothing to beat Teahupoo so I’ll keep trying with a few old weirdos and lunatics like Asterion Forlonge and Klassical Dream.”Why would the owner of Sir Gino allow her horse to be an apparent “reserve” for Constitution Hill should he go pear shaped, I just can’t see it. Problem is he is in the same yard as Constitution Hill and does Henderson really want Sir Gino crashing the Champion Hurdle party. If I owned Sir Gino I would be tempted by the Fighting Fifth, see what happens then go from there.
The things I want most in life are the things that I can't win.
“Even more strange is the fact that SG also has a Stayers Hurdle entry”
Someone might be talking about that option, but entries aren’t made until mid January.
On the Arkle, when Voy Por Ustedes won it, 5-y-olds got a 5lb weight allowance. Now it’s a level weight race for all ages.
If Henderson had any sort of sense of adventure, he’d have been aiming Sir Gino for a big race on Nov 24th.
The French 4yo hurdle championship, the Group 1 Prix Renaud Du Vivier, over 3,900m at Auteuil, worth 126,000 euros to the winner.
Nicholls won the race in 2013 with P’Tit Zig – Il Est Francais won it two years ago.
It’s not too late – entries close on Friday.
That sounds perfect but I think Henderson doesn’t really “do” France. I wonder if Majborough will go to it, French hurdles being a nice halfway house between our hurdles and fences, and the trip could be about right.
Henderson used to send horses to France. I am fairly sure Katarino ran at Auteuil after winning the Triumph Hurdle, maybe in the race AP mentions.
Given Sir Gino’s French origin, it would seem like the perfect race for him. But Mr Risk Averse, Wrap Them Up In Cotton Wool is not likely to run him. Much better to go for a novice chase against two other runners at Kempton.
CAS, I think in those days Nicky couldn’t tell the Waley-Cohens how to campaign their horses. There were trips to France, Ireland and plenty of runs over the National fences. You might think Robert WC was the trainer and calling the shots.
But I guess Sir Gino will go exactly the old Altior and Shishkin routes.Katarino did run in the Renaud Du Vivier in 1999, finishing a 2L second under Mick Fitzpatrick.
Several places behind him that day, was the future Champion Hurdler, Hors la Loi III.
And we wonder why hurdling is in a dire state. Another top novice/ juvenile hurdler going over fences after one season over hurdles…….
And some of the reasoning is just bizarre; “the stable already has Constitution Hill….and the owners have State Man”…..Yes, so what??? That is never a good reason for avoiding taking them on.
Agreed that it is never a good reason for not taking on each other but that is from our point of view but connections of horses nowadays have long been of the mindset to avoid challenges as much as possible.
This is not helped by Cheltenham being diluted with multiple opportunities where horses can actively avoid mouth watering clashes for an easier option (usually) against inferior rivals….it has turned into a vicious circle where you are literally encouraging avoidance whereas with a 3 day Festival, if you were a top hurdler you either turned up for the Champion Hurdle or Stayers Hurdle and a top chaser it would be either QMCC or Gold Cup……because you simply had no other option at the meeting.
I sadly don’t see this kind of attitude changing anytime soon unless we are all fortunate to get a particularly sporting owner that overrides his trainer’s advice and takes on the tougher option.
Btw, Vauban has been bought by Gai Waterhouse for around A$2m and will be targetted at the MC again – think that is a very good bit of business for the Ricci’s as he really had no realistic avenues left to explore over here (exposed as not good enough over hurdles, doesn’t jump fluently enough for fences and limited on the flat as I don’t think he really fully stayed the Gold Cup trip and isn’t good enough to beat Kyprios anyway).
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