Sir Gino going the Arkle route

[He Didnt Like Ground]

This says a lot about Henderson mindset , last year was a disaster yet once again it’s all about Cheltenham , Jesus h his best result was a 3rd and this only happened because the owner pushed for the horse to run , I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again he’s never forgot that Altior run , it’s ruined him , what the hell happens if something goes wrong with CH , at this moment in time he’s 22nd in the championship table on £157k , ok he may not care about that but if he has another indifferent year then he’s going to become tomorrow’s man , he needs winners , some big ones , not just Cheltenham

[DBRDBR]

State Man (same owner) and Constitution Hill (same trainer) make it easier to switch to fences already, especially if he jumped them great.

But without Irish opposition Sir Gino can easily win the big novice chases in the UK. Basically every other British novice chaser will be more interesting for the handicaps. Really poor this year.

[He Didnt Like Ground]

We don’t know Sir Gino can jump yet , Henderson is doing what’s best for him not the horse

[Cork All Star]

Agree HDLG. Henderson has never been the same since he caved into pressure and nonsensically stepped Altior up in distance. I don’t think he really wanted to and I don’t believe he wanted to run him at Ascot either.

I have a little bit of sympathy about Ascot because the media built it up as a big clash and Henderson might have felt under pressure to run. But the horse was stuffed by Cyrname and was never the same afterwards. I think Henderson blames himself.

There was also his interview with Lydia Hislop at Sandown when he withdrew Altior from the Tingle Creek and in effect said only Cheltenham mattered. Hislop stuck to her point that the ground was not heavy (to Henderson’s obvious irritation) and social media reaction was negative towards him and the decision to not run.

I believe the combination of these two events has got to Henderson. Since then he has taken this ultra safe, risk free approach. I don’t see how that is going to be successful long term, especially when Mullins has far more firepower.

[Gingertipster]

Trainer already has the fav and the owner already has the reigning Champion Hurdler. So – at the moment while there’s a reasonable chance of those two turning up – why not try and win two races instead of one? If Constitution Hill and State Man don’t impress in their runs before Cheltenham, then they can reconsider just as they did with Buveur D’Air.

The one that – for me – the smoke and mirrors have all been around is Mystical Power.
Mullins seemed to suggest in the stable tour he’d be going chasing and then mentioned the Stayers Hurdle as an alternative and that MP “probably wouldn’t be fast enough for the Champion Hurdle”. Is the wool being pulled over punter’s eyes? To my mind speed was the horse’s forte last year. Outstayed by Slade Steel on very soft ground at Cheltenham before beating him with ease at Punchestown. And the three entries he’s so far got this season are all over hurdles: Fighting Fifth, Morgiana and Hattons Grace… And unless Majborough sticks to hurdles (had the physique of a chaser even as a 4yo)… JP won’t have a good Champion Hurdle candidate unless Iberico Lord stays over hurdles – and he’s 66/1 and apparently set for chasing too.

To my mind rather than it being a bad decision for Sir Gino it would make more sense for Mystical Power to at least take on State Man or Constitution Hill before a decision is made to go chasing. Currently top pried 4/1 second favourite for the Fighting Fifth behind odds-on Constitution Hill. He’s 10/1 for the Morgiana and 6/1 Hattons Grace.

Value Is Everything

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