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Officially good (good to firm) so maybe not that surprising the fields were small.
But how long do trainers wait for some ‘soft’ in the ground. There is none around and it seems to be the way of things now that, probably barring the tingle creek, there is little soft or heavy going this side of new year.
Look at the last 3 or 4 renewals of fighting fifth, Newcastle last week in Nov all good ground. Cant remember a soft ground King George for years. Even the betfair chase has been coming up soft (good to soft) at worse or good to soft.
Lots of trainers don’t exactly take advantage either, of course thinking primarily Nicky, but its always either too firm or too soft, rarely do we get the optimum it seems.
Yes, just two go to post in the Novice chase. The often lamented novice chase programme which has many a trainer complaining about the lack of opportunities. And yet everyday, up and down the country almost every NH meet has at least one Novice Chase, where anything over 3 runners could be classed as a deep field.
I still think it was a very good Gold Cup that IC won, but agree both beat him in their prime. Not sure Cue Card would have won that GC, but its guesswork really. I say that with Cue Card being very much my favourite horse i have seen live – being at Wetherby and Haydock in 2015 and following him to win both and the 2015 King George.
Imperial Commander did win a gold cup! In the Kauto and Denman era nonetheless. Absolute certain CC doesn’t beat either and he never go to prove he stayed the 3.2m around Cheltenham.
Allaho and Vautour both stayed the 3 Mile trip pretty well. Vautour probably a little unlucky not to win a King George (paddy brennan!). Allaho won a very good Punchestown Gold cup.
Around Cheltenham i think the 2.4+ was the optimum for both Allaho and Vautor, but I think both could have been competitive or even won a Champion chase, but perhaps not vintage renewals. If Dodging Bullets, Put the kettle on, Special Tiara could do it, then so could these.
Both could have won a King George. Certain Vautour would have went on to win one, and Allaho would have been made for it in his prime, Mullins waited too long.
I did actually leave alberts run out on purpose. I just felt he was a level below most of these and won two ordinary renewals. He also broke my heart as i lumped and lumped on Kalahari King on his 2nd Ryanair. I loved Kalahari King, but had a lot of injuries and should have been stepped up in distance much sooner.
I always remember his 2nd to Albertas run as being such a close race, but just watched it back and he was a well held, even though it was a length he was never going to win… and to this day i don’t know how he never won his arkle.
There is a hell of a lot of pace in that race! You are probably right about Allaho – i just loved Vatour’s Ryanair and his JLT. His jumping was just beautiful, looked a picture under Walsh.
Yeas he constantly bemoaned the lack of Novice Chases. He looked to have a bunch of decent hurdlers all ready to go chasing but couldn’t find the ‘right’ races for them. The word he was looking for was ‘easy’ races! There is a novice chase on just about every card up and down the country daily. In general he has not had a great time with chasers for sometime.
Its been a terrible season really for Henderson and his horses have been in and out all season. His supporters (and i’m one) will point to some big race successes, and he’s entitled to them as he still has some very good horses, but on the whole, its been poor.
very unlucky with Sir Gino, but his Kempton win hasn’t amounted to much anyway.
Jonbon the real saving grace, but the wheels have fell off ever so slightly.
No good novice hurdlers.
Go back to his stable tour at the beginning of the season and the amount of Novice Chasers he was going to have, and then see what actually transpired. Hardly any have jumped a fence and of the ones that did most have reverted back to Hurdles. Loads of horses rarely even seen (willmount?). I fully expect Lulamba and CH to get beat this week, hope not but he just seems luckless and/or in decline. And its still frustrating how often his horses actually run.
Its apparent he has not been the horse he was this season. He wasnt travelling like the old Constitution Hill and a poor, bitty ride didnt help.
He’s still a grade 1 horse and he’ll win again but he’s just not going to live up to the lofty heights of his novice season and fist in open company.
Hendersons had a dreadful time of it recently. Desperately hope he turns it around but i can see more woe coming this week with Jonbon for a start.
She’s in good form in France – looks to be having her best run of things since she went over. Often when i have checked its looked pretty bleak – few runners and even less winners.
Even these minor races she’s winning are worth anything from 16’000 to 40’000 euro to the winner. Need to bag a pretty good saturday winner over here for that amount, never mind Nicholls third string at Taunton.
Granted you can imagine she would have wanted to ride in the national on Saturday
I’ve been frustrated with Henderson’s campaigning for a while and CH in particular. That said, i don’t mind this so much. If the Horse is well he should run at Aintree. Anything could happen between now and Punchestown, and connections could deem the ground unsuitable anyway.
I think it is unlikely he’ll do both mind, and that would be the disappointment. I think running at Aintree means at least he’ll have a run. If we are waiting for Punchestown and the Inevitable drama unfolds, and he doesnt run, then its wait for the Fighting Fifth.
Thanks for that. That’ll be the one. Just looked on Sporting life. It actually ran 6 times in less than 30 days, winning 5. That is a bit beyond the pale!
Was just looking at the short price acca and i cant believe Jonbon is 8/11. Whilst he has the best form on offer this season, there’s a bit of depth to this race with plenty of good horses still engaged. Many have been bang out of form or have other engagements but between El Fabio, Gaelic Warrior, Energuemene, Marine Nationale etc there is plenty of grade 1 form and Cheltenham form on offer. One of that lot could easily surpass their recent form on the day.
Il est Francais could be dangerous but at 9/1 Solness looks overpriced. You do actually need to overlook the fact that Jonbon thumped him at Sandown but he looks vastly improved on his last two performances.
Would love to see Chantry House win. Good run last time but he’d be needing just about a career best to beat the top two. Unlikely at 11, only 6 left in, so not much value e/w. I’m not sure that Stage Star looks like the 3m1 would really bring out the needed improvement.
Gentlemansgame 3rd in savils looks as good or better than L’Homme Presse’s 3rd in King George, and at 8 I’d take his 7/4 rather than L’homme Presse at 5/4.
Regarding Ahoy Senor, his team may not want to give up on him quite yet but it may not be long. Last two runs have been pretty dreadful. He’d look like a good project for Sandy Thompson who seems to have a knack for rejuvenating talented nutjobs.
Both good points. I suppose i was intimating that the original switch was certainly more to suit the stable than the owner at the time. However, the owner now has a fighting fifth hurdle and a wayward lad. If they had stuck to plan A, at this point, Sir Gino may have had little more than a class 3 Novice Chase to his name this season.
I would have loved to see him have a crack at the champion hurdle this year. Would have made for one of the better renewals for years. Interesting as well as the switching between hurdles/chasing was partly put down to the ownership having State Man for the CH. Since State Man has been well and truly put in his place, you do wonder why the Donnelly’s wouldn’t advocate a switch back to hurdling now?
Looks a good bunch of Novice Chasers this year but Gino looks tailor made for the Arkle whilst Ile Atantique, Ballyburn, Majborough and Jukebox Man look suited to longer. Hopefully a big display in the irish Arkle will throw up his main challenger.
