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It shows the lack of quality in this year’s race if Pentland Hills can be second favourite despite not winning a race all season.
Honeysuckle would win this easily if only her connections would run her. Hopefully she will win at Leopardstown and force their hand.
Yes he was. And the perception was that Henderson was treated very leniently. I think he was banned from making entries for about two months as well, which just happened to coincide with summer jumping when he would not have been making many entries anyway.
Henderson is in some ways an old school trainer. Punters are clearly not his main concern.
On the subject of trainers being sponsored by bookmakers, I thought Dan Skelton got a bit defensive on Luck on Sunday when Dave Yates said he did not like it. He patronisingly said that people need to be educated.
I do not need educating. It does not look right when a trainer is being paid by a bookmaker. Perception is important and the perception is that Ladbrokes are not paying Skelton just to say “Horse A is a nice horse who is working nicely and I expect him to run a nice race.”
I am not much of an ante post punter or a particularly big fan of the National but I have been tempted by Kimberlite Candy at 25/1.
Agree with steeplechasing. I was really impressed with him at Warwick in a race which is a good trial. He jumps, travels and stays well. If he is in contention crossing the Melling Road he will have to be taken very seriously.
I think 25/1 is very fair. I suppose Tiger Roll is making the market to some extent but you should never be scared of one horse. Especially when it has not been seen this season.
I hope the bookmakers have underrated the horse due to him being trained by an under the radar trainer. I reckon he would be a fair bit shorter if he was trained by Henderson, Nicholls, Tizzard, Mullins or Elliot.
Trainers should not be sponsored by bookmakers. It would not happen in other racing jurisdictions.
I thought AD was quite good today. I like the way he knuckled down and battled and was well on top at the line.
Whether or not that form is good enough to win at Cheltenham is another matter but the front two did pull a long way clear of the rest.
I thought last year’s winner Sire Du Berlais ran an eye catching race at Warwick yesterday. Fourth and staying on but “not knocked about” as they say.
That was some novice Chase for Towcester! Such a shame the track has gone now.
Docklands Express was another of my favourites. Such a consistent horse who must have been a dream to own.
The late Henry Cecil trained a horse named Killer Instinct. He had a huge reputation before he had even raced (I think he might have been favourite for the Guineas on the back of his work on the gallops).
On the track, he travelled beautifully but when push came to shove he found nothing off the bridle. I think his only win was in a maiden at Nottingam.
After failing in Group 1 company, he eventually went off favourite for the John Smith’s Cup at York and was well beaten.
Not sure what happened to him after that. He did not have the killer instinct anyway!
I was quite impressed with that. I was worried they were going too fast but he clearly has lots of stamina. His jumping was quite good as well. Not a forlorn hope at Aintree if he runs.
Only the outstanding Triumph winners usually go on to win the Champion, like Katchit. Pentland Hills was only an average winner, even when he followed up at Aintree. He may be good enough in what is a thin year but I would not be confident.
Not original but Kimberlite Candy for me. Hopefully the proverbial each way bet to nothing with four places to play for.
“Saturday horse” is one of the most irritating phrases that has crept into racing. Along with “hit the line hard”. And when O’Brien says a horse has a “great mind”.
Champ’s fall was a bad one – the sort that can leave its mark. I would want to see him run again and jump well before I could consider backing him.
Why would anyone think a 2m 4f hurdle race is a good idea? It will only dilute both the Champion and the Stayers. This year’s renewal of the Champion is looking threadbare. Why would anyone want to make it worse?
It would also have a knock on effect to Aintree. The 2m 4f Hurdle there gives it a point of difference to Cheltenham. I think that should be retained.
I hope Altior wins. I am not convinced Henderson ever really wanted to step up in distance with him. Once he was beaten at Ascot and it was clear the King George was off the agenda, there was really no point in going anywhere other than here.
