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The story of Constitution Hill trying flat racing broke into US racing media and made the dozens (dozens!) of US racing fans who know hurdling exists all go “wait what are you doing just retire him” simultaneously so congrats to Nicky I guess.
2:20.3 is a world record for 2400m, an astounding time even with the ground as quick as it was. It’s that ground that has tripped up previous European attempts at the Japan Cup – I suppose Japan is allowed that as the boggy Arc conditions have tripped them up so many times – but that makes it all the more impressive a win for Calandagan.
I’ve only seen nose nets used as an anti-headshaking device for horses with allergies or sensitivity to insects. They only go over the top of the nose so would not stop a horse from biting.
The great Snap Decision (whose handsome face is my avatar) has been retired to his co-owner Charlie Fenwick’s farm.
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/288692/champion-steeplechaser-snap-decision-retired-at-age-11The Willis’s started their stable of jumpers in the US a few years ago. They have full ownership of a handful of horses with multiple trainers and have stakes in several others. Their best American horse is Jimmy P (co-owned with Madaket Stables) who has won the G1 Jonathan Sheppard at Saratoga two years running.
A masterclass by Elliott and Kennedy today! American hurdles are bigger than Irish hurdles, more similar to French, that probably confused Zanahiyr but his class showed all the same. Glad to see his owners came over, there will be a heck of a party tonight for sure.
Snap finished well but I suspect this might be his swan song.
The “Grand National” in the name of this hurdle race is kind of a historical quirk – in the late 19th century Americans being the uncultured swine we are kind gave the name Grand National to jumps races to sound important. There’s another Grand National ran in Maryland in April that’s a bit more fitting for the name, ran over timber fences at 3m2f.
The AGN’s purse is actually lower than it used to be. For a while there was a deal with the Breeder’s Cup and it was named the Breeder’s Cup Steeplechase (there was also a few years where a separate Breeder’s Cup Steeplechase was ran in addition to the AGN just to make things even more confusing) and had a purse as high as $450k. $250k isn’t nothing but I agree it and the purses of other G1 jumps races here should be higher
The Jockey Clubs in America and Europe/UK are apparently reluctant to register horses as black without photographic proof (a hassle) so there are several true black horses registered as dark bay/brown. Japan seems to actually register black horses as black and with the influence of Sunday Silence (himself a black horse registered dkb/br) they seem much more common over there, with black stars like Contrail . This year’s Japanese Derby winner Croix Du Nord is registered black.
Ruffian was a brown horse, the telltale sign is the lighter-colored muzzle.
Mohstahdaf is registered brown but is as black as can be, he has a wee bit of sun-bleaching in his mane in this photo but you can see his dark muzzle.
Some years back (I want to say 2007?) Nashville, Tennessee had its worst flood in over 50 years. Several feet of water covered much of the city.
One warm and sunny week after the deluge, Nashville’s Percy Warner Park held its Iroquois Steeplechase on perfect firm turf.
Watering more than a few days ahead of time is futile, I’d say.
For a number of years the winners of the Maryland Hunt Cup and Virginia Gold Cup were given invitations to the following year’s Grand National, but I don’t think they have that going currently.
Abaan defeats Snap Decision in a thriller today. Snap had beaten him by a nose three weeks ago but he used all 3 miles today. Looks like there was a slippery spot in the last turn that caught a bunch of horses, hence steward’s inquiry, but didn’t appear to affect the front-most horses.Hopeful all are okay.
By the way, the Iroquois has an agreement with Cheltenham that the winner of this race gets an invitation to next year’s Stayer’s Hurdle with paid travel expenses. There was no chance of the firm-turf-loving Snap Decision going over but with Abaan if he can maintain his form there’s a possibility…
The arched back is called “bascule”. Traditionally you’d want a more rounded jump over the big fences and a flat jump over hurdles. It can be hard to train a horse out of one or the other, and jumping round requires the horse have more scope. To get a showjumper to jump rounder you’d likely train them over a smaller course at a slower gallop or canter, or jump them off a tighter turn or around a corner so they pay more attention to the fence and collect themselves beforehand, rather than just run straight over the fences. I’m not sure how racehorse trainers do it (if they even do it now with how soft some of the courses have gotten) but Skelton being a former showjumper he’s probably picked up some tricks of the trade.
The big handsome gray Maryland-bred Road to Oz beat out Withoutmoreado and Goodoldtimes in the stretch. For being an American flat-bred horse he reminds me physically of the big NH runners of yore, looks like he easily stands a day’s hunting.
Because the forum seems to be eating first posts today
http://www.hurdleandchase.it/italia-deceduto-lestran-il-campionissimo-di-josef-aichner-vincitore-di-quattro-gp-merano-se-ne-va-alla-veneranda-eta-di-12-anni-il-figlio-di-lindas-lad-non-ha-superato-una-grave-colica-domeni/ 4-time champion Czech steeplechaser died on Sunday at age 12 of colic. Richest racehorse in Czech history, won Italy’s biggest jumps race the Gran Premio Merano a record four times. Last year he added to his G1 total with a win in the Grande Steeplechase d’Europa. He was preparing for the upcoming season when he fell ill
In terms of extreme distance combined with remarkably fast pace I’d say it qualifies.
Worldwide the Czech Grand Pardubice is without a doubt the most grueling race and 12-13yos run in that pretty regularly without incident.
The Maryland Hunt Cup is pretty tough too, surely the most grueling race in the USA, and in the last 25 years three 13yos and two 14yos have won. The 16yo(!) Vintage Vinnie is nominated for this year’s Maryland Hunt Cup and if he runs well in his prep this weekend we’ll likely see him there vying for his 3rd win in the 4-mile timber race.
