IT'S BEEN quite a frustrating 10 days or so, to say the least, but there is absolutely nothing we could do about it and we’ve had to make the best of an unfortunate situation. All of our horses have been re-vaccinated, some last Saturday and the others, which I was hoping to run this weekend, were forced to have theirs done midweek so they are further behind than some of the others which is not ideal at all.
There is no doubt the BHA have been in a very difficult situation and I was 100% fully behind them when racing was shut down for several days as I thought it was the correct decision, but I did say to Nick Rust that it was absolutely vital to resume racing on the Wednesday so I was very pleased to see on Tuesday evening that we would be back in action, and I thought, ‘yahoo’! But reading down to the second paragraph it was a complete bolt out of the blue to learn that no horse can run unless it has been vaccinated within the last six months and I don’t mind admitting there was a lot of loud noises coming from our office in the morning, I can tell you! The six months vaccination rule wasn’t fair on anybody as it’s taken out half of the herd and made a real mess of all the races this weekend as well as making a complete hash of all our plans. We all do different things, but I don’t like vaccinating my horses in the middle of the season because I know what affect it has on them and if the horses are running well the last thing you want to do is stop and start giving them vaccines, which is exactly what we’ve been forced to do here. Some people do it, some people don’t, it’s a personal thing, but it’s been extremely bad luck on those of us that don’t vaccinate mid season as it’s happened pretty much right on top of Cheltenham which is totally unnecessary. We tend to work to an eight month programme so the last thing we need is this at a crucial time for giving horses prep runs. It’s been quite a difficult winter anyway with the temperature being so mild and the ground very dry so I’ve not been able to run horses when I’ve wanted and then we had a few days when it was -18 which also puts you back a day or two because you can’t get on the gallop, and then this comes along! I mentioned tongue in cheek to the powers that be that they should put Cheltenham back a few weeks and while I know there is absolutely no chance of that happening, there is often many a true word said in jest!
What was/is the slowest horse you ever trained?
One thing you’d change in racing?
What’s your best chance of a Handicap winner for Cheltenham?Trainer Nicky Henderson answers YOUR questions https://t.co/4C8ULk2Oba
— Unibet Racing (@UnibetRacing) February 9, 2019
Nick Williams has been spot on and I think everyone needed some warning about this, including the punters, as our whole build up has been completely and utterly interrupted. I feel extremely sorry for Donald McCain, more so than I feel sorry for myself, as there is there is nothing he could have done to prevent this happening and it’s a sorry state of affairs but he, like us all, will get over it and let’s pray for some better luck for the rest of the season.
Thankfully we’re all back in action but what I am going to do with the likes of Santini I don’t know. There is the Pendil Novices’ Chase next weekend but that is over 2m4f and if we thought 3m around Kempton was blatantly on the sharp side, I cannot see half a mile shorter on the same track being anywhere near up his street so it’s highly likely that he’ll go straight to Cheltenham for the RSA.
La Bague Au Roi wins an exciting 32Red Kauto Star Novices' Chase! pic.twitter.com/LwqO5xvAlb
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 26, 2018
Angels Breath needs to have some more experience so I have to try and find something for him. He was quiet for a couple of days but was much brighter this morning and he’ll be kept moving this weekend. Personally I feel I would rather run him in a very ordinary 2m Novice Hurdle somewhere and forget about Dovecotes and things like that. He can go round in a bunch with a load of novices and gain some valuable education whereas Mister Fisher will go straight to Cheltenham. Champ will also go direct to the festival but if possible I would like to get another run into Birchdale beforehand but I have absolutely no idea where that will be or indeed if I can even find a suitable race. Top Notch is another who won’t be seen before the Ryanair but Beware The Bear will more than likely go up to Newcastle for the Eider as that’s all there is left for him.
Epatante and Lust For Glory both need runs badly if they are to run in the Mares’ Novice but we’re starting to run out of time as everything has been thrown into mayhem.
Might Bite, Buveur D’Air, Brain Power and maybe even Altior will join the Kempton Park Racecourse gallop squad in a few weeks time and if possible I’d like to get a few of them, mainly Santini, over some fences as well.
For reasons mentioned above, we’re very thin on the ground runners-wise this weekend but my thoughts on their chances are below:
ASCOT
12:30 Novices’ Hurdle
I Can’t Explain (Nico de Boinville)
Things didn’t go right at all for him at Cheltenham last time when I thought he was a certainty to follow up his Sandown success but he made a mistake and then got hampered so I am starting to think that he really wants soft ground, which he isn’t looking likely to get here. He didn’t jump that well at Cheltenham so has done plenty of schooling and we’ll have a better idea where we stand after this. He could still be very high class, but, as I say, the ground could end up being too quick for him.
2:45 Denman Chase
Terrefort (Nico de Boinville)
He ran an excellent race in the Cotswold Chase on his first run after Sandown and I think he’ll come on plenty for it but whether he’s come on enough to beat a King George winner I’m not sure. As you all know Terrefort never shows a great deal but he went up the All-Weather with Laskadine (who runs at Haydock) and Clare who rides him every day reports him to be in fine form and very well in himself. The ground will suit and I suppose we’ll have a better idea if we go to Cheltenham, and for what race, after this.
What a race! Bryony Frost and Frodon hold off the rallying Elegant Escape to win the BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase.
That leap at the last fence… #FestivalTrialsDay #CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/iViwQUhLvc
— The Jockey Club (@TheJockeyClub) January 26, 2019
HAYDOCK
1:25 Mares’ Hurdle
Laskadine (Aidan Coleman)
I adore this filly and she would be one of my top juveniles at moment. She wasn’t overly impressive at Warwick on her debut where she jumped very indifferently but I have a reason for it. Before she ran there she hadn’t actually jumped an English Hurdle because of all the dry weather and she’d only schooled on the carpet surface over our easyfix hurdles which are very much like the French ones which she’d know about, so we concluded that she’d never jumped a proper hurdle on grass until that day at Warwick, therefore we’ve done plenty of schooling on the green stuff and she’s been very good. Aidan came and jumped her over 5 hurdles this morning and she was brilliant so I will be expecting a much more accomplished jumping performance. She stayed 2m2f on heavy ground in France so you’d hope 2m4f around Haydock won’t be an issue. The only problem is that JP has every good 4-y-o going so probably doesn’t really need her anyway – but I do!
HUNTINGTON – SUNDAY
1:30 Maiden Hurdle
Heatstroke (Nico de Boinville)
He was rated in the mid 80s when trained next door at Charlie Hills’ and is another flat recruit of Jim and Fitri Hay’s who has been off for absolutely yonks so will certainly come on for the run. We’ve got a good record for the Hays and we’ve done plenty to repair him as best we can but to win after a 676 day layoff would be some feat.
Nicky
