IT’S not that unusual for us to have a few quiet days at this time of the year because lots of them have had flu vaccinations and things like that, plus a few are having a small mid-season breaks so it’s completely normal and nothing is wrong with anyone.

The only sadness is that we can’t take part in the Unibet Tolworth Hurdle with Luccia which is a shame because she was very impressive on her hurdles debut and I was rather looking forward to her taking on the boys, but she scoped slightly dirty and while she looks fine, is fine and working well it’s no point running them unless they are 100%.

It’s disappointing for everyone, not least her owner Paul Sandy, who bred her as well and is yet to win a Grade One and to be honest this mare looked to have a very good chance of giving him that elusive victory at the top level, but that’s horseracing and we’ll have to wait another day. Quite where and when that will be I don’t know. Ideally, I’d like to get two more runs into her before Cheltenham so it might be that we must find a couple of small races where she’ll have to carry a penalty, which I wouldn’t be worried about at all. It is a pity she can’t run in something like this because it would have told us exactly where we belong.

Unibet Tolworth Hurdle Memories

I have been lucky to have won the G1 Unibet Tolworth Hurdle six times and I remember the first won quite well. He was a tough little customer called New York Rainbow who was owned, ironically, by Michael Buckley who of course owned the most recent winner, Constitution Hill. New York Rainbow came over to us from Ireland and won all his three hurdle races at Sandown before going on to finish fourth in the Supreme to Flown, who I also trained. Unfortunately injury intervened and he never raced again but he was a very memorable winner and luckily there were more to follow in his hoof prints.

The Unibet Tolworth has always had a very prestigious feel and I think it’s fair to say its record speaks for itself with the success previous winners have had. I mean, if you go back far enough the likes of Desert Orchid have won it which just goes to show the class of horse you need to win a race like this. It’s a great race for many reasons but the main one for me is that it is at the right time of the year and it gives you the opportunity to see what’s what and if you have a horse good enough to go to the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree. The quantity of field sizes are never that big but there is absolutely no doubt of the quality and you always need a proper Grade One horse for it. Even if you go back to the very early days to as recent as last year, its record speaks for itself and let’s hope last year proves to be the same!

Speaking of last year, unfortunately I was absent without leave due to catching covid so I was unable to be on course to see Constitution Hill but enjoyed watching it on the television and I must admit it was very enjoyable to watch because he just did the same as he did on his first start when turning for home and Nico pressed the button and he suddenly disappeared from the field to win as he liked. That was the day we did realise that he was very good. I remember looking at Sophie and saying “Christ what is this?” It was pretty bottomless ground which didn’t seem to bother him and he just galloped away. I think that was the first day we realised he was something special.

Looking at this year’s race and I’m very interested in Gary Moore’s horse, Authorised Speed, because we finished second to him with Immortal who was having the first run of his life and ran a hell of a race. As a result of Sandown Nico got off and said going to the last he thought he was going to make a big challenge and have a real crack at the eventual winner but all of a sudden he started making some interesting noises in his breathing so we subsequently had him checked over and have cauterised his soft palate.

Updates on a few in a nutshell

LUCCIA

The good thing is we can, if we have to, drop back and run her in a Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle somewhere under a penalty. We don’t have to run in a Graded race. I wouldn’t mind two more runs if possible. She had worked very well on Saturday.

CHANTRY HOUSE

He suffered a fracture on the wing of a vertebrae in his next so is unfortunately under doctor’s orders for the time being.

DUSART

He schooled this morning over fences and jumped brilliantly. I’ve got to find a race for him and he sort of needs to go three miles but we’ll see. His long-term objective is the Scottish Grand National in April.

BALCO COASTAL

He was very good at Kempton but unfortunately the Handicapper agreed and put him up 11lbs! Nico mentioned the G1 Scilly Isles Chase this morning and he might be onto something there.

MARIE’S ROCK

She’s come out of the Relkeel in good form and the plan is to go back to Cheltenham to retain her Mares’ Hurdle crown before going to Aintree and run over three miles. I don’t necessarily think she needs another run before the Festival because she was obviously straight enough to win first time out this season so might be best left fresh.

CONSTITUTION HILL

He’ll more than likely go straight to Cheltenham and if he comes out of the Unibet Champion Hurdle well and Marie’s Rock does step up to three miles, he could come into the G1 two and a half mile race. It would be a great opportunity because we’ve always said we’d like to. That’s our long-term planning strategy anyway!

JONBON

All roads still lead to Warwick for the Kingmaker.

EPATANTE

I don’t know with her. I speak to JP most days and we haven’t yet discussed where she will go. She’ll be entered in everything, except for the Stayers’.

SHISHKIN

After working earlier this week Nico reported that Shishkin made a noise. We’ve never heard any noises from him before, not even a murmur, but Nico said there was a noise and we’ve investigated it and scoped him and he’d basically flipped his palate. It was clear and obvious. Essentially his palate is displacing which is surprising as we’ve never heard it in a race but it’s highly like that it was indeed happening in a race. It’s a very easy fix but it’s ten days off. We’ve got to do it, we’ll get on with it and get it done. It’s a common old problem and a very easy thing to fix but, as I say, it’s got to be done.