Is Henderson being unfairly maligned about Binocular?

No. Never said a word at the Sandown preview last night.

If I was McManus I would be taking Binocular to a trainer more open with the general public like Mullins!

No. What's happened with the horse is unfortunate, and arguably bad management.

However, there was no reason not to keep the punters informed about something like this. And as yeast says, as late as 5.30 last night he was talking up the horse's chances with not a hint there was a problem (let alone he was a likley non-runner).

'Unfairly maligned' - trouble is the press won't malign him, they just pucker up and kiss his ar*e as usual

Woodworm ROTFLMAO!!! If it was Willie Mullins we wouldn't know he was a non runner till after the race

Not an easy question to answer. The big questions are 1. when exactly did Nicky Henderson know he was 100% certain not to run? 2. Who did he speak to publicly after he was in possession of that vital information, what was asked and what was said ?

I have no problem with Nicky Henderson keeping quiet prior to that point and fully understand why he chose to.

If he told any member of the media the horse was fine after the BHA said he had to be withdrawn then he deserves everything people are saying, but surely not?

He risks losing credibility IMO.
I wasn't impressed with his managing of the Binocular situation last year, felt a little cheated when he hacked up 3 weeks after NH said he was lame and out for the year, what's happened today has done him no favours.
Trainers are answerable to their owners only, but they are obliged to be honest with the racing public, the sport has been dragged through the mud many times in recent years and those at the top have done their best to clean the game up, NH now appears to be one of those devious characters no-one can trust

Having thought about it a bit more how would you have felt had he mentioned the problem 2 weeks ago putting  Binocular's participation in doubt (causing an inevitable drift) and then he is given an all clear two days before the festival starts? (Henderson wasn't to know that he wouldn't be clear) Especially given the events what happened last year



Actually the more I think about it he has been in a bit of a no win situation

He risks losing credibility IMO.

That went a long long time ago. Mind you in this case he was admittedly in a no-win situation, but would still have been better on balance to make some form of announcement.

Punters can't complain at having too much information, but if you leave them in the dark and the horse drifts prior to being withdrawn they have a valid complaint. The BHA are as guilty, they knew on thursday and did nothing. Clearly some in the know laid it this morning, such insider trading is not allowed in other walks of life and shouldn't be here either.

Far - as others have mentioned, he;s had open days, stable tours and even appeared on preview panels, as have many others connected with his yard, and at no stage has it been mentioned that the horse had an allergic reaction and was taking medicine.
It's just the lack of honesty and up front information.
Comapre NHs approach with that of Paul Nicholls, he might not be everyone's cup of tea but he cannot be criticised for lack of communication...

if he was in a no-win situation it's only because he's put himself in one with his previous dodgy behaviour

mccain says peddlers has a cough last month but will be fine soon, we believe it because he's straight and we have no reason not to trust him
if hendo says bino has an allergy, we think 'yeah right what are you up to you old dog'

Fair shout Tucho.

Fully respect that horse9, but given that situation that I posted had he announced the situation, drift happens, then announces two days before that he runs and shortens, he would have no doubt received endless criticism from punters much like last year regarding the same horse. Two weeks ago he wasn't to know that the horse would be scratched today.


But tbf, like Tucho says he is/was in this no-win situation because of his own doing. I have no doubt he is well aware of the slating he got last year.


I find the situation regarding Aegean Dawn a lot more aggravating than I find this

Deserves all the abuse and more and also needs to be sacked by the Racing Post,Hope JP takes all his horses off him as he simply lied to all and he cant deny it...AP will be fuming!!!

reads as the allergy is just a smoke screen.
couldnt mention it @ the time as it probably never existed.
Looks like hes had a shot of juice & theyve buggered up the timing.

the more I think about it, the more I think he was between a rock and a hard place. The rules appear a total mess.

How is the medication legitimate in training but not on race day?

Usain Bolt would be subject to out of competition testing, the substance would either be banned or not and he would get a +ve or -ve test irrespective of whether he was tested in training or on race day.

There were some fairly frank comments around the racecourse last year when Binocular won, I just wonder what the reaction will be if either of his win the Supreme.
I remember Top Cees getting booed on the way back to the winners enclosure a few years ago after another Reveley controversy, it just casts an unwanted cloud over what should be a spectacular week.

I'd say you hit the nail on the head Geoff M!! Would be interesting to know if Binocular has been at Hendersons for the past few weeks or if it went on a holiday anywhere like last year!!!

"How is the medication legitimate in training but not on race day?"

This is common. William Somers was going to run in the Foxhunters, but he had some foot trouble and was given treatment that would have meant he's fail a dope test.

Henderson is getting unfairly maligned imo because, as others have said, trainers are often between a rock and a hard place on these issues.

Can't see how he would have been maligned for giving over-information. If the trainer says hes been treated with x for an allergy then it's up to the bookies and joe public to decide how serious that information is. But to stonewall when asked hopw the horse is - of course he will be maligned. It ruins the integrity of the entire sport. How does anyone know long run won't be ruled out of the gold cup for the same thing?

After last year's stunt I didn't think my disdain for the man could get any greater but I was wrong.

the way i see the **** cant have it both ways...he tells us agean dawn did'nt work well and is pulled out...but tells us nothing about bino....and now of course...AD has turned back into pegasus...as someone else said..once you start playing games its hard to get away from the image you create....never mentioning long runs ear plugs...and also mick fitz basically hinting recently that LR was'nt right for the pp...but we heard fukk all afterwards.

trev very few of his horses were right in november, a study of the form at the time indicate dthat strongly m8.

henderson is blameless .
and was blameless last year as well.

bino has an allergy. How long has this allergy existed ? Has he ever been given medication before. ? Was he  given medication in the 5 weeks before the 2010 Champion Hurdle. ?

Has Aegean Dawn ever had an allergy ? Has the horse ever been given similar medication to bino. ? What was the precise problem with this horse prior to the Imperial Cup ? Has Agean Dawn ever been given medication in the 3 weeks prior to any race ?
Has any other horse currently in the Henderson stable  running at Cheltenham ( or indeed otherwise ) been given any medication in the 3 weeks prior to a race. ?
Is the bino situation as regards medication before a race an absolute one off in the Henderson stable ?
It would be greatly appreciated for the good of the sport if Mr Henderson or someone in authority connected with the stable could answer these questions.

yep I think the "medication" was showing up in Aegean for saturday but will be clear for next week

The medication given to Binocular was a steroid. Was the allergy serious ? If so why has this never ben made public ? If it was a mild allergy why on earth is a steroid being adminisered ?
Steroid administration in a human athlete in the 3 weeks before a race would if discovered result in an automatic 2 year ban from the sport. Can any vet let me know the difference between human and horse reactions to steroids ?

If the yard was crooked, or anyone from the BHA, who also had knowledge that Binocular had failed a test, the the would have been layong it from Friday onwards and then the price would have drifted like hell.

As it was there was only significant activity and movement from this morning, when the declarations were about to be made.

The fact that the yard knew from Friday that it was unlikely to run and the price remained unchanged is, in my eyes, proof that most of the whining on here is just pocket talking.

This is a Champion Hurdle. Henderson wants to win with all his being. Betting is not the focus.

By the way people in the know from Thursday.

It's supposed to come out of the horses system in 8 days but for some reason it hadn't and that is why Nicky asked to have Binocular checked. When they discovered there were still traces in his system on Thus they arranged for another one on the Saturday. To everyone's shock and horror the levels had not decreased enough to indicate all traces would be gone by Tuesday so Nicky had no choice but withdraw him.

I hear not even AP MCoy was told of the situation because no one including the BHA wanted a repeat of last year when he drifted to 1000 and then ran and won.

How difficult is that to understand?

Everything indicates no one knew outside of a few select people so bets struck before Saturday were done so in good faith from both parties. The only people who should be moaning are those who were blatantly robbed by people who knew on Saturday the horse wouldn't run. Betfair have of course already sorted that out so no one but no one should be moaning through their pockets.

Absolutely spot on Rondetto, if there was a case to answer from the yard (or the BHA who also knew from Thursday onwards) it would have drifted like a barge at that point. The fact the horse maintained it's price until word got out just before the declarations proves the yard is straight up.

And those people saying he should have said something earlier are mental, imagine if he had made it public on Thursday that he had failed a drug test, and then it had been ok on the second test on Saturday - the same scenario as last year - he would have been vilified.

No blame at all for NJH, on this one anyway.

Can we get in the real world just because he seems a nice chap doesnt mean hes telling it as it is.
Didnt you learn anything from the Moonlight path case about him?
Turns up @ preview night on Saturday knowing Binocular aint going to run in the Champion & says not a dickie bird.
The reigning champion hurdler & current fav has an "allergy" which they find out about around 2 weeks b4 the champion and again says not a dickie bird? Why not? 
If you truly believe that you believe in fairies @ the bottom of the garden.
The horse has clearly been given ana..... steroids  which havent cleared from his system .
Sorry I seemed to have dropped      abolic   like his vet.

Sorry I seemed to have dropped      abolic   like his vet.

Which vet?  James Main who got struck off in February or the current one.

binocular evidently developed an allergy 2 weeks ago. He was treated but did not respond.  Was this initial medication a steroid ? The very next day it was decided that he was not responding to treatment . A second dose was administered. Binocular is now in his box possibly with a double dose of steroids rattling around in his system. Did no-one consider that the double dose might take longer to clear than a single dose ?
Additionally what kind of miracle allergy cure can work its wonders within 24 hours.? Surely it would have been prudent to give the horse another couple of days to respond before administering the second dose.
There are many trainers who read the forum who must be familiar with horse allergies. Are they able to enlighten us with the probable type of allergy, the recommended treatment and more specifically the wisdom of the double dose so near to a very important race.
Non medical persons often only encounter steroids when reading about dodgy medical practices in athletics and cycling. Can someone reassure us that the steroid given to Binocular was an entirely different animal.

Dexamethasone is NOT and anabolic steroid. It is NOT like nandrolone used by body builders and dodgy atheletes.

Dexamethasone is a glucocorticoid (corticosteroid) which is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. Used for a whole variety of reasons in veterinary medicine.

It is used to treat allergies (in horses most commonly hives and wheals or skin reactions) and can settle the symptoms within hours. It is a drug that comes in many different preparations with different lengths of action.

Nothing wrong with using the drug in normal circumstances. My only ****y is why use such a drug so close to a race and repeat the dose for an insignificant skin reaction?

Why did it block the word que ery?

query is the correct spelling

it blocked the quee r bit

Oh okay

Horse9, you're casting aspersions on the Reveleys when the 'in and out' Top Cees was trained by the Ramsdens who I believe liked a bet now and then.

EXAMPLES dexamethasone, fluticasone, prednisone, triamcinolone acetonide and rofleponide

WHY THEY ARE BANNED
When administered systemically (into the blood) glucocorticosteroids can produce a feeling of euphoria, potentially giving athletes an unfair advantage.
WHY ATHLETES USE THEM
To mask pain felt from injury and illness.