Cheltenham Festival
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07 Mar 12
15:09
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05 Jan 10
• Trainer announces novice will run in Jewson Chase
• Weird Al reported well ahead of runner's Gold Cup bid
Will Hayler guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 7 March 2012
Donald McCain has denied running scared of Sprinter Sacre ahead of next week's Cheltenham Festival and says the decision to bypass Tuesday's Arkle Chase with Peddlers Cross in favour of the 2½-mile Jewson Chase 48 hours later was taken with a long-term perspective and with the horse's future in mind.
The switch of races attracted the ire of ante-post punters, with McCain having been apparently adamant only days ago that the Arkle Chase remained the intended target for last year's Champion Hurdle runner-up.
"At the end of the day, we've got to do what we feel is in the best interests of the horse and my owner," McCain told the Guardian's Cheltenham Festival podcast. "I had a good talk with him, Jason [Maguire] and so on and we just decided for the horse and for his future, [given] where he's at at the moment after his Kempton run, that this is the best way forwards.
"It's not really a case of him not pleasing. His work's good, it's always good. It's just I felt I'd have been more comfortable if I'd been able to school him more to sharpen him up having made that mistake at Kempton and because of the issues that we had after Kempton I haven't been able to school him as hard as I want.
"The horse comes first, pure and simple. It didn't take an awful lot of working out in the end. It's not to do with competition, that's irrelevant. He's a belting good horse and we've never been scared of taking a horse on. But we're hoping to have him for a number of years, not just one day next week, and we've got to look after him."
McCain issued positive updates about the remainder of his Festival team, including Gold Cup hope Weird Al who has not been seen since finishing behind Kauto Star and Long Run in Haydock's Betfair Chase.
"Everything's gone smoothly with Weird Al," McCain said. "We thought the best thing was to go straight to Cheltenham and touch wood it's gone swimmingly. He's a quality horse with a high cruising speed. He jumps and he stays. There's some good horses in there, but he'll run a big race."
• Weird Al reported well ahead of runner's Gold Cup bid
Will Hayler guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 7 March 2012
Donald McCain has denied running scared of Sprinter Sacre ahead of next week's Cheltenham Festival and says the decision to bypass Tuesday's Arkle Chase with Peddlers Cross in favour of the 2½-mile Jewson Chase 48 hours later was taken with a long-term perspective and with the horse's future in mind.
The switch of races attracted the ire of ante-post punters, with McCain having been apparently adamant only days ago that the Arkle Chase remained the intended target for last year's Champion Hurdle runner-up.
"At the end of the day, we've got to do what we feel is in the best interests of the horse and my owner," McCain told the Guardian's Cheltenham Festival podcast. "I had a good talk with him, Jason [Maguire] and so on and we just decided for the horse and for his future, [given] where he's at at the moment after his Kempton run, that this is the best way forwards.
"It's not really a case of him not pleasing. His work's good, it's always good. It's just I felt I'd have been more comfortable if I'd been able to school him more to sharpen him up having made that mistake at Kempton and because of the issues that we had after Kempton I haven't been able to school him as hard as I want.
"The horse comes first, pure and simple. It didn't take an awful lot of working out in the end. It's not to do with competition, that's irrelevant. He's a belting good horse and we've never been scared of taking a horse on. But we're hoping to have him for a number of years, not just one day next week, and we've got to look after him."
McCain issued positive updates about the remainder of his Festival team, including Gold Cup hope Weird Al who has not been seen since finishing behind Kauto Star and Long Run in Haydock's Betfair Chase.
"Everything's gone smoothly with Weird Al," McCain said. "We thought the best thing was to go straight to Cheltenham and touch wood it's gone swimmingly. He's a quality horse with a high cruising speed. He jumps and he stays. There's some good horses in there, but he'll run a big race."
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Replies: 43
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"It didn't take a lot of working out in the end", so why did they keep saying he was Arkle bound ?
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How is the Jewson supposed to "look after him" and the Arkle not?
I see no justification in the explanation for the switch. How does the switch benefit the horse in the long run? I they want to try longer trips there is always Aintree which has a 2 and half mile race for novices The horse comes first? Yes, so how does the switch reflect that? total BS imo |
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Trainers?
I sh1t 'em! Why can't they just say 'the owners pay the bills and I'll do best by them with the horse'. Instead they dress it all up in the supremest of b0ll0x, pretending to be friend of the punters, friend of the horse, friend of the press etc. ......It's the lies that I can't stand! |
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Agreed.
We know whats best for the horse comes first, but dont be so damned cocky and adamant in the press about his Arkle target when you know full well the horse will be running in another race, Donald, you sh1t! These comments just wind people up more. Im phucked off and didn't even back the thing. Donald knew he'd be going Jewson but said the complete opposite. This makes him a ****! |
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Its total rubbish. If the horse wasn't right then you would give it another few weeks and wait for aintree as has been said or even sideline him until next season. He is acting in the interest of donald mccain only imo
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I realise that it's caveat bettor and that you should believe half of what you see and none of what you read but
I think that Mr McCain is bringing the game into disrepute here. A couple of weeks ago PC was ready for all-comers, SS was going to have to go some, now he's got to do what's right by the horse? Leave it out. |
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It's in the genes. Iirc, his father was a used car salesman before Red Rum came along.
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Booed up hill if winning Jewson lying -abstard!
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This statement just makes it worse. He clearly has no idea why we're all so pizzed off.
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It was the same with Nicholls last wekk
Still trying to come off like he's friend of everybody. We can all accept it's the owners that pays the bills and trainers should be responsible toi them and no one else. I think it's laughable the idea they have a responsibility to racing (if they, do, it's way down their job description). Just don't try and keep mugging us off with what a saint you think you are. And as for us punters? Cynicysm is your first line of defence - Always |
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he is right, the future of the horse, is the main thing. he has better form over the longer trip, and has stamina in abundance...surley he is going to go further in the future probably over the 3 mile mark, so why not test him and run him over his prefered distance. its the pressure from all the hype and what is the best race for the pundits, which dictates horse racing..let him do his job
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"he has better form over the longer trip"
He finished 2nd in the Champion Hurdle narrowly beaten by the best hurdler since Istabraq.I'd be fascinated to hear which of his runs over further was "better form" than that iyo. |
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Niall Hannity said at the Donny forum last saturday night that Peddlars would definitely run in the Jewson- he's been riding out at the yard.
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Use to believe Mc Cain was the most honest of trainers, now i put him up there with Willie Mullins , Ruby walsh and Paul Nichols. You only have to watch lips move to know when some people lie, but Donald you disappointed me BIG time.
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Maybe some would prefer the old days when trainers would say nothing. Today, most try to a large extent to be helpful, but get pilloried when that backfires. If I were McCain, I wouldn't lose any sleep over any of this. They've gone against what they've been saying but so what? They've changed their minds! Wow! Don't we all? Could be that the owner's pulled rank. Who knows? What I do know is that ante-post betting entails a greater degree of risk than any other and I, for one, expect no sympathy when I call the wrong race as a target for one I fancy.
If any of us had a microphone stuffed in our face every time we had a winner and were asked for our plans from October onwards Im sure we'd all say things we later saw fit to contradict. |
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Maybe some would prefer the old days when trainers would say nothing. Today, most try to a large extent to be helpful, but get pilloried when that backfires. If I were McCain, I wouldn't lose any sleep over any of this. They've gone against what they've been saying but so what? They've changed their minds! Wow! Don't we all? Could be that the owner's pulled rank. Who knows? What I do know is that ante-post betting entails a greater degree of risk than any other and I, for one, expect no sympathy when I call the wrong race as a target for one I fancy.
If any of us had a microphone stuffed in our face every time we had a winner and were asked for our plans from October onwards Im sure we'd all say things we later saw fit to contradict. |
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He said 4 days ago that the Arkle was the plan.Why ?
If he was undecided it's easy enough to say so. By contrast Pipe has been badgered for months about Grands Crus' target and has never waivered from saying they won't decide until close to the race. |
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It wasn't just an off the post remark made to a reporter, it was his own column in the Weekender where he said the horse was going great and he couldn't wait to have another go at Sprinter Sacre. No mention then of schooling problems. He's bottled it.
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Maybe he had a schooling fall, or at least schooled below par and they feel the longer race will give him more time at his fences? Maybe they feel he's an inch or two off the top of his game but could still sneak the Jewson? Maybe, after all, they're avoiding SS? Whatever the reason, i don't think I'd be publicising it. It's one thing being open and honest, quite another giving your opponents the lowdown on your reasoning.
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There are mixed messages here, on the one hand we hear that he isn't working the house down and on the other hand we hear that the horses welfare is all important and the race must be right for him.
For him to be running at all at the festival we have to believe that in fact the horse must be in A1 condition or else it would betray all that has gone before with regards to his well being. Therefore what i think has happened is that they have been frightened off by SS but don't want to admit as much, and wanting to run him at the festival they've had to come up with a nonsense of he's ok but i've seen better which sort of gives them an excuse to be able to run him. So, if you accept that he is actually probably fighting fit then the prospect of punting him at 4/1 ish against decent but not world beaters becomes a very attractive proposition but you do of course have to believe as i do that there is nothing wrong with him and what they've been saying is purely a ruse that enables them to avoid SS. At the end of the day and once the dust settles i think that punters will look at the race without the anti mccain hat on and see a potential top top class horse going off a shade too big....especially when you consider that he must be fighting fit to even be running in any race at the festival. |
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What McCain has come out with is absolute rubbish.
If you are having a change of heart or becoming unsure of your target just say so, don't keep saying the Arkle is the plan only to jump ship and lead everyone up the garden path. Why do that?? He says "I have to look after the horse and do what's right for the owner, hasn't schooled as much so on and so on". The fact is the Arkle looks like cutting up to around 8 runners, meaning plenty of space to get a clear view of your fences and get into a rhythm. Instead he wants to go further, up to 2m 4f in a race likely to consist of 16-20 runners. Run at a break neck pace just like the Arkle. No logical in his decision at all. At the end of the day McCain has bottled it and doesn't want to see the best horse he has trained, get thumped, end of story. If the horse isn't right and not 100%, you don't run at all. If your not A1 at Chelt you don't win. So like you say, he does become a punt at 5/1 for the Jewson knowing he must be 100%. |
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Everyone who backed PC for the Arkle should be relieved that he doesnt have to beat SS any more and get on him for the Jewson - no need to boo
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It's the age old problem. One lie leads to another leads to a total and utter travesty of an attempt at an explanation in an attempt to save face. I like the intrigue of second guessing trainers intentions even those I know couldn't lie straight in bed. Donald should rejoice at joining their list not in trying to justify himself. If you are going to shiit on people do so with panache and without so much as a backward glance as curiously people will respect you more for that than this charade. Deep down we all love a rogue.
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Timeform preview arrived this morning. According to Donald,
"It has been well documented that he wasn't right after his defeat at Kempton but since then things have gone according to plan and, at this stage, we are happy with his progress. He is just where we want him at the moment and he has done some sparkling work in recent days. The Arkle has been the plan for him all season and although Sprinter Sacre looks a very smart novice, we are happy to take him on again." Or not. |
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I got that booklet too r&w. Badly out of date. Crock of sh!t.
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Am i the only one who thinks the longer race is the best option?
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it's not about that though
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cyclops Joined: 11 Apr 02
Replies: 82 07 Mar 12 20:15 Maybe some would prefer the old days when trainers would say nothing. Personally, that would do me just fine. Doesn't seem to have a negative effect on someone like Nigel Twiston-Davies does it? A Gold Cup and Grand National winning trainer who lets his horses talk for themselves. |
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ermm let me think, say nothing or be fed bull sh1t....i prefer them to say nothing.
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judorick 09 Mar 12 13:27
it's not about that though What's it about then? |
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hope i'm wrong but i can see this beast being pulled up after 2 fences in the jewson
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after the problems that he has had since kempton,cant see any chance in hell that he will finish the race,should not be running
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we only have the word of mcain that the chelt run was not his form, as he,s avoiding a rematch how can 4 to 1 in jewson be a great price
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we only have the word of mcain that the chelt run was not his form, as he,s avoiding a rematch how can 4 to 1 in jewson be a great price
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'they' found the problem after kempton didn't they ? i remember him sounding quite pleased with himself without ever revealing what the issue actually was. consequently backed in amid bullish noises. book full.
then switched to jewson and backed accordingly. book full. what if he's had a problem all along and gets pulled up or finishes well out the back ? wouldn't look too clever would it ? prob has to win a street to confound all us doubters and make the decision look worthy. trainer has boxed himself in here imo . bit of a novice with the media by my thinking |
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It's not to do with competition, that's irrelevant
If Sprinter Sacre wasn't running in the Arkle , does anyone really think he'd still be running in the Jewson? Another trainer to be filed under the "don't trust what they say no matter how strong they say it" category. |
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I think he had a decent chance of beating SS in the Arkle - I think he has a GREAT chance of winning the Jewson
I dont understand how he has gone from a well backed 3/1 shot in a tough looking Arkle to a 4/1 shot in a much weaker Jewson over a trip that will no doubt suit him better |