Sinister goings on at Ditcheat ?

Certainly a worrying statement, gutted here that it's unlikely that we'll be seeing Big Bucks or Al Ferof again this sseason.

Big Bucks ffs hope hes ok

Does sound like a strangely worded statement.

Why just the 2 horses or has he just mentioned them because they are high profile? 

Why virtually rule them out for the season now? If it was a virus surely they would have a watching brief for a while.

Injury I expect - would not want to risk hig class animals

Racing Post ‏@Racing_Post
Big Buck's owner Andy Stewart: "He has a tiny tear in one of his legs, so the best way is to let nature heal that."

Thank feck for that

Thanks Dan

somebody gone mad with a knife?
mr smith gone mad?

Good find Dan, thank feck it wasn't something more serious

Have the words "Out for the season" actually been said?

son
Both Big Buck's and Al Ferof could be out for the season says Paul

Paul Nicholls found a problem with his stable stars at evening stables tonight. Here he issues a statement...


I have some bad news to report.

At evening stables tonight, we discovered a problem with both Big Buck's and Al Ferof.

I am not in a position to go into great detail at this point, but I can confirm that Big Buck's will not be taking up his engagement at Ascot on Saturday and Al Ferof will not be running in the King George.

And both are unlikely to run again this season.

I would appreciate it if the media and press did not contact me at this point.

When I do have more to report, I will be doing it here.

1-3 we won't see Big Bucks again.

Gutted if Bucks isn't gonna be able to defend in March. A tiny tear according to Andy Stewart? This is all very cloak and dagger.

Reading between the lines it sounds like a rather serious internal matter. If it was just minor injuries as one of the owners has indicated then why would Nicholls issue such a dramatic statement? Sad stuff but I think its best for people to take the hint from PN and just leave it to them to sort out.

Stewart also says al ferof has a similar injury.

mmm               might be that someones knitted PN a balaclarva without a hole in it.....................

going to Dressage yard, Tuesday, I guess...

Impossible to know what to think with this yard after last season

No doubt the news will surface soon.

Be amazed if they dont retire poor Big Bucks Now. Already a legend

Do people on the inside of  the racing world really think we mere mortals believe this clap trap. Thank God for the internet I say, so people can form their own opinion of what goes on. No wonder horse racing in this country is of no interest to the general public, maybe they are all correct when they say it is  bent. I can see it going down the same route as racing in Germany/Belgium/Holland ect and becoming just another minority sport.Even the head of Hills bookmakers says that it maybe will not show horse racing in its shops in the future.

I sincerely hope it wasn't deliberate , but both him and Al Ferof??? I will get the rope ready just in case.

luv it when a rare old time poster joins in

i can see the headlines next march already

"nichols performs a training miracle and gets big bucks to cheltenham to win another world hurdle after career threatening injury""

with a picture of pumpkin head strutting about like the head peacock

Cyp old chap, I sincerely hope you are right!

It sounds like tendon injuries for both according to Andy Stewarts comments.12 to 18 months on the sidelines if thats the case.

Racing Post ‏@Racing_Post
John Hales, owner of Al Ferof: "We're certainly talking 12 months off. He has a slight nick in a tendon."

Any big amounts been layed recently ???

no dont think so roy the yard is upfront if it was in other certain yards they would have cleaned up .

nicholls is finnish

You can't tell from his accent

Wasn't there some nutters mutilating horses, some kind of witchcraft crap a few years ago......seems strange that they both have similar injuries and Nichols isn't saying anything ie are the police involved?

From the Guardian -

Stewart later told the Press Association: "He was a little bit anxious in one of his legs at evening stables and after Clifford [Baker, Nicholls's head lad] and the vet inspected him, we decided to draw stumps. I'm a little bit gutted but no one has died and the horse is perfectly well.

"When the horses come back in at the end of July we shall reassess the situation. If he still has that zest and sparkle, we will continue with him, but if he hasn't got that zest and sparkle, he will be retired."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/dec/17/paul-nicholls-big-bucks-al-ferof

No nutters, what's likely to of happened, at evening stables the last thing head lad or trainer
will do, is check for heat in legs of every horse, any heat found, depending on the swelling, some of them just
knock themselves in the box and it disappears next morning, if it's still there, it's then off to the vet's for
a scan, to check the extent of the damage. Tendon injuries take lots of time

What a massive blow to the stable and us. Hope they both recover quickly.

and just so happens 2 of best in stable sustained an unrelated unjury?

hahahahahaha bolllloxxxxx

do you suspect something of a bad stench is in the air MrHunt?

why didnt he relay wot problem is?  cos he nahs will cause a scandal

Al Ferof will NOT be out for that long and 1.01 will not be in THAT stable for his next run.

It does seem a bit iffy that both suffer a similar injury (if i've read it correctly) at the same time.

Just a coincidence. No conspiracy here. Why would there be

Stewart said: "He has a tiny tear in one of his legs, so the best way is to let nature heal that.

"To think that he would need to tackle a Grade 1 race in three months' time at Cheltenham, that's not my style."

Hales said: "We're certainly talking 12 months off. He has a slight nick in a tendon.

John is being diplomatic AG.

i can buy the leg trouble in both

timings look a bit odd though, to be talking small tear in tendon you'd imagine they have scanned, that didn't happen in 5 minutes

Small tear = 2-6 months. MAX

i was refering to the time it takes to determine the actual injury, you wouldn't know just from the swelling or heat what the actual damage was, they were quite specific which says they've been looking at it for a day or so

if it's torn even slightly they won't get it back this season, will stay in the paddocks until at least the end of summer, no chance of 2 months, that would mean the comment re tear is false

to be talking small tear in tendon you'd imagine they have scanned, that didn't happen in 5 minutes

That's what I thought when I first read it. You'd presume there'd have been some swelling, which would have to go down before they could scan it and fully assess the damage.

Sorry elise,wasnt taking the pee.From what I can garner re- Al,it is not even a tear.Big issues obviously but my money is on Al Ferof travelling North West and a remarkable recovery.

which is why i thought the timelines re what happened when might be interesting, maybe it's as he says

but i have this memory of a betfair blog "never better" and the subsequent discovery that a horse had gone t1ts up during schooling

no probs gt, i know the score with you we are cool

pumpkin cant retreat quickly enough...great trainer  but......

Knows he was wrong.........now realises he is where he is because?

Is it not possible for both to be injured?

Disgruntled owner cast some voodoo?

It is very possible that both horses have a problem

Have you ever been kicked in the Gonads and got away with one sore testy

Perhaps it`s the icy conditions. Hooves slipping and sliding on black ice.

having 2 of the top money earners in the yard out for a season is not something the stable would have wanted for any reason.

I have it on good authority that the Avon and Somerset Constabulary suspect foul play.

Did Nick Schofield school both yesterday?

If anyone wants to understand tendon injuries get a wire coat hanger and bend backwards and forwards repeatedly......stop after 10/15 bends and feel the wire in the area that is being bent...warn isn't it.....now if you continue to bend the coat hanger it will snap. Trainers will often feel horses tendons for heat as it is an indication of damage if you stop in time the heat will disappear and the tendon will mend.

Also noticed no runners at Newbury or Ludlow tomorrow - 2 tracks he does very well at. Maybe something maybe nothing.

PN said they were dealing with the matter internally. That statement alone conjures up thoughts of skullduggery. I wouldn't mind a touch of 6/4 that BB and AF were got at.

6/4

cuckoo cuckoo

Practically EVERY yard with over a dozen NH  horses will get one "legged up" ,for one reason or another,in the course of a season,it happens.A horse is massive,and puts a huge strain on that slim tendon,especially when jumping.When you have 100 horses the chances are several will get"legs",it may,or may not happen,just down to luck.

Perhaps Paul had too much champers and schooled hem himself.

unbiased,

Agreed, although WhittakerChambers is never far away when he has inside information.

He put the forum away with his Xmas cert yesterday.

BEER,

Only if you believed him, he has history.

Was interested after post. Horse was not going for it. Is he jst a bit of a plum?

I couldn't say whether he is or isn't a 'plum', his posting style and racehorse selections tell me he is just taking the p***.