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16 Feb 19
19:14
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21 Apr 09
Henderson apart, the other 3 "top" trainers have had poor Cheltenham Festivals - by their standards - in recent years.
The recent hold-up caused by the equine flu outbreak will have hindered some yards more than others but as the Irish mass their battalions and lick their lips in anticipation of the battles that await in a little over three weeks' time it's more than a little disconcerting that Henderson, Hobbs, King & Pipe might as well as not bothered to turn up in the big races at Wincanton, Haydock & Ascot earlier today.
The recent hold-up caused by the equine flu outbreak will have hindered some yards more than others but as the Irish mass their battalions and lick their lips in anticipation of the battles that await in a little over three weeks' time it's more than a little disconcerting that Henderson, Hobbs, King & Pipe might as well as not bothered to turn up in the big races at Wincanton, Haydock & Ascot earlier today.
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Perhaps. Maybe Nicholls is firing his ammunition too early. There is a parallel situation in Ireland where Mullins has been relatively quiet while Joseph wins with the stable cat. It is also possible some late vaccinations are further muddying the waters.
At this stage I am trying not to have an opinion. |
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The Irish will have a field day.
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King and Pipe have been missing for a long time. If either nick a Festival winner it will be a result.
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chemo micks not running well hobbs the same cheapsakes with vacs
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chemo micks not running well hobbs the same cheapsakes with vacs
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Pipe a top trainer, your having a laugh...name a good horse of his that has any chance at Cheltenham.....Living off old mans reputation
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I agree that there seems to be a big stable influence. I would add Skelton to your list but he openly targets the first half of the season. The Hobbs form yesterday was worrying. Nicholls and Tizzard are the ones in flying form based on the limited evidence since the break. At a lower level, Jeremy Scott is always worth a look.
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Biggest disappointment for past years has been the demise of the pipe ammo....nothing close to being a Grade 1 horse, only hope for them is to fluke a handicap win at the Festival..
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Do all the best horses go to Ireland now & are the best horses in this country owned by an Irish man - JP? Is O'Leary worth £1 billion and JP £2 billion? I don't know the exact figures but are owners who could afford say £50-100k for a potetially top classed horse are being gazumped by these two, and maybe Ricci & driven out of the top end? They're in the wrong game really, they should be competing against the likes of Coolmore & Godolphin, but then I guess the pickings wouldn't be quite so easy for them.......
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It would be disingenuous for "top" British trainers to argue that they're not being provided with expensively purchased horses in the same quantity as Elliott and Mullins are across the Irish Sea and as a consequence are not competing on a level playing field.
The top 10 British trainers - and other second tier players like Evan Williams & Tom George - are routinely supplied with plenty of horses that cost in excess of £200k. At recent Cheltenham Festivals it has been left to the likes of Henderson and Tizzard to fly the flag for Britain. Other "top" trainers have gone AWOL. This year it looks as if it will be no different in the sense that the majority of the UK's "top" trainers might as well not bother turning up other than to chance their arms in the handicaps (which more often than not are won by the Irish trained runners because the handicaps are no longer a level playing field). |
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Search party out looking for Harry Fry still not come back
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Willie's are not exactly on fire either.
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