Is the Nicky Henderson yard cursed?

Yeah.  He’s only won dozens and dozens of Grade 1’s and still enjoys a stellar training career.  Definitely jinxed.

best engines in most fragile chassis, seems more pronounced nowadays.

Loyalhoncho - clearly I meant in the last two to three seasons. Do I need to spell the obvious out in detail every single time!

cursed = coincidence ewe fdsc.

It would seem that this would be the same Henderson who has has75 Cheltenham Festival Winners so far?
Perhaps this  might be a prelude to your incessant Nico Bashing?
After all,Nico has only ridden more Grade1 winners than any English Jockey still riding.
Perhaps he only gets the ride because he is a "Posh Boy" ?
I spoke with a current NH Jockey recently regarding your obsession Newmarket.He stated that you are an effing lunatic.
Does anybody disagree?
A warm welcome awaits Newmarket if he dares to visit Lambourn

“Has the Henderson yard BECOME jinxed”.  Or, “ is the Henderson yard NOW jinxed”.  Two examples of how I would have instantly understood your post.
Even if I believed in real life that there was anything that can legitimately be described as a jinx.
As for Harry Kane having a trophy curse.  He’s won a German title, a Super Cup, a Golden Shoe after two places, and a glittering career.
Some curse.

uptheirons - the forum bully's contributions are always welcome in any discussion.

Can you find fault in my 8,25pm post?
The only curse is you on the Forum,Newmarket.
You belong in a Secure Unit

LoyalHoncho - curse is probably the wrong word to use as you're suggesting something supernatural being involved. However , Henderson has certainly become an unlucky general that's for sure. Sir Gino today is just another in a long list.
That said I do not for the life of me understand why point to point amateur Nico had it held up last going way too slow when Nicky H. himself said he can lead at a fast pace if needed.

Perhaps Nico deliberately disobeyed instructions,Newmarket

Those PTP riders often do

So we get to the bones of it.  Nico.
I didn’t suggest anything of the sort.
Good luck to Sir Gino.  Let’s hope he can fully recover and maybe race again.

Was there ever a shadow of doubt about Newmarket's OP.Honcho?

No. 

April 29, 2024 at 13:04#1692239

I feel very sad for everyone involved after Shishkin’s demise. It doesn’t matter where it occurred, it was a huge blow for the sport and I feel pretty empty today. Nicky was right there when I started following NH Racing on a daily basis back in 1992. He produced decent horses year in, year out, he always was one of the top three trainers in the game. This sport is almost unthinkable without him and besides Constitution Hill and Jonbon, Shishkin was THE FACE of British NH Racing and an absolute stable star.

I was just wondering what the future will bring for Nicky and his stable. He is basically one or two serious injuries away from retiring, imo. If, for instance CH, shouldn’t make it back to the track next season (for whatever reasons), he’ll only have Jonbon and Sir Gino to play with. Luccia and Iberico Lord are decent hurdlers and won some nice prize-money for the stable, but I don’t think it is all about the money for him at this stage and I don’t see any other horse going for a Gold Cup in the next 12 years.

How old is he? 73 or so? How many blows can you take that late in your career/life? This was a nightmare season for him and his team. The cancellation of the Fighting Fifth meeting, Shishkin a RR at Ascot, Shishkin throwing away the King George, the virus before Cheltenham, Constitution Hill’s bad scope, now Shishkin’s loss….. How bad can a season get and how can you get over it?

Wish him all the best for his future, no matter how many years he’ll stay in his profession.

https://theracingforum.co.uk/forums/topic/is-nickys-future-in-the-balance/

An interesting discussion from 2 years ago

Thanks for reposting Jacko your comment from 2 years ago and think what has happened since then! Its not inconceivable that if Nicky has a bad Cheltenham with no winners and CH flops / retires then I think this will be it. Superstar horses don't come around that often and as you said he is well into his 70s now. He doesn't need to prove anything and has won everything.

p.s More fantastic contributions from forum bully 'UptheIrons'... Thank you.

I can hardly help it that you continue with your misguided obsession,Newmarket

Note not my comments Newmarket but appears very relevant at the moment

BTW,the only support you have had is from the imbecile Aceform.
The Chuckle Brothers

13.44. Spot on bar last sentence. Very good effort at regaining your credibility.   But what about your claim of jinxes and curses?  All trainers and yards lose valued horses.  It’s called cruel bad luck.
Do you watch “Help!  My house is haunted”?

Apparently the way the work force works has changed since his heyday -2012

People brought in just to make the numbers UP

Probably not a good idea

I am only relieved that Sir Gino didn't suffer the injury by a fall as there is little doubt the moron Newmarket would have been on

I wouldn’t use the word cursed Newmarket,just bad luck……

Of course his recent episodes of rank bad luck will be taking its toll.  Who wouldn’t consider retiring in his position?  But he’ll be asking himself “What would I do”?
How is Sir Michael coping with his retirement?  Does anyone know?  Hopefully he is well.

uptheirons 25 Jan 26 13:56 
BTW,the only support you have had is from the imbecile Aceform.
The Chuckle Brothers

Regards the word you use Iron….I think Esso,BP and Shell are far better judges tbf…..

Keep ranting…..lol

Statement of facts not rants

Yawn……you need to rest a while….

It's like shooting fish in a barrel with clowns like you and Newmarket

formoftheace - I agree cursed is the wrong word as that suggests something supernatural but I've never know a yard to have so much continuous bad luck to nearly all their Grade 1 stars.... Plus don't forget the virus they also got on the eve of Cheltenham.

p.s formoftheace - I get the distinct impression that 'uptheirons' doesn't like us. Do you think it's because we don't rate his favourite amateur jockey with the powder puff finish. Or could it be that West Ham are going to get relegated that he is so angry all the time..... Or maybe its because he just likes to bully people. What do you think?

HILL FOR CHAMPION

Newmarket-spurs 25 Jan 26 23:46 
formoftheace - I agree cursed is the wrong word as that suggests something supernatural but I've never know a yard to have so much continuous bad luck to nearly all their Grade 1 stars.... Plus don't forget the virus they also got on the eve of Cheltenham.

p.s formoftheace - I get the distinct impression that 'uptheirons' doesn't like us. Do you think it's because we don't rate his favourite amateur jockey with the powder puff finish. Or could it be that West Ham are going to get relegated that he is so angry all the time..... Or maybe its because he just likes to bully people. What do you think?

I don’t take him seriously Newmarket…..an irrelevant mouthpiece imv…with a previous name….

Thing is NS,there are countless point to point riders and amateurs who have won grade races including the grand national…

Remember 54 year old John Thorne……finishing in the frame,Marcus Armitage winning….

The Nico fellow is capable but still looks point to point with his style and feet pointing outwards ,certainly not a  Francome or any of the other top riders including some Irish horsemen….

He’s lucky to have the job with Henderson,people would bet good money he wouldn’t be first choice for JP ….

Formoftheace - I didn't know John Thorne but I take your point. Nico DB is a Henderson work rider who happened to be in the right place at the right time. The public school connection is worth mentioning because Henderson went to Eton so it isn't hard to imagine that Nico got lucky because of their friendship.
Henderson as you said is going to be retiring soon and their is nothing Nico can do to lose his job. That said there are a number of owners who don't use him which is interesting and not surprising.
When Henderson retires then its career over for Nico. Then I'll wait for the apologies to flood in from the likes of forum bully and others.

You’ll wait a while for an apology tbh….

The classic example is Havlin with Gosden,plenty of owners would rather have’names’ on their horses…

The posh woman with the pink and white silks obviously likes Rab and sticks with him…..

I don't think there's anything too sinister going on with Hendo. Can still produce the goods, but to me he looks like a chap in his 70s starting to wind down. He hasn't had a huge amount of depth in his yard for a while and I'd say a few superstars have papered over the cracks in recent years - Constitution Hill, Shishkin, Jonbon, etc. Never been a numbers man like Pipe, but has won pretty much all the big pots, save for the National - numerous Champion Chases, Triumph, Supreme and Champion Hurdles, Gold cups, King Georges, etc. Has nothing to prove now, so wouldn't be a surprise to see him bow out in next couple of years.

Fair assessment, as opposed to other Nico-hating invective and bile embedded within this thread.  I am embarrassed for the bitter author of same.

LoyalHoncho - invective & bile are your words. He has cost me a small fortune over the years with shocking rides and weak finishes. I'm entitled to be highlt crtical. I have regularly sung the praises of Barry Geraghty when he was riding which gets forgotten. I also rate very highly Rossa Ryan , O.Murphy, and think the likes of Jack Mitchell and Saffie Osbourne are very under-rated.
The problem with this forum now is too many people attack you personally for having an opinion they disagree with which is why I can't be bothered most of the time.

There are people who think that Elvis is alive and living on the Moon.
They are lunatics as are you,Newmarket

I sense sectarianism on the thread……

I have won plenty over the years backing horses I fancied with Nico riding.
Have you ever considered that you just might be a piss poor judge of horses,Newmarket

I have won plenty over the years backing horses that I fancied with Nico riding.
Have you ever considered that you are just a poor judge of horses,Newmarket?

Yawn………

I have never attacked you.  I have been as critical of you as you continue to be of Nico. 
You started this thread affixing a curse/jinx to the Henderson stable then turned it into an anti-Nico campaign, which seems to me to be your whole issue.  AP rode 10,000 losers.  Was he a rank bad jockey when he did? No, of course not, and neither is Nico.
When I bet losers I blame me.

LoyalHoncho - The conversation between myself and formoftherace turned into a wider discussion about the Henderson yard and Nico. We both agree on his merits and lack of them as a jockey. As for your AP analogy I've never read anything so ridiculous. Go and watch AP in a driving finish and then watch Nico. You do realise that the quality of the horse is the biggest factor in any race don't you.
Combine that comment with forum bully 'Uptheirons' and your realise why I'm done with this place.

   It’s so ridiculous it’s author is AP himself. 

uptheirons • January 26, 2026 6:26 PM GMT
I have won plenty over the years backing horses that I fancied with Nico riding.
Have you ever considered that you are just a poor judge of horses,Newmarket?

Newmarket is done -------- like a kipper