Saturday's Meetings Aintree N/H 8 Races 11:10-3:15p.m. Sandown N/H 8 Races 11:35-3:35p.m. Chepstow N/H 8 Races 11:55-3:55p.m. Navan N/H 7 Races 12:00-3:25p.m. Newcastle(E) A/W 9 Races 3:30-7:45p.m. Wolverhampton(E) A/W 8 Races 5:00-8:30p.m. Wetherby Abandoned Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Forget dem Irish nags - dem Tizaaaaaaaaaaaards have a beast in JPR One. 33/1 still available for the Arkle, will be gone tomorrow evening.
Newcastle 17.45 Elderflower EW. by Ten Sovereigns out of an Oasis Dream mare Ran a corker on debut, finishing like a train in a decent time when 6th of 22 btn 7¼L at Newmarket If she doesn't win it might be a notebook for a 7f nursery later
Wolves 18.30 Not Afraid EW Night Of Thunder colt. Running on well after slow start and still plenty to do 2 out, ran green; Decent race time
So Nicky Henderson is keeping a close eye on the going, presumably to decide whether Constitution Hill takes part tomorrow. If he does, it will be only his 9th race in nearly three years. Compare that to another Champion Hurdle winner, Flakey Dove, which ran 35 times in a similar period. How times change! And why is Shishkin taking part ? Has he been entered as a reserve in case of defection by C.Hill? The 16/1 price looks tempting if that happens, doesn’t it? Also, why is Shishkin’s owner allowing him to run? I certainly shouldn’t want my quality horse to run as a “reserve.” I should want him to run in a race that my trainer expects to win, not as a reserve or merely for second place against an undoubtedly superior horse. It’s undermining the sport and confusing punters.
Been in the press since he planted himself at Sandown two weeks ago. Shishkin needs a run and nothing of particular interest or suitability over a fence, as per Nicky. "However, over the weekend Henderson mooted the possibility of Shishkin returning to hurdles for the first time since his win in the 2020 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as he seeks to get a run into the nine-year-old before the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26."
Nailed on he will scratch Constitution Hill. Very unfair on those who have bought tickets to attend and see him.
Because it gives the impression to punters that he is unlikely to run the favourite. So if you’ve backed him this week and he defects, you lose your money. If you back Shishkin tomorrow morning on Rule , you can lose up to 75% of winnings, based on Rule 4. Also, no trainer should run a high quality horse like Shishkin against his really exceptional stablemate, given he has no chance of winning. It’s confusing and would never have happened years ago. It’s just “playing silly games.” After all, C.Hill has already won on heavy ground at Sandown so why all the messing about? Might he have too hard a race before his say Christmas Hurdle? Henderson should run his horses on their merits and not leave it until the day of the race to declare his intentions. I also question why the Donnelly family go along with it.
I don’t disagree with any of that, but Shishkin reportedly needs a run for the King George, and with how bad the ground is, can you blame Nicky for going for this race as a prep? As for Con Hill, they are obviously trying to wrap him in cotton wool, and if they think Sandown isn’t right for his prep for Boxing Day, then they should pull him. Alternatively the argument could be that they could have done that earlier. Personally, and I’m no Henderson fanboy, I actually think he should be applauded for trying to run them against each other. It could be a Verdana Blue situation all over again. I know how difficult it is to find a race for a maiden hurdler, nevermind a race for a Grade 1 horse.
Hope ye manage to get a run next week, grounds been awful for Decs the last week. We had to chop and change, now due Tues at a heavy Ffos Lass.
