Spirit Son all but ruled out of the Champion Hurdle. He will not run in the "foreseeable future". That surely leaves him with no chance of making the Champion in just 7 and a 1/2 weeks time. The news I heard yesterday was that it was a leg problem, probably a tendon.
Big Bucks - 1/2 Oscar Whiskey 4/1 Thousand Stars 7/1 Voler la Vedette 8/1 Zaidpour 12/1 Mikael - 14/1 Mourad 16/1 So Young 16/1 No value whatsoever. Big Bucks will win but who ants to back him at 1/2 this early? Of the others I've been impressed by Zaidpour and Mikael D'Haguenet this year and would have considered an each way bet on them but at those prices it's just not worth it. I know you like some of the bigger priced horses like Cross Kennon but he's only 66/1 which again I think is too short given how poor he was over fences. Has he retained his ability? Will he get lucky again and be able to run past beaten horses?
http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/spirit-son-unlikely-for-champion/978948/ Freely available to back at 40 on Betfair. Lay price at 85. 12.5 to place.
Zen: I see your frustration but i still see value galore in the betting without Big Bucks at 1/4 the odds mate, but each to their own, i did like the way Mikael Dag ran LTO
Didn't look good yesterday when he was drifting allover the shop on Betfair. Makes my dabble on Zarkandar a touch better for the Champion Hurdle... Mikael D'Haguent as beat absolutely nothing in his last three starts over hurdles. Nothing. Big Bucks could give him a stone and still give him an hiding at Cheltenham. I wouldn't have him at any price against Big Bucks. Lay all day for the World Hurdle..
Henderson - 'he worked on Thursday as everybody knows but the end result is I do have a problem that we're monitoring very closely but I have to say it will keep him out of action in the short term be that 2 or 3 weeks or 2 to 3 months. It makes very little difference.'
When you see how well Celestial Halo hurdles it seems amazing that he fell and Ruby got that bad injury. Luuuuuurverly price
The conversation I heard was whether to take Spirit Son out of the yard because they needed a stable. The conclusion was that they couldn't, the suggestion being that they still weren't quite sure what the problem was and that they didn't want to arouse suspicion before they had discussed it with Michael Buckley. They were talking like it was a tendon (his leg isn't bowed this morning though . . . etc). Probably a relatively minor tear but I would be doubtful that he will make it. He simply doesn't have time for any hold ups whatsoever, let alone a tendon injury requiring months on the sidelines.
