I’ve only just heard this and must confess that when I did one was so shocked that one had to go and lie down in the sick bay for half an hour! Owners, Matt and Lauren Morgan, have decided to cash in and sell next week at DBS, both CALL THE COPS and SIGN OF A VICTORY. Both are very, very classy 6YO hurdlers rated 153 in that sphere plus they both would have very decent chances of reaching the top over fences being by Presenting and Kayf Tara respectively. I would imagine that each animal will being knocked down for a sum well in excess of six figures and I don’t think it totally bonkers to envisage Call The Cops being not far away from the half million pound mark. Sign Of A Victory is a 3 times winner over hurdles, including at Listed level, whilst he returned to form with a bang on his most recent run when a neck runner-up in the Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle. Call The Cops meanwhile, a 4 time hurdle winner, has had a most impressive 2015 winning at Doncaster and the Cheltenham Festival before finishing 2nd at Aintree under a big weight. These 3 runs alone earning him over £65,000. This must be a massive blow to Mr Henderson, for whom both could be expected to be big earners in 2015/16, and could seriously damage his Champion Trainer claims. Unless, of course, he can persuade the likes of JP, Simon Munir, the 11th richest man in Wales or Mr Magnier to purchase them and keep them at Seven Barrows. I’m sure both horses will be hoping and praying for this as its impossible to improve of perfection and they are unlikely to be as well treated or reach such lofty heights as they would do tended to by Mr Henderson’s ‘magic hands’. How much do members think this pair will be sold for??? And what would you do with them if you acquired them??? Personally, I’d send them both back to the forum’s favourite trainer and have Sign Of A Victory sent straight over the big ’uns. With Call The Cop’s future I’d be happy to leave it to his brilliant brain to determine if he stayed over timber and went for The World Hurdle or also went over fences. The likes of Shotgun Paddy, Gas Line Boy, Irving, Vibrato Valtat, Open Hearted and Ardkilly Witness will also be sold at the sale next Monday and Tuesday.
Both have done all they are ever going to do Barney. Both have unworkable handicap marks over hurdles but are short of grade one class and it would be a very daunting prospect to step up to the larger obstacles with the wealth of young talent currently doing the rounds in Ireland and England so I'd happily take have a million for either.
