................ of the potential big clashes over the Christmas period actually materialise? In a season where top horses seem to have dodged each other (either intentionally or otherwise) we are once again left wondering whether any of the following clashes will take place: Dec 26th Kempton - Christmas Hurdle - My Tent Or Yours v The New One Dec 26th Kempton - King George - Cue Card v Al Ferof v Dynaste v Silviiaco Conti Dec 28th Leopardstown - Lexus Chase - Sir Des Champs v Bobs Worth v First Lieutenant v Unioniste Dec 29th Leopardstown - Ryanair Hurdle - Hurricane Fly v Our Conor v Jezki (v some other Mullins runner???) Racing needs these great contests to happen outside the big festivals and it can only be hoped that the main protagonists all turn up on the day. This NH season we have had a series of disappointments where a big clash has failed to materialise and we have had races akin to a walkover. Here's hoping at least some of the mouthwatering clashes above happen. But here the question - are top class horses spending too much time in their boxes wrapped in cotton wool??
Good thread oddy! Christmas Hurdle- Will happen King George- All 4 wont turn up- i doubt nicholls will run both Al Ferof & SC Lexus- Would like to think Mullins will run SDC but was quite a hard fall he had the other week so depends Ryanair Hurdle- Sureley we have to see Our Connor at somepoint Jezki will be no match the Fly but if we dont see Our Connor surely something is a miss with him. I agree we need these match ups every so often not just in March & April. I can see why trainers do wrap them up in cotton wool, look at Quevega she runs twice a year and she is still a queen of the mares where as more miles on the clock she might not have been so good for so long but then look at Hurricane Fly- he races a good handful of times each year where as Bobs worth we saw him twice last year! But would be nice to see them abit more.
I have said it on this forum many times in other threads - its what we want to see these top horses running against each other and not just restricted to Cheltenham!! So come on trainers be brave and sort it out! I mean surely Simonsig has to take on Sprinter Sacre.. Why is dickhead Hendo not seeing that as something the sport want to see? Dont the owners wanna take on the black aeroplane? What harm will it do? Ridiculous... Wooly - Nicholls has said al Ferof and Silviniano Conti will run in King George - Jacob on al Ferof (reason for Jacob going to Ascot recently for that silly 2 horse race but at least it told us Al Ferof is well) and Fehily on SC.
Kudos to Paul Nicholls, he's always prepared to pitch his horses against each other. The fact he didn't do it more often with Kauto and Denman was, I think, due to the fact that they were different sorts of animals who could go and scopp plenty of Grade 1s without taking each other on outside of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
