 |
|
|
| Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle - Tue March 16th 2010 |
cheltenham festival / 2010 news / champion hurdle
Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle 2010 - Review
16/03/10
Nicky Henderson: “Apologies - this wasn’t a ploy! AP’s face after Binocular won at Sandown said it all and we couldn’t pretend to be happy. The horse just wasn’t performing the same way as he was last year.
1 Binocular 9/1
2 Khyber Kim 7/1
3 Zaynar 15/2
12 ran
 |
“John Halley is J P’s vet in Ireland and he looked at Binocular, as did Mary Bromley, as well as our own physios and vets. The horse also went for a bone scan in Ireland, which revealed zero.
“We therefore took the view that it was worth persevering with him as there was not anything physically wrong with him. It was difficult to say what actually was wrong with him, but he just wasn’t the same horse.
“After I said that he was unlikely to run, Weatherbys contacted me to ask if I actually wanted to scratch the horse. I spoke to J P about this and he said we should leave him in, as that gave us the option to run if we changed our minds. The bone scan had revealed nothing physically wrong and the treatments for the horse were still continuing.
“The horse certainly had a weird preparation. If it had been left to Henderson he probably would have taken him round the country for racecourse gallops and wrecked him!
“He was never lame at all at any time during the build-up - it was just that we could see it wasn’t the real Binocular. We can’t actually say what happened to him before he worked so well last Wednesday, but that day we saw the real Binocular. There have been so many people involved in getting the horse right again and it is just a great team effort. It is also amazing what a couple of days of sunshine can do for a horse.
“It has been a rollercoaster ride. Of our three runners, Punjabi probably had the best preparation while Zaynar has clearly shown that the Kelso race wasn’t his true running.
“I don’t know if Binocular will run again this season. Nobody cares more about his horses than J P does and he might want him to go to Martinstown (his stud in Ireland) rather than run again this year.
“We had originally thought that he might go to Aintree if he missed Cheltenham. I would say that he is unlikely to run at Punchestown. I need to discuss all the options with J P.”
 |
The well-fancied Khyber Kim gave trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies his best-ever placing in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, but could not fend off a rejuvenated Binocular, and was beaten by three and a half lengths in second place, with Zaynar six lengths back in third place.
Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Khyber Kim, admitted that he was feeling frustrated:
“If it had been a bit softer ground that might have sorted it out. I don’t know maybe that’s grasping at straws. If he [Binocular] hadn’t run, it would have been different and he wasn’t meant to be running a week ago. If he hadn’t run, we’d have won by six lengths.
“It’s really frustrating, but we were beaten by a better horse on the day.
“But it’s beyond what we were thinking at the start of the season. This is brilliant. It’s just that I’m a spoilt little bastard and this is so close but so far.
“We had a fourth, Mister Morose, years ago, but this is the best. But no one does second, it’s no good.
“We go to Aintree now and a bit more give in the ground won’t do any harm at all.”
Anthony Bromley, of Highflyer Bloodstock, bought the first four horses home. Bromley said: “I was thinking it was a quiet day, but it’s picked up a bit. It’s really weird, I didn’t shout at all as they came up the hill, I just watched it. It’s just unreal. You think that you’re going to have the winner anyway. We had the first three home last year, but this is the best ever. We normally buy chasers.”
 |
Celestial Halo ran another fine race in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, but after he finished fourth trainer Paul Nicholls accepted chasing was next on the agenda.
In first-time blinkers, Celestial Halo set a fierce early gallop in a bid to go one better in the race - he was second last year - but he ran out of steam in the home straight.
Nicholls said: “The plan is to go chasing now, but he might run once more over hurdles. He won’t go to Aintree for the two-and-a-half miler, but we might find something, and he could run in a beginners’ chase in May if the ground is alright.
“He’s schooled over fences and that will be his job next year. It’s something to look forward to. He’s a great jumper and that will be a massive advantage - to win an Arkle you have to be nearly Champion Hurdle class.
“Who knows, he might win a Champion Chase one day.
“There’s no point in staying over hurdles, because he’s had two goes at this race and isn’t going to win it. He’s run two gallant races.”
 |
Go Native started the 11/4 favourite for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle but could fare no better than 10th behind Binocular.
However, his trainer Noel Meade revealed that a mistake at the second flight cost the seven-year-old any chance of success.
Meade said: “Paul (Carberry, jockey) said he was lucky to stand up at the second - he sort of dived at it - and never felt right after that.
“He was probably lucky to get away with the mistake but it meant he was never travelling and never gave Paul the same feeling.
“We will now go home and re-group. These things happen in racing and hopefully he will be back here for another day.”
SMURFIT KAPPA CHAMPION HURDLE RESULTS
2009-WINNER-PUNJABI 6-11-10 Owner-Raymond Tooth; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-22/1
2ND-Celestial Halo 5-11-10 Owner-The Stewart Family; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-17/2
3RD-Binocular 5-11-10 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-6/4 Fav
23 ran, Time-4m 0.90s; Dist- nk, hd
2008-WINNER-KATCHIT 5-11-10 Owner-D S J P Syndicate; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-10/1
2ND-Osana 6-11-10 Owner-Thomas Barr; Trainer-David Pipe; Jockey-Tom Scudamore; SP-9/2
3RD-Punjabi 5-11-10 Owner-Raymond Tooth; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-25/1
15 ran, Time-4m 8.10s; Dist-1, 5 2/1 Fav Sizing Europe (14th)
2007-WINNER-SUBLIMITY 7-11-10 Owner-Bill Hennessy; Trainer-John Carr IRE; Jockey-Philip Carberry; SP-16/1
2ND-Brave Inca 9-11-10 Owner-Novices Syndicate; Trainer-Colm Murphy IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-11/2
3RD-Afsoun 5-11-10 Owner-Trevor Hemmings; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick Fitzgerald; SP-28/1
10 ran, Time-3m 55.70s; Dist-3, nk 6/4 Fav Detroit City (6th)
2006-WINNER-BRAVE INCA 8-11-10 Owner-Novices Syndicate; Trainer-Colm Murphy IRE; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-7/4 Fav
2ND-Macs Joy 7-11-10 Owner-Mac’s J Racing Syndicate; Trainer-Jessica Harrington IRE; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-13/2
3RD-Hardy Eustace 9-11-10 Owner-Lar Byrne; Trainer-Dessie Hughes IRE; Jockey-Conor O’Dwyer; SP-11/2
18 ran. Time-3m 50.00s; Dist-1, 3½
2005-WINNER-HARDY EUSTACE 8-11-10 Owner-Lar Byrne; Trainer-Dessie Hughes IRE; Jockey-Conor O’Dwyer; SP-
7/2 Jt Fav
2ND-Harchibald 6-11-10 Owner-Des Sharkey; Trainer-Noel Meade IRE; Jockey-Paul Carberry; SP-7/1
3RD-Brave Inca 7-11-10 Owner-Novices Syndicate; Trainer-Colm Murphy IRE; Jockey-Barry Cash; SP-10/1
14 ran, Time-3m 51.50s; Dist-nk, nk 7/2 Jt Fav Back In Front (9th)
2004-WINNER-HARDY EUSTACE 7-11-10 Owner-Lar Byrne; Trainer-Dessie Hughes IRE; Jockey-Conor O’Dwyer; SP-33/1
2ND-Rooster Booster 10-11-10 Owner-Terry Warner; Trainer-Philip Hobbs; Jockey-Richard Johnson; SP-11/8 Fav
3RD-Intersky Falcon 7-11-10 Owner-Interskyracing.com & Jacqui O’Neill; Trainer: Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-Liam Cooper; SP-8/1
14 ran, Time-3m 54.50s; Dist-5, 4
2003-WINNER-ROOSTER BOOSTER 9-12-00 Owner-Terry Warner; Trainer-Philip Hobbs; Jockey-Richard Johnson; SP-9/2
2ND-Westender 7-12-00 Owner-Matt Archer & Jean Broadhurst; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Rodi Greene; SP-33/1
3RD-Rhinestone Cowboy 7-12-00 Owner-Sue Magnier; Trainer-Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-Norman Williamson; SP-5/2
Fav 17 ran, Time-3m 54.70s; Dist-11, 3
2002-WINNER-HORS LA LOI III 7-12-00 Owner-Paul Green; Trainer-James Fanshawe; Jockey-Dean Gallagher; SP-10/1
2ND-Marble Arch 6-12-00 Owner-Martin Wilson, Rory Sweet and Mary Wilson; Trainer-Hughie Morrison; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-25/1
3RD-Bilboa 5-11-09 Owner-Jorg Vasicek; Trainer-Francois Doumen FR; Jockey-Thierry Doumen; SP-14/1
15 ran, Time-3m 53.80s; Dist- 3, ½ 2/1 Fav Istabraq (pu)
2001 Cancelled
2000-WINNER-ISTABRAQ 8-12-00 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Charlie Swan; SP-8/15 Fav
2ND-Hors La Loi III 5-12-00 Owner-Paul Green; Trainer-Francois Doumen FR; Jockey-Dean Gallagher; SP-11/1
3RD-Blue Royal 5-12-00 Owner-Lynn Wilson; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick Fitzgerald; SP-16/1
12 ran, Time-3m 48.10s; Dist-4, nk
1999-WINNER-ISTABRAQ 7-12-00 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Charlie Swan; SP-4/9 Fav
2ND-Theatreworld 7-12-00 Owner-Sue Magnier; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Tommy Treacy; SP-16/1 3RD-French Holly 8-12-00 Owner-Kieran Flood; Trainer-Ferdy Murphy; Jockey-Andrew Thornton; SP-11/2
14 ran, Time 3m 56.7s; Dist-3½, 2½
1998-WINNER-ISTABRAQ 6-12-00 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Charlie Swan; SP-3/1 Fav
2ND-Theatreworld 6-12-00 Owner-Sue Magnier; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Tommy Treacy; SP-20/1
3RD-I’m Supposin 6-12-00 Owner-Nicholas Cooper; Trainer-Richard Rowe; Jockey-Richard Dunwoody; SP-6/1
18 ran, Time 3m 49.1s; Dist-12, 1
1997-WINNER-MAKE A STAND 6-12-00 Owner-Peter Deal; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-7/1
2ND-Theatreworld 5-12-00 Owner-Sue Magnier; Trainer-Aidan O’Brien IRE; Jockey-Norman Williamson; SP-33/1
3RD-Space Trucker 6-12-00 Owner-Elaine Queally; Trainer-Jessica Harrington IRE; Jockey-John Shortt; SP-9/2
17 ran, Time-3m 48.4s, Dist-5, ¾ 7/2 Fav Large Action (pu)
1996-WINNER-COLLIER BAY 6-12-00 Owner-Wally Sturt; Trainer-Jim Old; Jockey-Graham Bradley; SP-9/1
2ND-Alderbrook 7-12-00 Owner-Ernie Pick; Trainer-Kim Bailey; Jockey-Richard Dunwoody; SP-10/11 Fav
3RD-Pridwell 6-12-00 Owner-Jones, Berstock and Fleet Partnership; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Chris Maude;
SP-33/1 16 ran, Time-3m 59.0s, Dist-2½, 6
1995-WINNER-ALDERBROOK 6-12-00 Owner-Ernie Pick; Trainer-Kim Bailey; Jockey-Norman Williamson; SP-11/2
2ND-Large Action 7-12-00 Owner-Brian Stewart-Brown; Trainer-Oliver Sherwood; Jockey-Jamie Osborne; SP-4/1 Jt Fav
3RD-Danoli 7-12-00 Owner-Dan O’Neill; Trainer-Tom Foley IRE; Jockey-Charlie Swan; SP-4/1 Jt Fav
14 ran, Time-4m 03.1s, Dist-5, 2
[more]
