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Cheltenham Festival 2021 - Horses Targets/Trainer Quotes

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  • Cheltenham Festival 2021 - Horses Targets/Trainer Quotes

    Cheltenham Festival 2021 - Horses Targets/Trainer Quotes
    With not a lot going on I thought it might be a good idea this far out to have a thread where people can post info regarding horses targets as and when they see quotes from connections. We could keep this just for specific information rather than our opinions on where horses could/should be targeted.

    I’ll kick things off...

    ENVOI ALLEN -
    Patricia Thompson ‘You’d like to think he’d kick on to chasing next season. I don’t think we’ll be aiming at the champion hurdle. I can’t see that.’

    Gordon Elliott I’ll have to discuss it with the owners, we’ll enjoy today and see what happens. He was bought to be a 3 mile chaser that’s all I’m saying.’

    Gordon Elliott (Is chasing the plan now?) ‘Yes it is. All being well he’ll start off in a beginners’ chase at Down Royal next season.’

    RICHARD THOMPSON
    Envoi Allen (Gordon Elliott)
    WHAT more can I say about Envoi Allen? I’m sure
    we are going to head over fences with him and I
    would have thought that the RSA will be his end
    of season target. Going up in trip shouldn’t be a
    problem, as he was running on well at the end of
    the Ballymore, and we will, hopefully, be looking
    at the Gold Cup with him at some stage, so I think
    the RSA makes sense. He has everything, however,
    so has all options open to him, and he enjoyed a
    good summer over in Gordon’s.

    JAMIE CODD
    I COULDN’T leave out envoi allen (who I have
    included in each of the past two years) after what
    he achieved again last season, despite obviously
    not riding him on the track. He was exceptional
    throughout the whole of last season, rounding it
    off with a great performance in Cheltenham in the
    Ballymore, where he certainly wasn’t stopping,
    suggesting that he will have no problem in stepping
    up in trip. A graduate from Colin Bowe’s yard,
    he has always schooled very well at home, and we
    are all looking forward to him getting going over
    fences. The hope is that he continues to progress
    and ends up a Gold Cup horse of the future.

    THE BIG GETAWAY -
    Willie Mullins ‘He was beaten but a proper horse. Ours looks a real chasing type and I imagine we’ll be looking towards the RSA next season - but we’ll probably have to meet the winner there again.’

    ABACADABRAS -
    Gordon Elliott ‘He could be a champion hurdle horse next year.’



    GOSHEN -
    Gary Moore ‘I think he is a Champion Hurdle horse, and that’s how I’ll be training him. He could go back on the Flat first, but what I do know is he’ll be in a field during June and July when the grass is at it’s best.’

    MONKFISH -
    Willie Mullins ‘Totally (see him as a chaser), he’s a huge big horse but if he has to come back and win the Stayers Hurdle we gone complain either. (But the RSA in mind) I would imagine that’s where he’d be yeah.’



    LATEST EXHIBITION -
    Paul Nolan ‘He lost nothing in defeat. We have something to look forward to over fences, please god.’

    Paul Nolan ‘you'd like to think he'll be up there amongst the top rank of novice chasers next year.’

    SHISHKIN and CHANTRY HOUSE -
    Nicky Henderson (would you be inclined more fences...)’I would have thought so, they’ve won ptps and things so that’s probably where they go yeah.’

    Nicky Henderson ‘Chantry House certainly looks like he could go chasing and Shishkin we will have to just look and see.’

    Nicky Henderson (Shishkin) ‘Joe is a great man and he leaves it entirely to us to get on with it and make plans – because he says ‘the horses are in your hands. He is a very quiet man and just says ‘do whatever you think is right. I’d probably be tempted to go chasing with him. He has won his bumper easily and two novices hurdles very well – and although he didn’t win the Supreme like Altior, it was obvious why. Iwill have a talk to Nico (de Boinville), and we will probably give him a school over a fence in the autumn and look and see, because he’s always got the other option of staying over hurdles.’

    Nicky Henderson (Chantry House) ‘He stayed on well, but we said before the race he probably wants two and a half. He ran a very good race, and I don’t think we would have beaten Envoi Allen in the Ballymore. I think that would have been Henderson wishful thinking! He will get two and a half, and I would say that would be over fences, but we’ve not had that discussion yet.’

    MELON -
    Willie Mullins ‘Hopefully he might race in the big one (Gold Cup) in the future, as he jumps and stays.’

    ALLAHO -
    Chris Richardson (Cheveley Park) ‘Allaho ran respectably. He just runs a bit keen, so we might be thinking about dropping back in trip – I think that’s something that is certainly open to review.‘

    MINELLA INDO -
    Henry De Bromhead ‘We would hope he is a Gold Cup horse next season, but we have got to see how good this season’s novice chasers are.’

    VINNDICATION -
    Kim Bailey ‘I’ve always believed he has the potential to be a Gold Cup horse in time, and I’m not changing my mind now. He is still a young horse, and I’m sure there is further improvement.’

    RONALD PUMP -
    Matthew Smith ‘Chasing will definitely be put on hold now. Obviously he’s up to that level over hurdles, so we’ll stay there for the time being.’

    EASYSLAND -
    David Cottin ‘I think the plan would be to go down the same route next season – going back to Cheltenham in December and March, with Pau in between.’
    ‘We’ll probably aim for the same sort of races next year. Nothing is written in stone, but he seems to enjoy the cross-country racing, so that looks the obvious route at the moment.’



    CHAMP -
    Nicky Henderson ‘I don’t see why he can’t be a Gold Cup horse next season. He is top class, there is no doubt about it.‘



    SANTINI -
    Nicky Henderson ‘He is big, raw horse that has the potential to win the Gold Cup, which he will be aimed at again.’

    ALTIOR -
    Nicky Henderson ‘It will be back to two miles next season. If there had been Aintree and he was ok, I would have had no worries about going two and a half miles at Aintree. That wouldn’t have worried me one bit and I would have liked to have done it, but that’s all over and we are not going to go to Punchestown so we will put him away.‘

    ALLART -
    Nicky Henderson ‘I wouldn’t be so sure about Allart (going chasing next season), I think he has got unfinished business over hurdles.’

    DARVER STAR -
    Pat Cluskey (The Irish Champion Hurdle runner-up is priced between 20-1 and 33-1 for next year's Racing Post Arkle and Cluskey says that will likely be their pride and joy's long-term aim.)
    ‘I'd say that'll be where we're aiming for,’ he said. ‘We always thought he was going to be a chaser and even when he won for the first time at Wexford, Gavin said he'd be chasing sooner rather than later.‘

    Incredible improver Darver Star cemented his place at the top table of two-mile hurdling with an excellent third in the Unibet Champion Hurdle... Read More


    Gavin Cromwell “He’s going to go chasing next year. He jumps really well and hopefully he can make a nice novice chaser. He even jumps a hurdle like a fence.’
    “It opens up more options for him as he can step up in trip as well. I think he really wants further than two miles and more like two and a half.’


    CORNERSTONE LAD -
    Micky Hammond ‘I haven't discussed next season with Mrs Lofthouse (owner), but I would think we'll be going novice chasing.’
    ‘He will at some stage run on the Flat, but that is all up in the air now.’

    Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner Cornerstone Lad is set embark on a novice chasing campaign next season, with trainer Micky Hammond looking forward to seeing how he fares.


    PIC D’ORHY, QUEL DESTIN, ENRILO, FIDELIO VALLIS, GETAWAY TRUMP, SOLO, MCFABULOUS
    Paul Nicholls "We'll have lots of good horses to go chasing, We’ve got Pic D'Orhy, Quel Destin, Enrilo, Fidelio Vallis and Getaway Trump, who has had a wind operation. I've got to make my mind up with McFabulous. We might go over hurdles for one run, in a good race, then go chasing. There's a lot to look forward to. "Solo has been gelded – he's a lovely horse for the future. It's not easy as a four-year-old so I'd be surprised if we go chasing. He might be a bit like Pic D'Orhy – there's some good hurdles races for him."

    LISNAGAR OSCAR -
    Rebecca Curtis "We'll stick to hurdles with him,"
    "He's always been a backward sort of horse, and you'd like to think he'll improve again for another summer's grass.
    "There's a nice programme for him with the races at Newbury, Ascot (Long Walk) and Cheltenham, so that will be the plan."

    ASPIRE TOWER -
    Henry De Bromhead “I would think we will give him a chance to go down the Champion Hurdle route. I haven’t discussed it with the lads (owners Brendan McNeill and Jonathan Maloney) but he’s entitled to have a look. We could start off by looking at races for second season novices, maybe the one in Down Royal (Grade 2 WKD Hurdle). He seems to finish out his races well and you could look at any trip with him.”

    CAPTAIN GUINNESS -
    Henry De Bromhead "Captain Guinness was unlucky in the Supreme. The horse jumped into him and then fell in front of him. He looked to be going well and Rachael (Blackmore) was happy with him at the time. It was just unfortunate, but thankfully he's fine. "He's schooled well and will go chasing next season."

    APPRECIATE IT -
    Patrick Mullins (when asked for one horse he’s most looking forward to next season) ‘I think Appreciate It. Going over jumps and stepping up in trip. I can’t wait to see him over fences and 3 miles. I think he’s a bit special.’

    FLY SMART
    Patrick Mullins ‘He’s a horse of Rich’s, has very good form in France, got a few little setbacks this year, nothing major but enough not to get to the track so we’ll go novice hurdling next year but he’s a horse that we like a lot.’

    AIONE
    Patrick Mullins (is he going over fences) ‘Oh definitely, he’s a ready made chaser, 16 2, 16 3, he’s a big strong horse. He’d be one I might have my eye on for the 4 miler maybe.’



    THYME HILL
    Philip Hobbs ‘It's very likely he'll stay over hurdles with the Stayers' Hurdle in mind," Hobbs said. "He's schooled very well over fences but I think we'll delay chasing for 12 months.’

    SPORTING JOHN
    Philip Hobbs ‘The vet saw him straight after the race and there was definitely something wrong with his hind limbs,’ Hobbs said. ‘His hind legs were not working and they should be and he was uncoordinated behind. Nevertheless within a few hours he was perfectly all right again.
    It was extremely odd but there was definitely something amiss and it's extremely likely to have affected his performance. He's been perfectly all right since and we're looking forward to him going novice chasing.’

    DEFI DU SEUIL
    Philip Hobbs ‘There was no reason at all for his disappointing run but I think we've just got to put a line through it and start again. I'd have thought he'll probably take a similar path to last season.’

    ITCHY FEET, BREWINUPASTORM, THOMAS DARBY



    SAMCRO
    Jack Kennedy ‘He’ll stay three miles no bother, the fact you can put him anywhere in a race will be a big help, and he’s just so laid back, I hope he’s in for another big season’
    Last edited by Marty973; 7 September 2020, 10:31 AM.

  • #2
    Well done Marty , Love this thread . Great idea again.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by BigChaang View Post
      Well done Marty , Love this thread . Great idea again.
      Cheers mate. Just makes it easier to have any comments easily accessible in one spot. I’ll keep updating the 1st post as we go.

      Comment


      • #4
        RSA looking to be a potential hot race looking at that

        Comment


        • #5
          Racing T.V today - Paul Nolan looking forward to Chase Campaign with Latest Exhibition .
          " you'd like to think he'll be up there amongst the top rank of novice chasers next year "

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Marty973 View Post
            Cheers mate. Just makes it easier to have any comments easily accessible in one spot. I’ll keep updating the 1st post as we go.
            Good idea.

            Comment


            • #7
              Good opening post.

              I would take comment about The Big Getaway with huge dollop of salt. It seemed as if the Albert Bartlett was never on his agenda and he ended up not getting up the hill to any great effect in the Ballymore. Monkfish looks the much stronger stayer of the two. The Big Getaway v Monkfish in the RSA. I don't think so.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by kinloch brae View Post
                Good opening post.

                I would take comment about The Big Getaway with huge dollop of salt. It seemed as if the Albert Bartlett was never on his agenda and he ended up not getting up the hill to any great effect in the Ballymore. Monkfish looks the much stronger stayer of the two. The Big Getaway v Monkfish in the RSA. I don't think so.
                He set the pace and we all know very few horses lead from start to finish at Chelt, was never going to outpace other horses so had no choice but to try and bowl along . Personally can't wait for fences with him next year ,Huge frame of a horse be needing 3M all day long as lacks that extra gear IMO.

                Comment


                • #9
                  ...Easyland likely to stick to the X-Country route next season;

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Opening post updated with a few bits over the last couple of days.

                    The decision on Shishkin going chasing or staying over hurdles sounds far from certain.
                    Last edited by Marty973; 25 March 2020, 01:16 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Shishkin is very good and he won despite a pretty troubled passage. Things didn’t go at all well. The ground was probably plenty soft enough for him on the first day.

                      When you have got these very speedy horses that have very good changes of pace, very soft ground almost certainly doesn’t suit them, they are not sloggers.

                      We had a pretty strong team with Shishkin and Chantry House, who I’d preferred to have run over two and a half miles but then we would have bumped into Envoi Allen and that was probably the one horse to be avoided. Allart actually ran a great race as well. They finished first, third and fifth, so it was a strong hand to play in the opening skirmish.

                      I wouldn’t be so sure about Allart (going chasing next season), I think he has got unfinished business over hurdles. Chantry House certainly looks like he could go chasing and Shishkin we will have to just look and see. The main thing is he managed to win the Supreme Hurdle and the two of them - Abracadabras and Shishkin - they pulled a long way clear of Chantry House who is a very good horse in his own right, we know that.

                      It was actually Joe Donnelly’s other horse, Asterion Forlonge, who caused the trouble. It would have been a bitter blow if his own horse took his other horse out. It took us into the car park and Nico had a big problem on his hands from there to get back in, get back onto a racing line and then get the horse to pick up again.

                      I think the only reason he got back into the race so well was that he has the tactical speed to get himself out of trouble. That was where his class came in. I think he has an enormously high future.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Marty973 View Post
                        Opening post updated with a few bits over the last couple of days.

                        The decision on Shishkin going chasing or staying over hurdles sounds far from certain.
                        Nicky Henderson chats shit though.

                        He won't keep the Supreme winner over hurdles and upset JP who he trains Epatante for.



                        I'm not going to waste time on it, I can't change it, but I expect Shishkin to be an exciting novice chaser for Nicky, rather than another Champion Hurdle hope. They have the CH to fall back on if chasing goes tits up.



                        If they had a market for Shishkin's next race being either a Hurdle or Novice Chase at 5/6 the pair I would have 60 pts on and then up to 600 pts when I grew some testicles and remembered the password to the premium bonds website

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Of course, they have no reason to make a decision for at least 6 months (9 months if you go back to BDA) so why would anyone else?

                          What price was Epatante for the CH this time last year?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Never easy to read Hendos comments at the best of times and given the current situation I’d be inclined to ignore anything most trainers say at the moment.
                            They and their owners are all losing money hand over fist and will no doubt be concerned about the health and wellbeing of family, friends and colleagues as well having to lay staff off to save money, the racing media have hours of screentime to fill in the absence of racing but I can’t imagine trainers’ minds are 100% focussed on next Winters campaign for their horses.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Kevloaf View Post
                              Nicky Henderson chats shit though.

                              He won't keep the Supreme winner over hurdles and upset JP who he trains Epatante for.



                              I'm not going to waste time on it, I can't change it, but I expect Shishkin to be an exciting novice chaser for Nicky, rather than another Champion Hurdle hope. They have the CH to fall back on if chasing goes tits up.



                              If they had a market for Shishkin's next race being either a Hurdle or Novice Chase at 5/6 the pair I would have 60 pts on and then up to 600 pts when I grew some testicles and remembered the password to the premium bonds website
                              Wouldn't it be nice for Shishkin's owner to be thinking about a Champion Hurdle/Gold Cup double? Not too many will have achieved that and the Arkle/Gold Cup double doesn't sound nearly so good.

                              Comment

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