BEST of the BETS

May not be many runners tomorrow with it being highlighted that runners must have received a vaccination within 6 months and can't run within 7 days of a jab - imagine the majority of jumpers won't be able to run!

Still looks like small fields for the short term due to the BHA saying that runners must have received a vaccination within 6 months not the normal 12 months and can't run within 7 days of a injection.

Sheena West runs Ding Ding at Plumpton. The owners are sponsoring the race so maybe we can hop for a good run :smile:

Tom George has tweeted he only has 3 horse eligible to run.
Nicky Henderson
@sevenbarrows
·
1h
Update re weekend. The following CANNOT run:

Yellow Dockets
Santini
Top Notch
Beware The Bear
On The Blind Side
Verdana Blue
Countister

We Have A Dream
Dream Du Grand Val WILL go to
@KelsoRacecourse
, Thursday

Elusive Belle runs
@Sandownpark
Friday.

More updates to follow
Ruth Jefferson says all hers ok to run.

Dan Kelly
Dan Kelly
@muffinmannhc
Updated list (Trainers with an ineligible entered runner this week re flu booster):
Nick Alexander
Evan Williams
Nick Williams
Olly Murphy
Kim Bailey (Vaccinated horses 9th Feb)
Tom George
Nicky Henderson
Brendan Powell
Lucinda Russell (One For Arthur)

while i think the BHA have handled the situation pretty well it did seem a bit odd that they change a rule "overnight" ref spaces between vaccination and boosters. No evidence that a booster works either as a vaccination is a slow release mechanism.I think this is overkill in the circumstances and upset a lot of lambourn trainers who feel agrieved as no sign of flu virus in the valley. i think hen Knight (trains Channons jumpers) put it succinctly that theyve been dealing with flu for years just like humans and this is an overreaction.Every yard has a sniffle and they either isolate that horse or close the yard if several are affected...not close down the whole of racing!

Common sense was needed and theBHA seem to have little. They went from handling it well to a shambles and almost rewarding the stables who have vaccinated late !

Henderson is now fuming as the BHA have effectively ruled out 3/4 of his weekend runners, DESPITE him having the best veterinary set up in the whole country!

Olly Murphy ain't happy either.

https://www.irishracing.com/news?prid=197815

So from Henderson being quite happy and supporting the BHA he is now fuming... Maybe it's the Nicholls yard that are now grinning! :joke:

Sheena West runs Ding Ding at Plumpton. The owners are sponsoring the race so maybe we can hop for a good run :smile: — Stevie Wonder

Finished 2nd (beaten 10 lengths) in this race last year from a 3 lbs higher mark. Comes here in similar form to last year and has also had a similar preparation i.e, won same Plumpton race in November as last season and 5th in same Fontwell race (December) as last season. Good luck.

also ding ding is 5 times course winner at plumpton :smile:

Dexy, you may be right! Henderson fully supported the bha action but changing a rule in 5 mins? He feels the good trainers who plan vaccinations yearly are being penalised and the fly by nighters who only vaccinated once the problem was fist talked about in early January have been rewarded! Also it takes months and sometimes years to discuss, agree and change laws so how come they can in 10 mins! Especially Gsinst the backdrop of no evidence to support that boosters have any effect! His verts are experts and are sdament its a waste of time.

So the fat oaf Nicholls has his karma but henderson will still hammer him st Cheltenham!

hmmmmmm hippo i think that paul nicholls horse clan des obeaux put up the best performance ive seen this seaon in the king george. and if the going is not a bog at cheltenham i havent seen anything that would beat it. in the gold cup. its been round cheltenham before so thats a plus. only a 6 year old and its improving fast. now unless hendersons might bite suddenly gets its act together cant see that winning. native river needs a bog . the irish have percy the fav. all comments welcome.

Hi Peregrine, I agree, while the Kempton performance was visually impressive there are so many holes in that form its bigger than a sieve! So many horses ran below par it was unbelievable and early fallers dont help the form either. Im not a massive stats fan but even thwse siggests it was one of the worse King Georges in history;

- wasnt even 1st string...Politilogue was and that would never winner a gold cup ever
- its only won 4 times in 12 chases, 6 times in 16 all races which would make it one of the worst gold cup winners inm history
- it beat a 10 year old Thistlecrack who would never win a gold cup while its got a hole in its wotsit!
- over 3m 1f at Haydock it was thrashed 8.5 lengths by Bristold De Mai
- before that (over 3 m plus ) it was thrashed 10.5 lengths at Aintree by Mite Bite (after a an incredibly hard race in the Gold Cup)...with Bristol De Mai 2nd
- it split Guitar Pete and Kings Odyessy at Chelt before that...hardly Gold Cup form
only raced over 3m + twice in its life
- it cannot beat Bristol de Mai on form...forget King George, Bristol always runs a shocker at Kempton, as do others
- 2.5 milers always run well over 3 miles at Kempton but rarely get home in Gold Cup
- Waiting patiently and Bristol both fell early in King George
.
Admittedly this isnt a vintage year and I can see why they will run with so many questions over the opposition so not dogging it on that front. But i cant see it getting round Chelt 3m 2f and staying up the hill. As for Might Bite, ive already put a cross through it, it cant win. Altior would beat it in a King George and everybody at seven barrows knows that. They got away with Might Bite and its been found out. Native River is a dour stayer and they will make all in this years Gold Cup and I hope to see Presenting Percy being smuggled into the race and go past with 50 yards to go go and not eyeball it like Nico did (would have won if held behind longer ).

Good piece tho peregrine and i respect your views. Its good to debate and easy to see why bookies win with so many different opinions about! cant wait til it all unwinds and Clan probably wins by 20 lengths!!!

yes clocked the guitar pete run . but clan was giving it nearly 2 stone . i was at haydock when bristol beat it. but my point is this . its a 6 year old and i myself thought it will be a better hore next year. and was surprised myself when it won the king george ! but it won easily and i know thistlecrack wont win the gold cup. yes its chelts runs and its aintree run are there for all to see. but its getting stronger and its a tidy jumper normally. watch me put the mockers on it. the irish will be all presenting percy thats for sure. but if clan gets there safe and sound and has its ground ill be having it . good luck when you go next month.

I get your thinking Peregrine and youre right , its biggest asset is its age. But these French breds have been jumping fences since they were 3 abd Nicholls never thought it was a 3 miler or had the calss. But the Gold Cup is for the taking and id want 20/1 on it not 8/1...and theres a give away..a King George winner at 8/1 and the rival it beat easily half its price? Just got the feeling that everything went his way at Kempton including the 2.4 mile track purporting to be 3 miles. But i got it wrong last year (i was on Might Bite) and my last big win was Coneygree where i backed it all odds from 66/1 downwards. The last brilliant winner of the Gold Cup imao

Good luck tho, you are betting with sound logic and i have egg remover ready for my face!