That's terrible! Poor horse.
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Totally agree. A brave, brave horse who gave his all in every race. I didn't see the race live but watched a replay of it on SportingLife.com. After the race he seemed to be okay, walking around in a circle a few times, and Leighton Aspell hadn't jumped off immediately after the line which jockey's often do when they sense something's wrong. As you say, it was obviously far more serious than anybody thought. It's tragic when something like that happens, even if it's in a sport that we all love. He deserved to win today as well, for the first time I thought Thistlecrack's jumping was sketchy to say the least.
I'm really getting quite bored of Willie Mullins now. There's no doubt that he's an outstanding trainer but he monopolizes the punter so much it's hard to like him.
On another note, desperate news about Many Clouds. Always horrible to hear of a horse passing but the circumstances here make it so much worse. A live GC contender after that win and feel so sorry for Oliver Sherwood after he made a brave decision in taking Thistlecrack on.
In other news, another good win for Wholestone although I think he's better over further, and Unowhatimeanharry wins again. I would love to see Vroum Vroum Mag take him on in the stayers after she struggled in a poor mares race over 2m.
Impressive run by the much hyped Melon today. Put himself right in the Supreme picture.
Yes, I watched the Wholestone race. That race at Cheltenham a few weeks ago could be quite a good form guide, Peregrine Run won it, beating Wholestone by half a length and West Approach (who ran well against UnowhatImeanharry yesterday) was third. I really like Wholestone, but his jumping can be a bit dodgy at times.
As I posted a few weeks ago I am a member of a small Facebook (and Whatsapp) group that has Oliver Sherwood as a member.
This morning he sent us all a message of thanks for the messages we sent him after yeaterdays events at Cheltenham. It included a few nice anecdotes about Many Clouds and also a word of thanks from CJ (one of his yardmen who looked after Many Clouds on a day to day basis). As is tradition the travelling lass was given the bridle of the horse and apparently it all got a bit emptional when this was passed on to CJ, who has looked after him since he came to the yard as a 4 year old.
Perhaps inevitably Animal Aid have reared their heads and have publicly stated (in the Daily Mail and Huffington Post) their intention to take legal action against both the BHA and Oliver. This is based on a letter the repugnant Dene Stansall wrote to the BHA last year stating Many Clouds was unfit to run in the National (with no veterinary evidence to back the claim up I would add). This has obviously caused a bit distress at the yard as the implication is that they wilfully ran a horse that was unfit to run which they obviously deny. They had Many Clouds looked over in the summer and the only issue found was a small wind problem which was operated on.
It's a shame racing is going to be in the press for all the wrong reasons again. The work that has been done over the last decade or so with the RSPCA, World Horse Welfare, Retraining of Racehorses, Greatwood and so on has seen fatalities in NH racing fall to an all time low of about 0.4% and in 17 years it's about 0.02% who have died in a similar way to Many Clouds (who's cause of death still hasn't been confirmed as there was a necropsy planned for today). There has also been unprecedented improvements in birth to death care of NH horses. Sadly the extremists and hypocrites make the better story though.
West Approach seems to have different ways of running, or maybe it's to do with what type of course he's running on. In the race with Peregrine Run and Wholestone he made the running and stretched, whereas in the race before that (also at Cheltenham) he sat at the back as he did yesterday and only got beaten half a length by Wholestone.
Totally agree with you re. Death Duty, he'll have to be on his A game to win the Albert Bartlett. A good each way bet might be Messire Des Obeaux, but you'd have to think Jacob would choose Wholestone first. Wholestone seems a bit of a character, he's really gutsy, but he continually makes mistakes although he normally gets away with it. I've backed him in every race this season and would love to see him win at the festival, but it's his jumping I'm still concerned about.
So the PM results are out on Many Clouds and he died of a pulmanory haemorrhage. NO UNDERLYING HEALTH ISSUES WERE FOUND. The horse had worn a heart monitor in training prior to his comeback at Aintree in November and his heart function was normal.
He also showed no signs of post race ataxia (known as 'the wobbles') either at Aintree or prior to his collapse at Cheltenham on Saturday. THE PM RESULTS CATEGORICALLY PROVE THAT THE SYMPTOMS EXHIBITED BY MANY CLOUDS IN THE PAST WERE IN NO WAY PRESENT OR ASSOCIATED WITH HIS SAD DEATH AT CHELTENHAM ON SATURDAY.
So JP McManus has put Jezki and Uknowwatimeanharry in the stayers and Yanworth, and most interestingly, Buveur D'Air in the Champion.
The Champion looks wide open imo. Even if Faugheen does run it's a huge ask to win the Champion in his first start of the season.
I wonder how much of this was to do with the owner/trainer. You'd think if Henderson really wanted to win the race he would have sent Altior and resumed chasing after. But then again Yanworth IMO is a better horse than BD so unsure who would have made the decision.
The Yanworth situation fascinates me. For the last few months people have been talking about him for the Champion Hurdle, and yet he clearly stays far further. He made mistakes in the Neptune at last seasons's festival over 2 miles 5 and still finished 2nd. I agree that on what i've seen, he's a better horse than Bouveur D'aire, but I'm still surprised they aren't running him in the World Hurdle. Just my opinion though. Mind you, Yorkhill's also in the Champion, I wonder if it's a 'wherever you go, I go too' kind of scenario! On saying all that if, and it's a big if, Faugheen is fit and ready to race, he will win.
Faugheen and Min both out of Cheltenham now.
Should open up a chance for a few decent priced winners and Altior surely the NAP of the meeting in the Arkle now with no Min around.
With Faugheen coming out of CH now I wonder if Henderson regrets putting Buvear D'air in instead of Altior. Altior clearly the better horse and would be clear favorite for that race.
Was he told by JP McMannus? I don't think BD beats Yanworth but Altior certainly would. Strange one.
Just watched Altior at Newbury. Okay, so he was 30/100, but he was really impressive. Really good round of jumping, and stretched clear at the end.
Good run by Sizing John at Leopardstown, putting down a marker for a Gold Cup place. Saw this in Twitter about him:
'When there is no Douvan, Sizing John's form line over hurdles and fences reads 1131111. In races with Douvan 2322232. Heck of a horse.'
Altior's been impressive this season, no doubt. Comparisons with Sprinter Sacre might be a bit premature, but he's certainly going the right way. He probably will win the Arkle, but if Yorkhill's in that race I don't see Altior winning on the bridle. Just my opinion but I think Yorkhill would be a very dangerous horse to dismiss.
Was sad to read that Fame And Glory has passed away at stud. In the shadow of Sea The Stars most of the time, but still a dam good racehorse. RIP.
Grand National weights are out at 9 tonight.
Rule The World looking quite the celebrity on the red carpet.
Outlander top weight.
Top 5 are:
Outlander
Champagne West
Empire of Dirt
Don Poli
Carlinford Lough