Nearly End of Lockdown Update
We have good news!!
From Monday 29th March at the beginning of the government’s lockdown exit stage one the guidance has advised that racehorse owners will be able to return to race meetings in line with the government regulations. At this stage, racecourses will not be able to provide hospitality and strict attendance rules will remain in place, including a health screening process.
From Monday 12th April, at the earliest, further enhancements to the racehorse owner experience will be permitted. In line with the resumption of outdoor hospitality, the goal is for racecourses to be able to re-introduce outdoor hospitality for owners, in line with Government guidance. This step will allow owners to further enjoy the race day experience.
We have attended Kempton when there has been no hospitality and it’s been dire, so I would suggest April 12th as the return to some sort of raceday experience for the syndicate owners. In terms of stable visits, the general rule will be that from 29th March 2021 groups of up to six people are able to visit and then from 17th May 2021 stables will aim welcome much larger groups. Each trainer and owner has mixed views on what they will and won’t do.
Thanks to all syndicate owners those who joined us on zoom on Wednesday for a very entertaining hour or so with Nicky Henderson who I feel could have carried on chatting until midnight! This coming Wednesday we have an owner call with Joe Tuite.
So what did Nicky have to say? Well, for sure there is an issue in the yard with so many horses running below form. He did give us a red hot fancy for last Friday, Heross du Seuill, who got soundly beaten (by another Skelton winner) at odds on. He said from his chats with other trainers and vets that there seems to be a virus in many yards both in the UK and Ireland, you only have to look at results to see who is affected.
Nicky said Gran Luna didn’t run as she is capable of running, he couldn’t quite put his finger on why she didn’t run well as she had been blood tested and that was clear. He suggested the Market Rasen track didn’t suit, maybe she needs further and possibly firmer ground. We still don’t think any of those reasons quite explain why she was off the bridle with 3 furlongs to go. She has still been entered for the Mare’s Novice Hurdle (incidentally Nicky’s only entry into the race) at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday 18th but we are keeping our options open. Nicky said one poor race doesn’t define the horse, she’s every bit as good as he has mentioned so he just needs to get to the problem that may be affecting her and the yard.
Surrey Quest is a big strong lad, one of the most forward 4 year olds in the stable and doing everything that’s being asked of him. Nicky does expect him to have a dip at some point as the more the youngsters work the greater the body is put under pressure, the immune system weakens. As it does youngsters pick up various bugs and then need to be backed right off until they are ready to go again, a perfectly normal process. He’s working now on the grass, that teaches them a lot as the grass gallops are wide open, it is a mental test as much as anything else, and with the drying weather that will continue until he’s ready to race. The sales race in Punchestown is still very much the target this season although we couldn’t quite pin Nicky down to as Quest will debut.
On some of the other questions, Nicky said the staff are happy, they have each other for company and the outdoor work hasn’t changed in lockdown. It’s great that racing has continued so they can still follow their horses progress on TV. As with everyone, prize money is an issue, it really needs to get back to a normal level. On the Grand National Meeting at Aintree, which he thinks is a fantastic meeting, he’d be happy is the meeting was put back a week, not because it will then be when betting shops are open, but to give his Cheltenham horses more time to recover.
On the subject of training horses, Nicky tries to put equal training ability horses together, which he spends a few hours every evening sorting out. Just because a horse is good on the track doesn’t mean they work well at home, Altior will train with a horse who is virtually unknown, Champ and Santini are the slowest on the gallops, Gran Luna works well, sometimes with Buveur D'Air. He told a story of Simonsig and Sprinter Sacre who used to work together but they tried so hard to beat each other that he needed experience jockeys on top so they didn’t burn each other out !
His least favourite course is Chepstow because of the ground, he likes Fakenham, the hospitality at the Scottish courses, has never been to Cartmel, but in general, good horses like good courses. He doesn’t regret leaving The City after only 2 years there and is the godson to Field Marshall Montgomery !
Surrey Pride is well and his that work will now step up on Tuesday’s and Friday’s leading him to being race ready on the 27th. The owners will find out more Wednesday’s zoom call with Joe.
No new news of Surrey Princess, Surrey Mist and Surrey Knight. We have fixed up a zoom with Hughie for the 10th for an update on Surrey Gold who has actually been off work for 4-5 days having hurt his heel. He’s back now but Hughie said the break has actually done him the world of good and his coat is glowing. The next forfeit stage of the 2021 Derby entry is this Tuesday which is £825. The next stage after that is mid May. Hughie thinks that on racecourse form and maturity he probably won’t make the Derby but after a 300-1 shot won the Australian 1000 guineas yesterday, we’ve decided to take a punt at least until the next forfeit stage !
Meteorological winter ends today – the green shoots of Spring are upon us – plenty of reasons to be cheerful.