Triumph Hurdle: Grumeti suffers minor setback

Latest News / Timeform / 06 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Triumph Hurdle contender Grumeti is on the drift

"the Triumph is still 10 days away and I would hope that he would be sound again in 48 hours..."

JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Grumeti has suffered a minor setback, but connections fully expect him to make the line-up next week....

The Alan King-trained juvenile has won three of his four outings, earning a Timeform rating of 140, but the former Michael Bell inmate was lame on Tuesday morning.

"He's lame today but Alan fully expects it clear up with the next two days," said Iain Turner, racing manager to owner Max McNeil.

"It's something very minor. If it had happened next Tuesday we'd be a bit worried, but we expect him to be back working by the end of the week.

"He's been fine for so long it's frustrating this has happened now, but that's racing.

"What with it being so close to the Festival, we thought it best to let everybody know."

The Barbury Castle handler later added on his website, www.alankingracing.co.uk: "Last night Grumeti spread his right fore shoe, and the toeclip has gone into the foot, which left him lame and quite sore this morning.

"We certainly would not have wanted this to happen next Tuesday, but the Triumph is still 10 days away and I would hope that he would be sound again in 48 hours and able to exercise again at the weekend."

Grumeti has drifted in the Triumph Hurdle market on Betfair as a result of this news, available to back at [9.2] at the time of writing.

Jockey Robbie Power is ticking down the days before next week's Cheltenham Festival....

Owner Terry Warner is of the opinion that he has his strongest ever team of horses at this year's Festival....

Experienced amateur rider JT McNamara will partner Teaforthree in the Diamond Jubilee National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next Wednesday....

Amazon Sports Center

Champion Hurdle News: Spirit Son suffers new setback

News / Timeform / 21 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Spirit Son could miss the rest of the season.

"The work was great, but I fear we've got to take things very carefully..."

Spirit Son's participation in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is in serious doubt after suffering another setback...

The six year-old, rated 159p by Timeform, has not been seen since winning a Grade Two at Aintree last April, and is unlikely to return for the foreseeable future.

Henderson said he could even miss the rest of the season.

He said: "The picture is grey. If you are going to miss two weeks at this point of the game, you are really out of the ball park.

"We had a hiccup with him earlier on (in the season) which cost me three weeks, but this was a new problem.

"I'd rather start next season with a horse in one piece than risk him and lose him for this season and next."

Henderson added: "Everything went great in his gallop the other day but Barry thought that he needed it and we ruled out Ireland (Irish Champion Hurdle)

"But we do have a problem and we will have to monitor it.

"When you have a problem with a good horse it's all over the world before you know it owing to the exchanges.

"The work was great, but I fear we've got to take things very carefully."

Somersby (BSP of [5.8]) finally gained the big victory his consistent efforts deserved when wearing down Finian's Rainbow in the 25th Anniversary of the VC Chase at Ascot......

Betting.Betfair columnist Donald McCain fired in a quartet of winners at Haydock on Saturday......

Paul Nolan's Noble Prince continues his Cheltenham Festival preparations in the Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday......

Amazon Sports Center

Champion Hurdle News: Spirit Son suffers new setback

News / Timeform / 21 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

Spirit Son could miss the rest of the season.

"The work was great, but I fear we've got to take things very carefully..."

Spirit Son's participation in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is in serious doubt after suffering another setback...

The six year-old, rated 159p by Timeform, has not been seen since winning a Grade Two at Aintree last April, and is unlikely to return for the foreseeable future.

Henderson said he could even miss the rest of the season.

He said: "The picture is grey. If you are going to miss two weeks at this point of the game, you are really out of the ball park.

"We had a hiccup with him earlier on (in the season) which cost me three weeks, but this was a new problem.

"I'd rather start next season with a horse in one piece than risk him and lose him for this season and next."

Henderson added: "Everything went great in his gallop the other day but Barry thought that he needed it and we ruled out Ireland (Irish Champion Hurdle)

"But we do have a problem and we will have to monitor it.

"When you have a problem with a good horse it's all over the world before you know it owing to the exchanges.

"The work was great, but I fear we've got to take things very carefully."

Somersby (BSP of [5.8]) finally gained the big victory his consistent efforts deserved when wearing down Finian's Rainbow in the 25th Anniversary of the VC Chase at Ascot......

Betting.Betfair columnist Donald McCain fired in a quartet of winners at Haydock on Saturday......

Paul Nolan's Noble Prince continues his Cheltenham Festival preparations in the Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday......

Amazon Sports Center

Caulfield Cup News: Lucas Cranach suffers setback

Australia / Timeform / 12 October 2011 / Leave a Comment

Caulfield Racecourse

Caulfield Cup ante-post second favourite Lucas Cranach has emerged as a doubt for the big race after it was revealed that he is suffering from a foot abscess...

The ex-German trained Lucas Cranach, now in the care of Australian handler Anthony Freedman, was due to make his debut Down Under in the first leg of Melbourne's Spring Cup double after transferring from the Sascha Smrczek yard in Dusseldorf, but concern flourished after the horse emerged with heavy bandaging on a front leg.

Currently trading at [10.0], Lucas Cranach appeared to be one of the more interesting contenders, especially on the back of his most recent start when beaten five and three-quarter lengths into fifth by Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Danedream in the Grosser Preis von Berlin, when Lucas Cranach gave away 15 lb to the winner.

Connections have said that the problem is a minor one, and did not prevent the horse from working on Wednesday, but that he will undergo a veterinary examination on Friday.

Should he take his chance, Lucas Cranach looks to have been handed a favourable draw in stall three, whilst December Draw, currently trading as the [2.68] favourite, drew stall 11.

Three horses based in Britain are set to line up in Saturday's $2.5 million Caulfield Cup (due off 06:05 BST)......

Punters can forgive former Melbourne Cup favourite Lion Tamer for his flop in Saturday's Caulfield Stakes according to Betfair's highly-respected spring carnival form analyst Dominic Beirne, who expects the kiwi stayer will be at an absolute peak on Melbourne Cup day....

Australia's champion unbeaten race mare Black Caviar equalled the immortal Phar Lap's longest winning streak of 14 with a breath-taking victory in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday......

Betfair website