Denman falls at Aintree, not looking too good...

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Erehwemos

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He crumpled at the second last, and is now very lame in front
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He'd never looked better, he was absolutely gleaming today.
 
No I agree, he never really travelled. But in the paddock, he looked unbeatable.

It seems like he has badly overreached himself - I hope that is all! Poor boy
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I think because Ruby chose Kauto over Denman for the Gold Cup, the owners now feel a strong affiliation to Sam Thomas, especially considering he brought him home in front in 2008.
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It looked a crashing fall - completely missed at the last fence. He got straight up then looked very sore. I do hope he'll be okay - such a brave horse. I don't think he'd have beaten Madison du Berlais though who run an absolute blinder - shame I backed it in the Gold Cup and not in this!

Think Ruby was unseated very early on
 
Yeah Star de Mohaison pecked at the first and Ruby came out the side door
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I should be chuffed; I had a couple of quid on Madison, but I wish it hadnt come at Denman's expense
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He was never travelling and that was one helluva mistake to make for such an experienced horse! Madison du Berlais made a vaguely similar mistake but didn't come down IN the fence like Denman did. Denman almost looked nappy coming around the 2nd time and both times going along the back.
 
oooh im gutted didnt see the race and am glad i didnt see him fall!! Im a Denman groupie LOL but after watching him napping in the gold cup fully agree that he is a quirky thng and wouldnt be shocked if he had made a massive mistake due to not being switched onto the jump ect!!! Get well soon Denners and if they dont want him to race, he can come and live with me, !!!lol
 
I watched some of the replays - I'm ready to be shot down for this but what seemed to me to happen was this. He and MdeB were in a real ding dong almost stride for stride. Coming into the second last MdeB gained half a stride and took off on a perfect stride (as he had been doing all the way round). Denman tried to go with him on the same stride but because he was now half a stride further back he was actually all wrong for the fence, paddled straight into the middle of it , couldn't get his front feet out and crashed straight through on his head. (if you look at the camera angle from the side of the second last you can see this)
 
I think you're absolutely right, and I also think that Denman was being pushed along too fast too soon. I'm not sure he would have won anyway, although he looked wonderful in the paddock. I am just so thankful that he was not more badly injured and that he looks as if he's going to be OK. I could only hear the race on the radio and the commentators were very bleak about him at the time. In any case I don't think he should have been there. After his problems over the past year, and having put up such a brilliant performance at CHeltenham, he should have been turned away for the summer to really get himself back together again.

And as for the shocking news about Exotic Dancer, not to mention Mel in Blue.

I have to say I hate Aintree. There's something about the place which gives me the shudders.
 
Nicholls said Denman would be put out to grass for the summer and would come back next autumn.
"He is fine apart from a cut to his elbow," said Nicholls. "It was quite a deep cut and he got a good smack on his elbow, but we X-rayed it and it was fine.
"We knew this track wouldn't suit him but he was in the right place at the right time, and would have galloped right to the line."
Thomas added: "He would have won - he just stepped at the fence and I don't know why."
 
I still don't think he's back to his best mentally. Physically maybe but mentally I think he's lacking confidence. If that had happened before his heart problems became apparent he'd have stood off that fence and taken it in his stride, and probably gained a length in the process. He hesitated and froze.

Why did they send him there when they admit they knew it wouldn't suit him? I'm a huge fan of Paul Nicholls, he does a fantastic job and loves the horses in his charge. To see his emotion after Denman's second place in the Gold Cup was very moving, and I think it was his intention to rough the horse off for the summer.

Something (someone) changed his mind
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Let's just hope for a better day today.
 
I think the owners are the driving force. They're already stated that Denman will be 'back next season' - I would hazard a guess that Paul Nicholls may not be giving his full blessing, but what can he do?

I think they should retire him as the true star he is; let him go hunting through his teens - what a hunter he would make! As it is, I have a horrid feeling that it is going to end badly. Yesterday it was Exotic Dancer....but one day.......
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[ QUOTE ]
The horse who somersaulted in the Foxhunters was ok
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[/ QUOTE ]

Yes that horse got straigh up & ran on!
 
Quite agree re PN. His hands are a bit tied but at least he got the appalling idea of him running in the National stopped.
 
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