Tough few days for Team Ditcheat

TeamChaser

TeamChaser

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Not been a great few days for Paul Nicholls and team


After the KS debacle (PN was interviewed on RUK on Sunday and was clearly very upset and embarassed about the whole affair), lost a lovely novice chaser in Cristal Bonus on Sat at Cheltenham and now it appears that both Big Bucks and Al Ferof (fancied for King George Boxing Day) may be out for the season. Injuries thankfully not thought to be career threatening


Never rains but it pours. Hope their luck improves and that both Big Bucks and Al Ferof make a full and speedy recovery
 
Just read this myself on the Racing Post and I must say I am gutted for the team and connections.
I agree it has been a torrid week for them all at Ditcheat and especially after losing Crystal Bonus on Saturday as he looked a chaser for the future :(
I hope that Big Bucks and Al Ferof recover well and are able to grace the racecourse again.
They are certainly both in the best hands and with a trainer who is well used to getting horses back on the track again.
I admit though the World Hurdle will not be the same next March without Big Bucks though.
This year looked his most testing yet with a couple of nice stayers developing as well as the two tough Irish mares if they decided to run in the race.
The World Hurdle picture is wide open now and it would not surprise me at all if we didn't see a few chasers reverting to the smaller obstacles to take their chance.
 
Be interesting to see where Quevega goes in March. Willie Mullins has always maintained that she'd stay in the mares race (why wouldn't she, so dominant in that division) but would imagine they'd have to consider World Hurdle now. Voler La Vedette actually gave Big Bucks a bit of a race last year as well - superb tactics employed!

Al Ferof was shaping up to be very classy but he's a young horse so hopefully plenty more great days to come with him. Such a shame Big Bucks won't be there to defend his crown though :(

Must say PN has taken a fair bit of stick over the last few days, a lot of which I personally feel has been pretty un just
 
Would Quevega still go for the mares hurdle because she's on a 5 timer? I don't think that has been done since Golden Miller won the gold cup 5 times in the 1930s. Tidal Bay for the world hurdle maybe? Hope Big Bucks and Al Ferof both make a full recovery and we see them racing again :)
 
Team Chaser I think Quevega has stayed in the mare's division perhaps maybe also due to the fact that Ruby has always been aboard Big Bucks in the World Hurdle.
I am not saying that is the main reason but I would guess it contributed to it.
I still believe Mullins will opt for the David Nicholson race though.
Voler la Vedette did give BB a race last season and if she can recapture her form then she would have a chance with the 7lb pull.
Grand Crus would be interesting if they decided to revert to hurdles.
As for Tidal Bay I can understand why some people think he may revert to hurdles but now Nicholls has sorted out his jumping issues I would imagine that owner Wylie would like a crack at the Gold Cup seeing as he has already won the World Hurdle event three times with the ill-fated Inglis Drever.
There is also Nick Williams's Reve de Sivola who made a pleasing comeback after some time off when chasing home BB at Newbury last time.
He has enjoyed a spell of novice chasing but he posted a good effort last time and granted a bit of juice in the ground he seems a lively outsider for the race at the moment at least.
McCain's Peddlers Cross has yet to run this season. It appears at present he is to take the Champion Hurdle route but as we all know between the two races trainers can change their mind on the week of the festival itself.
 
Hmm perhaps - but would be surprised if jockey bookings played too much a part, Mullins has some fairly able deputies! A festival win is a festival win after all and she's dominated the mares division. Nice for Ruby that he hasn't had to make the choice though ;) A World Hurdle is obviously a more valuable and prestigious race and without Big Bucks in the field ....

Grand Crus holds an entry in the King George but has recently had breathing op after poor showing in the Paddy Power so Boxing Day may come too soon for him. They will leave it to last minute to make a decision on him apparently and I guess that may then impact on where they go in March. He'd be tough to beat if reverting to hurdles and on form - has looked biggest threat to BB - but if he wins a King George, imagine he'll stay over fences :)

Smad Place, on last season's form, would be the interesting one for me although his return this season was not good

Not sure Peddlers Cross would stay? Depends what conditions the weather throws up between now and March I guess!

Has certainly changed the landscape a bit with 2 such big names out - sadly
 
Im sure Nicky Henderson will go for the World Hurdle with one of his very useful horses, he seems to have an endless supply of talent at the moment and he still has horses yet to run .
 
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