Hunt Ball

Hunt Ball's race about to start on ATR

In second place until two out, outpaced in home straight, finished about seventh or eighth.
 
Last edited:
From RP

HUNT BALL has all but booked his ticket for a flight back home following another disappointing performance in the Lonesome Glory Hurdle at Belmont Park on Thursday.

Connections had planned to run the 2012 Cheltenham Festival winner in the Grand National on October 19 but warned they would bypass the $250,000 feature and send Hunt Ball home early should he run poorly.

Nick Carter, head of the Atlantic Equine syndicate, said prior to the race: "If he runs badly we'll miss the American Grand National and bring him home; if he runs well we'll keep him out here for that race and he'll come back afterwards."

Hunt Ball, ridden by Ross Geraghty, travelled and jumped nicely throughout the early stages of the race, tracking stablemate Divine Fortune who set the pace.

However, when turning for home the Jonathan Sheppard-trained eight-year-old struggled to keep pace with the leading contenders and crossed the line in sixth.

Gustavian, ridden by Paddy Young, held off the challenge of runner-up All Together.
 
Hunt Ball will go in to quarantine next week for 30 days and then he will go to Seven Barrows to be trained by Nicky Henderson.
 
How many stablemates will he need to be avoiding constantly.Sprinter Sacre, Captain Consn,Simonsig-the stable has plenty of options for the top two and half mile races.I would have sent him to Nicholls -remembering what he did with Venn Ottery.
 
I dont think he'll have an issue bumping into the stable stars. He wont get near them. A handicapper ruined by the previous owner.
 
Interesting to see what they do with him. He is not a Grade 1 horse and he won't win handicaps off 162, maybe the owners should have sent him to Ireland where there are more Grade 2 and 3 conditions chases for which he'd be eligible.
 
Hunt Ball's owners are hopeful the returning chaser may have a run before the Cheltenham Festival.
The nine-year-old created a stir for his previous connections when he capped a memorable 2011-12 season with victory in a Listed race at the Festival.
He performed admirably when upped in class the following season but was then sold to the Atlantic Equine syndicate to race in America, but failed to show any sparkle in four runs out there, so a decision was made to send him back to Britain into the care of Nicky Henderson.
Stephen Price, of Atlantic Equine, said: "When I last spoke to Nicky, he was very happy with him and said that he was coming along much quicker than he had anticipated.
"We are still thinking about Cheltenham, which is what we hoped for when we made the decision to bring him back.
"I've yet to have a conversation with the handicapper about his mark, but it was blatantly obvious he didn't run to form in America.
"Some of his owners are Maryland timber racing guys and while he will probably go back to America at some stage, they are really looking forward to him possibly running at Cheltenham.
"He looks a million dollars. I couldn't believe it when I saw him last, and Nicky is hopeful that he might even get a run into him before the Festival.
"It's a question of whether he retains his old form - can Nicky coax it out of him? - but he looks so well you'd have to be hopeful. Whatever happens, though, he'll be going back to America and we'll be looking to prove the doubters wrong."
 
What tossers he clearly hated it out there . They have not been able to identify any physical reason for him running so poorly . Why drag the poor animal back there ?

Up there with Iris's Gift's chasing career in the daft decision stakes.
 
Last edited:
I'll be stunned if Hunt Ball returns to anything like he was. Not impressed by what has gone on there.
 
Entered in both the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Chase over 3 miles and the Grade One Betfair Chase over 2m5f at Ascot and on Sunday has an entry in a novice hurdle race over 2m5f at Market Rasen.
 
Back
Top