Moving horses?

Aldaniti

Aldaniti

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Just read that Paul Nicholls has had a couple of horses removed from his stable & gone to V Williams, does anyone know which horses they were?

Helen
 
I mentionned it on the Denman thread - allegedly (for Ardross' benefit!) seems Hales was not happy with the way Neptune Collonges was "used" in the GC and was pretty vocal after the race which understandably didn't go down well with Nicholls (he was seen to be walking away from Hales shaking his head after some sort of slightly heated discussion).
 
He (Hales) comes across as a sour and sore loser. Anyone remember him after that Tingle Creek?

I hate to see people like him win.
 
No - it was not Hales. It's the Season's Holidays bloke. Three horses. Mobassher, Officer De Reserve, and Qrackers.

While everyone was at the Manor Inn enjoying the party and parade on Saturday the phone rang to inform them the horsebox from Venetia's was there waiting to pick horses up.

Things change - no big gossip there I don't think.
 
That would tie in with the speed figure as we said, the race seems to have been run for Kauto.

I'm sure there's a post somewhere? probably on the 40 pages worth of Denman/ Gold Cup, that said owners would decide GC tactics and not Nicholls? I can see why Hales might be miffed if he thought that Neptunes had been used to set the race up for Kauto, I'm not sure I'd be too impressed either. The question however, has to be whether there's any legitimacy to his allegation, or is it just a case of being a bad loser?

As regards suing :lol: I'd like to see him try. Urm..... sounds like the desperate threats of a man in a temper, as I'm sure even an average law under-graduate could tell him he hasn't got a leg to stand on
 
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Now that dates back to the Tingle Creek stuff when private comments Hales made to Ruby, in the heat of the moment were picked up by Down out of context really and plastered all over the paper. Perhaps Hales bears a grudge.

I'd hate to be in the public eye all the time, Jesus it is hard enuff to watch your horse run, win or lose and then to have to do it with cameras and mikes stuffed up your nose ..... it must be hard when your horse keeps getting touted in the press too, only to te knocked down.

It was a shame Neptune did not get 3rd place again - for his connections, but as we all know ED is no back number and he too deserved that place. The ground would have been much too hard for Neptune anyway, I think I think he likes a mud bath.

Hell, emotions run high at most racecourses and Cheltenham would be boiling point.
 
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I heard Friday evening that there had been a disagreement. One of my mates was very near and heard Nicholls say to an older lady "just leave it" as she got very irate.

You'd think that Hales would have discussed with Williams and Nicholls the tactics and I don't think Nicholls would try to orchestrate the result. At the end of the day, he let them all run on their merits last year.
 
Well he discussed the intended tactics with either C4 or Racing UK (can't remember which one I was watching) before the race :)
 
I haven't re-watched the Gold Cup, but thinking back, is it not fair to say that Neptune Collonges wasn't travelling for much of the first circuit?

I remember thinking he wasn't jumping fluently, although i was pretty much glued to watching Kauto Star and his jumping. If that is the case about NC's jumping, then surely Hales couldn't have any complaints. Williams was hardly going to up the pace and risk tipping over.

Again, haven't re-watched it. Could be wrong on NC's jumping.
 
That was my impression too hezz, that NC wasn't jumping well enough for Williams to be able to ratchet the pace up.
 
I'd imagine he'll be disappointed to lose Qrackers. Last I heard, that was being prepared for a crack at the Galway Plate.
 
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Gareth Flynn said:
Well he discussed the intended tactics with either C4 or Racing UK (can't remember which one I was watching) before the race :)
Click to expand...

Did he specifically say Neptune Collanges wasn't going to set a strong pace, Gareth?

I would agree with you and Hezz about the horse's jumping; he was brushing through the top of virtually every other fence. Rating the race through Neptune Collanges would be optimistic in the extreme given the circumstances.
 
He specifically said he wanted NC to set a strong pace. He seemed perfectly aware that Denman wouldn't and that NC's only chance of beating Kauto was to try and run the finish out of him.
 
My reading of the Gold Cup is :

Denman not at his best , being ridden very conservative and especially having a bad preparation, Neptune Collonges not his best by a stone.

My Will running almost to his best and Roll Along posting a best ever figure.
 
I've rated the race through Exotic Dancer, tracks, and have him on a provisional 168, if that helps any.
 
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