Nicholls latest toy throwing episode

Shadow Leader

Shadow Leader

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Interesting the little paddy Nicholls threw in Racing Post about Cerium being entered in the Gold Cup for Fergus Wilson - he thinks the horse shouldn't be allowed to run.

That's quite aside from the fact that the horse is more than qualified to run, being rated 139 (minimum rating for entry is 130) and he's hardly ancient at 8 years of age.

Now, I'm not mad keen to see Fergus Wilson's horses running in these events but the main issue I have with Nicholls tantrum is twofold :

1) On the same page in the RP that Nicholls has blasted Wilson for wanting to run his 139 rated no-hoper in the Gold Cup, he outlines his plans to run the 136 rated Rippling Ring in the Champion Hurdle as a pacemaker for Celestial Halo. So, his 136 rated horse in a championship race is grand, but no-one else is allowed to run a 139 rated no-hoper in a championship race? How does that work?

and :

2) since he had the horse [Cerium] when it was sent to the Doncaster Sales last year, it is natural to assume he is in a good position to make recommendations to the owners. Now, if he feels that the horse should be retired and not run again, why did he not strongly recommend to them that a] the horse was retired and given away or sold as a hack, not sent to Donny or b] if it must go to Donny, they spend the £40 odd it costs to have a non-racing stamp entered into the horse's passport at Weatherby's before sending it. They wouldn't have sold it for the £18k it went for but hey, if you want what is best for the horse.....

I just don't see that Nicholls whinging is valid, not least when you consider the points above. What does he want, blood?

Maybe he's just worried that Wilson has somehow found the key to Cerium and he's frightened the horse might show him up by running a decent race now it has left his yard.....!
 
I was reading this on TRF.

I can see what Nicholls is saying, I do not think anyone wants to see a 110 rated horse taking on Denman and co, but he picked a bad example here particularly given his announcement regarding Rippling Ring on the same page!!

He has a point in general about these no hoppers taking part but for me, given his position, he was probably better off keeping it to himself.
 
Shadow Leader said:
Interesting the little paddy Nicholls threw in Racing Post about Cerium being entered in the Gold Cup for Fergus Wilson - he thinks the horse shouldn't be allowed to run.

That's quite aside from the fact that the horse is more than qualified to run, being rated 139 (minimum rating for entry is 130) and he's hardly ancient at 8 years of age.

Now, I'm not mad keen to see Fergus Wilson's horses running in these events but the main issue I have with Nicholls tantrum is twofold :

1) On the same page in the RP that Nicholls has blasted Wilson for wanting to run his 139 rated no-hoper in the Gold Cup, he outlines his plans to run the 136 rated Rippling Ring in the Champion Hurdle as a pacemaker for Celestial Halo. So, his 136 rated horse in a championship race is grand, but no-one else is allowed to run a 139 rated no-hoper in a championship race? How does that work?

and :

2) since he had the horse [Cerium] when it was sent to the Doncaster Sales last year, it is natural to assume he is in a good position to make recommendations to the owners. Now, if he feels that the horse should be retired and not run again, why did he not strongly recommend to them that a] the horse was retired and given away or sold as a hack, not sent to Donny or b] if it must go to Donny, they spend the £40 odd it costs to have a non-racing stamp entered into the horse's passport at Weatherby's before sending it. They wouldn't have sold it for the £18k it went for but hey, if you want what is best for the horse.....

I just don't see that Nicholls whinging is valid, not least when you consider the points above. What does he want, blood?

Maybe he's just worried that Wilson has somehow found the key to Cerium and he's frightened the horse might show him up by running a decent race now it has left his yard.....!
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Completely agree (and lets face it, ive had a fair bit of experience with horses on the recieving end of PNs comments in the past!!!!)
 
It was reading the TRF thread that led to me starting this really, Gal. I also agree with your post since I pretty much feel the same way - he went about this in the wrong way, as far as I'm concerned.

I just can't understand which angle Nicholls is coming at it from!
 
I think it's the angle that you shouldn't run horses rated less than 135 in Championship racesunless they're called Venn Ottery (OR of 110 according to a post on TRF).

As I mentioned over at TRF a horse with known jumping frailties is far more likely to cause problems for the field than a Marble Garden, Astonville, Turnium who will be tailed after 3 fences (and who are sound jumpers for the record).
 
This is a most worrying developement on this thread,people agreeing with SL.

In all seriousness though Paul Murphy has replied and unsurprisingly there is no mention of Rippling Ring,I mean we don't the RP falling out with Paul Nicholls do we?
 
Yup, I agree as well - blimey there'll be a group forum hug at this rate - well, nearly...:lol:

Trouble is Paul Nicholls has believed his own publicity for several years now - we'd probably all make the odd daft comment if we were in a similar position where virtually anything we said was given more credence that it should be. He needs to learn to keep his mouth firmly closed from time to time, is all.
 
Was Paul Murphy's reply in letter form or in an article? It doesn't appear to be online and I haven't managed to get a paper today.
 
It's in todays paper,so may end up on the top stories online eventually.

The news archive is a joke now,I've been trying to find the piece about Dancing Mystery being retired so I could post it but no joy.
 
I agree with Dom and Gal and since Dom also agrees with Gal I agree with that too.

I also agree with Paul Nichols and with Fergus Wilson. I realise that this is highly controversial and don’t expect many to agree with me.
 
I agree with you, Miller - except about LUJAIN. Don't agree with you about that.

Gal does have a point, though but Shadz' points are bigger.
 
Crikey - I missed the group hug but I agree with Shadz as well! Doubly because, as noted here, his own pacemaker.

If previous owners/trainers think a horse ought to be retired or ought not to end up in Greece, Ascot sales or the Gold Cup then they should not sell the horse but find a good home for him/her. Cerium has had a catalogue of problems and actually for the sake of the horse running him in the Gold Cup is probably the least of 'terrible' things that might happen to him.

BUT - don't get me wrong, I don't advocate running no hopers in the top races either.

PN would look less foolish and opinionated if the horse had not been with his own stable.
 
Desert Orchid said:
How did it get to be called a paddy?

Is this a rascist term?
Click to expand...


Two alternative suggestions to consider:

“Having a paddy" or "in a paddy" – One suggestion is that it refers to a rice paddy and a forces expression relating to being stuck in one.

Irish tempers are often said to be shorter than British ones, hence 'paddy' equals 'tantrum'.
 
Furthermore, accusing someone of having a paddy (tantamount to calling them a hot-headed Irishman) could indeed be most offensive to some (…particularly those who aren’t Irish).
 
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