The NH Season 2013 /2014.........proper

Diamond Geezer

Diamond Geezer

Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
13,884
Message to media from Ditcheat that Big Bucks, Al Ferof and Tidal Bay all back in training.

Bring it on.
 
Despite his lack of fire power there is surely no one better at getting horses to return to their best after a setback. Expect massive things from the grey this year.
 
Bring on the NH season - this flat game bores me to tears - too many meetings, too many races, too many small fields.
 
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I noticed elsewhere that PFN appears to have picked up a load of new 4 and 5 yo for this year. I hope he has something decent as there are very few top class horses in the yard now.
 
Where did you pick that up Dave? I'm always interested to find out what the big yards have brought in and to do the research early.
 
Where have all the big money owners in the Nicholls yard gone and why?

I can't think of any that have switched to Henderson: his are the same as always with Wally-Cohen and Buckley etc... Stewart hasn't got quality coming through or Paul Barber?

Ruby and Skelton gone too?

Are we missing something or is it just a cycle?
 
granger said:
Tidal Bay..one more year

Good to see horses coming back

Roll on the good stuff
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Roll on indeed, The first Sunday in November is our best meeting of the year up here.
Planning my first ever trip to Cheltenham this season aswel :):)
 
Where have all the big money owners in the Nicholls yard gone and why?

I can't think of any that have switched to Henderson: his are the same as always with Wally-Cohen and Buckley etc... Stewart hasn't got quality coming through or Paul Barber?

Ruby and Skelton gone too?

Are we missing something or is it just a cycle?
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It's a cycle. Nicholls has had his turn at dominance, it's someone else's turn, now.

Nicholls big owners tend to be "new" money and have probably been hit by the recession more than Henderson's. He's never really gone for the big syndicate market, either.

I daresay Andy Stewart's priority over the last few years has been the wellbeing of his son plus his money is from Finance.

Paul Barber is 70 and is winding down.

It was pretty much a no-brainer that Dan Skelton would move on and start up on his own - he was with PFN a long time, he got married, good time to go back home.

Similarly, it was pretty much a no-brainer that Ruby would opt to stay at home at some point - no doubt the decision was helped along by the relative strengths of the Mullins and Nicholls yards but, realistically, he has to have the building blocks in place for the future and his future is back home.
 
PFN's sometimes uppity attitude perhaps doesn't endear him to some of the bigger owners?

I might be imagining it, but at the height of his powers, it seemed like huge numbers of his horses were dispersed amongst a relatively small number of major owners. To me, it seemed like 90% of his horses were owned by about a dozen people.

Nicholls could drift into pomposity quite often on the telly, and a lot of the people with real dough, probably wouldn't be for suffering an over-bearing manner or massaging an ego. He hasn't really refreshed his owners over the years - having been supported by the likes of Smith, Stewart, Roach and - notably Barber - for a good while now. If they start winding-down, and you can't lure the big-hitters, you're on a hiding to nothing.

He can train racehorse's alright, but I don't think he does himself too many favours with his attitude at times.
 
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And, if he was like that when he was on top (remember his cringeworthy interview after Kauto's first Gold Cup?) imagine how bitter he will become should he become just another decent trainer due to a lower level of horses?
 
I wonder whether his numbers are actually down though? The inference is that he has a lot of young horses in training this season, and that means a large number of older horses will have been retired or moved on. These things definitely go in cycles and its unrealistic to expect him to have the next Kauto, Denman, Master Minded and Big Big Bucks stabled together and waiting to be unleashed.
 
Some future Gigginstown stars ?

Gigginstown_zpsa3e94d44.jpg
 
Grasshopper said:
PFN's sometimes uppity attitude perhaps doesn't endear him to some of the bigger owners?

I might be imagining it, but at the height of his powers, it seemed like huge numbers of his horses were dispersed amongst a relatively small number of major owners. To me, it seemed like 90% of his horses were owned by about a dozen people.

Nicholls could drift into pomposity quite often on the telly, and a lot of the people with real dough, probably wouldn't be for suffering an over-bearing manner or massaging an ego. He hasn't really refreshed his owners over the years - having been supported by the likes of Smith, Stewart, Roach and - notably Barber - for a good while now. If they start winding-down, and you can't lure the big-hitters, you're on a hiding to nothing.

He can train racehorse's alright, but I don't think he does himself too many favours with his attitude at times.
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Might be true but self made people with money (few ive worked with anyway) tend to have strong admiration for the very same rather than (being harsh here) half pissed silver spoon public schoolboys who cant control their vets (supposedly). They are often a bit less than smooth themselves and don't get precious about that in others

Andy stewart doesnt strike me as someone who suffers prats

As euro says, no one has that record for bringing them back. if i was an owner that would be a big factor
 
Maruco said:
Where did you pick that up Dave? I'm always interested to find out what the big yards have brought in and to do the research early.
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OLBG forum Becks. Some guy has put up a list of horses to follow and loads of then at PFNs but mainly young stock.
 
clivex said:
Might be true but self made people with money (few ive worked with anyway) tend to have strong admiration for the very same rather than (being harsh here) half pissed silver spoon public schoolboys who cant control their vets (supposedly). They are often a bit less than smooth themselves and don't get precious about that in others

Andy stewart doesnt strike me as someone who suffers prats

As euro says, no one has that record for bringing them back. if i was an owner that would be a big factor
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If i had a bit more self made money I'd still go to Henderson rather than PFN.
 
Same sponsors as the mighty Hibernian...hopefully this wont mean the horses will start running backwards.
 
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