Impact has the X factor
And, while the pair may not have universal backing for their comments, it’s fair to say that as punters and lovers of racing, we should take heart from their words and believe our show will soon be back on the road.
It’s been a desperately testing time for the horse-racing community with a loss of earnings for everyone in the game.
While we as the paying public don’t actually lose anything, it’s frustration and there’s desperation to know what will happen next with the Cheltenham Festival looming in a month’s time.
Right now, we’re in the dark. The BHA and a team of veterinary experts are still working through over 2000 samples from a whopping 174 yards, so there’s no point in me trying to speculate.
But, in times such as this, you have to try and read between lines. Try to listen to the right people.
The BHA have been slated for various issues recently and quite rightly so, but they have taken no chances with this one and why should they?
They want to be absolutely sure there is no huge outbreak.
But we do know this is not Australia in 2007 when the game was shut down for eight months. They were dealing with an unvaccinated population at that time. That’s not the case here. Racing is brilliantly regulated when it comes to health.
A horse can’t get a hoof onto a course unless it’s had a heap of vaccinations and the handlers who care for them treat them like their children.
If you think for one second that any trainer would send sick horses into battle, you are miles off it.
Checks are done regularly and, if a horse doesn’t seem himself or herself, they don’t go racing. Simple.
It would be wrong to name names here but let’s just say the vibe around racing circles seems to be that things like this go on all the time and the trainers take care of it within their own yards.
It surely can’t be the case that a horse has not had a bad flu since the last reported major happening which hit Newmarket in 2003. It can’t be.
It must have happened somewhere, been contained and the show went on. While we wait, the key source of encouragement comes from those such as Twister and Nicholls. When you are feeling low, worried or concerned, you always want to hear a comforting voice. Someone who you trust. Twiston-Davies has been in the game for years and handled some of the best. He said: “It’s a massive overreaction. All horses are vaccinated, and so when they do get it, it’s not really anything to worry about. “We all have bugs and treat them as they come. It’s rife everywhere but not fatal. It’s not like herpes or strangles. This is far from a disaster as we’re all vaccinated. It’s a total knee-jerk reaction.” Nicholls is a champion trainer. Don’t tell me he doesn’t know what he’s talking about when he said: “We had a team of vets here swabbing every single horse but it didn’t prevent us working all the horses as normal. They look great, are fit and well and want to run. “Clearly the BHA had to act swiftly and it is not surprising that more cases have come to light. “Imagine if you took swabs from 120 children in a school. There will always be two or three with coughs and sniffles, though, of course, that doesn’t mean they have flu. “It is exactly the same with a yard like ours with 120 horses. It is something we live with all the time.” Now I’m no expert. None of us are. But these boys are the elite when it comes to training and that type of chat eases my fears. Brilliantly, yesterday’s batch of test results have thrown up no new cases. That mean’s racing is more likely to return as planned on Wednesday. But even if it’s a few days more, then so be it. If we getthe show back on the road for Chelters and Aintree, it will have been a small price to pay.
(3.50) can win us some cash on a tasty-looking card at Punchestown.
Jessica Harrington’s charge ran a superb race when chasing home Arkle-hope Cilaos Emery at Gowran and that form has worked out well.
One concern is it’s a small field and it might be tactical but a proper pace over two miles should bring this one into the reckoning. It was gutting that
(2.20) missed Leopardstown last week due to hard ground.
Her owner Kenny Alexander seems to reckon that she is better than Honeysuckle who is the current favourite for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham.
If that’s the case, then forecast odds of about 4-1 for Henry de Bromhead’s belter could look massive.
The step back to two miles is a worry against the likes of Top Moon so I’ll be keeping the stakes small and each-way.
The Grand National trial is wide-open and it’s two each-way against the field for me.
IMPACT FACTOR SINORIA
(4.20) and
FITZHENRY I SLEOFHOPEANDDREAMS
are quality staying chasers on their day and this duo can fight out the finish.
(2.50) can go very close for the formidable Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell combination.
The cross country race will have the usual clues for the big event at next month’s Festival.
LETHAL STEPS
(1.45) is the one in the shortterm but not for March.
Ballycasey seems to be being trained with the Festival cross-country in mind by Mullins and shrewd Mick Fitzgerald has put him up as his nap of the entire meeting at a price of 14/1.
JOSIES ORDERS