Across the pond

[ThreeMustangs]

The amazing Honeysuckle won the Irish Champion Hurdle (G1) under Rachael Blackmore today at Leopardstown for the third year in a row. She remains undefeated (14/14).

[Northport]

4 year old Impulsive One (Union Rags X Hokey Okey, by Lonhro) won the Listed Scottish Triumph Hurdle at Musselburgh yesterday for trainer Nicky Henderson.

Not every day you see an American bred horse by Union Rags out of a Lonhro mare winning a hurdle race in Scotland.

[Starine]

4 year old Impulsive One (Union Rags X Hokey Okey, by Lonhro) won the Listed Scottish Triumph Hurdle at Musselburgh yesterday for trainer Nicky Henderson.

Not every day you see an American bred horse by Union Rags out of a Lonhro mare winning a hurdle race in Scotland.

Neat pedigree for hurdles; I agree. Thanks for sharing.

[BaroqueAgain1]

Not every day you see an American bred horse by Union Rags out of a Lonhro mare winning a hurdle race in Scotland.

That is really cool.

[Mylute]

Has there been any mention of Darby winner Serpentine?

[Northport]

Has there been any mention of Darby winner Serpentine?

He must be injured, since he hasn’t shown up on the Coolmore National Hunt roster yet. Im kind of surprised they havent retired him but I guess their older horse middle distance pool isnt that deep for this year.

[Mylute]

Has there been any mention of Darby winner Serpentine?

He must be injured, since he hasn’t shown up on the Coolmore National Hunt roster yet.

haha gottem

[Mylute]

Tiger Roll won't go for Grand National #3 because handicappers gave him an "unfair weight"
https://www.racingpost.com/news/grand-n ... ace/538168

I don't understand jumps racing. What does this mean?

[BaroqueAgain1]

I'm pretty sure that means Tiger Roll would be assigned to carry 11st 8lb, or 11st 9lb in the Grand National. Not sure if that equals 161 pounds, although a quick Google search gave me 163 pounds as equal to 11st, 9lbs. That is a lot of weight to carry in a four-mile race, even for sturdy chasers.

[Northport]

Tiger Roll won't go for Grand National #3 because handicappers gave him an "unfair weight"
https://www.racingpost.com/news/grand-n ... ace/538168

I don't understand jumps racing. What does this mean?

The official British Handicapper assigns a weight to all Grand National Entries every year. Since Tiger Roll is a two time National winner who has also won the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham several times (including 2021 in a procession), he was assigned close to the top weight (5th highest at 11-4) for the 2022 Grand National. However, since Tiger Roll is now 12 years old (usually the last year of a Chaser’s career) and his record outside of the National and Cheltenham has become increasingly spotty in the last 2-3 years, his owners believe the weight he was assigned for 2022 is too high and unfair, so they won’t run.

They said the same thing last year as well and chose to run the horse in the Aintree Bowl over normal Chasing fences at the Grand National meet, where he got demolished and thus proved his owner’s point that he should be rated lower by the English handicapper. But normal 3 mile chasers are not the same as Grand National type horses, so it was kind of apples and oranges.

Honestly the O’Learys pull this same crap every year and complain about the weights of all of their horses at the top of the market for the Grand National, which is usually at least one or two horses because they target the race big time. You can set your clock to them releasing a statement every January borderline threatening the English handicapper to give their horses “fair (ie. low) weights” or else they will scratch. Then two weeks later the weights come out and the O’Learys throw a tantrum and say they are scratching X horses and the racing public and the race in general will suffer and it’s all the English handicapper’s fault.

No one can bring up that Red Rum won his 3rd National at age 12 carrying 11-8.

[ThreeMustangs]

To be fair, Red Rum was a freak.

[Northport]

For sure, but Tiger Roll has won two Grand Nationals, three Cheltenham Cross Country Hurdles, a Triumph Hurdle, etc. if anyone has come close to being in Red Rum’s rarified air, I think he would definitely be the closest.

Honestly I think he should’ve been retired at the end of last season, but it sounds like this year’s cross country hurdle will be his swansong win lose or draw, so hopefully he just comes home safe.

[ThreeMustangs]

Has there been any mention of Darby winner Serpentine?

He must be injured, since he hasn’t shown up on the Coolmore National Hunt roster yet. Im kind of surprised they havent retired him but I guess their older horse middle distance pool isnt that deep for this year.

Serpentine has reportedly been gelded and sent to Australia to race. I’m really surprised that anybody would geld a Derby-winning son of Galileo.

[Northport]

Has there been any mention of Darby winner Serpentine?

He must be injured, since he hasn’t shown up on the Coolmore National Hunt roster yet. Im kind of surprised they havent retired him but I guess their older horse middle distance pool isnt that deep for this year.

Serpentine has reportedly been gelded and sent to Australia to race. I’m really surprised that anybody would geld a Derby-winning son of Galileo.

Guess a syndicate made an offer that would've topped whatever he would make covering 200 mares a year for €5,000 as a NH stallion. I mean, Ruler of the World is a dud, Australia is good not great, Anthony Van Dyck died, do they want to take a swing standing a one off Derby winner when they already have so many sons of Galileo ranging from milers to Gold Cup winners? Realistically he wouldn't have been supported by Coolmore anyway regardless of how they marketed him, so might as well move him on?

The sad sign of the times is that they did geld him. John Gosden lamented last year that the Derby has become a trial for future National Hunt stallions. The fact that they didn't even see value in him as that is really ominous.

I do wonder where Irish Derby winner Sovereign ended up. Moved to Chad Brown as a five year old, finished down the field in the Man O War, then poof.

[Flanders]

I do wonder where Irish Derby winner Sovereign ended up. Moved to Chad Brown as a five year old, finished down the field in the Man O War, then poof.

https://www.racingpost.com/bloodstock/i ... ina/536961
Argentina as a stallion
He had been entered in the 2021 Keeneland November as a racing or stallion prospect but was an out. So they must have made the deal before then.

[Mylute]

Yo tell me why a half to California Chrome by Accelerate is selling at GOFFS.

[Northport]

Yo tell me why a half to California Chrome by Accelerate is selling at GOFFS.

Which Goffs sale?

[Flanders]

He was bought for 62k as a yearling by Powerstown Stud (Ireland). I guess they are hoping someone will pay more for him over there.
https://www.goffsuk.com/sales-results/s ... -sale-2022

[Northport]

Opinion piece on the gelding of Serpentine

https://www.racingpost.com/bloodstock/b ... MzAJVGQ-A4

[BaroqueAgain1]

Good read. It seems that a male horse headed Down Under to race (not breed) is likely to be gelded. Not quite as bad as Hong Kong, where everyone is gelded.
And then there's Japan, where apparently no one is gelded.