When my late father was into his eighth decade, he got to venture into an area of horse racing (which he adored all his life) which none of us would have ever thought possible. Particularly yours truly.
That is to say, through a very special friendship out of what was once a business relationship with the local undertaker, the late Ollie Cunnimgham, the pair of them became racing sidekicks.
Now, outwardly, the auld lad always swore he had nothing to do with the horses, but, when you spend as much time as I did with both of them, it becomes very easy to read between the lines.
Anyway, at one point circumstance became such that (a) the occupant of this seat became an ad hoc racing manager for Ollie (the two of them!) and (b) occasion arose for the couple of horses to require new residences. At which point this corner suggested that the pair of steeds should go to Noel Meade or Gordon Elliott or Jim Dreaper.
But maybe unsurprisingly with individuals of such seniority in years, they decided to do their own thing and the pair of horses went to an operator closer to home. Then, when things went t*ts up after going that route, while in the heart it was a case of ‘I told you so’, in reality, doing the right thing mightn’t have made me popular, but the two horses would still have been fit and running at the time.
You suspect conundrums very similar to the last part of the above are what have dominated the thoughts of Nicky Henderson and Michael Buckley – trainer and owner respectively of Constitution Hill – from the time the now 8-year-old came down in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle in Newcastle last November.
It will be openly admitted that the phrase ‘doing right by the horse’ drives me insane. Just, I suppose, out of frustration at not seeing the sport’s biggest stars as often as would be liked. However, as my ‘experience’ in the sport has expanded – having shares in nine nags with Owners Group now – I now have a greater understanding of why patience and decent judgement are such vital components in the business.
Thus, why it was very little surprise to see Messrs Henderson and Buckley do what in my view is the sensible thing and leave their star horse on the Flat. Don’t get me wrong, I will always be a died-in-the-wool jumps first man, but, it will be conceded that the one seeing eye here has been opened over the years regarding the levels of prize money available on the Flat.
Therefore, with a horse possessing the raw natural ability with oozes out of every pore of Buckley’s beast, if staying away from obstacles – literally – can prolong the steed’s racing career while still allowing him to compete at a very high level – just as Willie Mullins did with Simenon and Wicklow Brave and Vautour and Absurde – is no brainer.
It has also made races like the Ascot Stakes, Ascot Gold Cup or, dare one say it, Melbourne Cup, a whole lot more interesting.
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