palladium, purchase price & my dumb is getting dumber.

​Palladium duly won on his debut over hurdles yesterday. It was not a comprehensive demonstration of his ability, with the runner-up looking equally likely to go on to better things, but by all accounts he enjoyed the experience and being an entire in need of more graft than a gelding, Nicky Henderson believes a harder work schedule will bring him on enormously. He certainly provided a narrative for a sleepy racing day in Britain. Ireland, of course, had the Thyestes Chase, one of their most prestigious handicap chases of the season won, inevitably, by a Willie Mullins trained horse, Nick Rocket under a great ride by Paul Townend.
The Racing Post dragged-up the names of four horses who sold for mega-money in their time and who all failed to live up to their purchase price, though in the course of time including the name of Caldwell Potter might prove misplaced as I am of the opinion that the horse is yet to run over a distance of ground to see him at his best. To me, and who I am to go against the opinions of Cobden and Nicholls, Caldwell Potter is a 3-mile horse as all he does is gallop. His time, I predict, will come when Nicholls and co come to their senses.
Royal Rosa and Interconnected were duds, as it turned out. But Garde Champetre went on, once he was sent to Enda Bolger, who quickly realised the horse wanted a distance of ground, to win numerous times at the Cheltenham Festival and when J.P. McManus was confronted by a journalist on the huge price-tag that came with the horse, replied succinctly. ‘A Cheltenham Festival winner is always cheaply bought.’
Jonbon also cost J.P. a King’s ransom but, unlike every other overly-expensive bought National Hunt horse, he has gone on to win back every penny of the £670,000 it took J.P. to acquire him, with his present total of prize-money won over a million-quid.
What I do not get about the 1.4-million smackaroos paid for Palladium is what, if it is only intended to be a short hurdling career, with the Hardwick at Royal Ascot being his main target, followed by a stallion career, is the point of risking him over hurdles? If he were to add the Adonis at Kempton and the Triumph Hurdle to his c.v., he would be repaying only a small percentage of that whopping sum he cost Lady Bamford.
Are they preparing for failure? If he cannot win the Hardwick or a similar race, he might stand at stud as a National Hunt stallion, his victories over hurdles a dance card few other National Hunt stallions can boast? Let us say that he wins the Triumph Hurdle with his head in his chest, will they be tempted to keep him training with Nicky Henderson for a crack at the Champion Hurdle in 2026?
To me, no matter how good over hurdles he might turn out to be, Palladium is not a boost to the sport. At best, if they keep to Plan A, he is going to be a shooting star, here one day, lost to us the next. Although I have a great liking for Lady Bamford, in many ways I hope, if the Triumph is to return to Seven Barrows this season, that Lulamba is the winner, as at least he will still be in training next season.

On Wednesdaylast  I had a dentist appointment at 9 a m. The previous day, having taken notice of an advertisement in the Racing Post of an interview in the Weekender with Holly Doyle by former jockey Georgia Cox, the thought came into my head that while over town I might buy a copy of the Weekender to have something to read while waiting to be relieved of what turned out to be a portion of my meagre wealth that continues to sting even as I now think of it. The dental work was painless, thank-you for asking.
It was only when seated in my new and very comfortable armchair, a cup of tea at my elbow, thinking how pleasant it was to be actually reading a paper paper, if you get my meaning, when the dawning realisation dashed across my brain, scattering what brain cells I have remaining, that I could have read the Weekender for free as it is part of my Ultimate Members package alongside ‘Racing and Football Outlook’ and the Irish version of the Racing Post, which by the way, is identical to the British version.
Yes, against the £178 lifted from my bank account for what turned out to a session of nothing more than two x-rays and a descaling and polish, the £5.90 is not much to sniff at. But it was a kick in the guts to realise I am getting dumber by the day.
From next Wednesday, you can be sure, I will become a regular reader of the Weekender, though on-line, of course.