tolworth to formby. Why?

​In my opinion, novice hurdles, or indeed novice chases, for that matter, should never be the feature race, especially on a Saturday. Yes, I know, anoraks can trot out a dozen previous winners of the old Tolworth at Sandown that went on to win at the Cheltenham Festival and I am not suggesting such races have no place in the racing calendar. To trainers, conditions novice events are important. As a supporting race, such races add interest to a card but there is neither pzazz to novice races nor are they a boon to betting turnover.
Moving the Tolworth to Aintree on Boxing Day, renaming it the Formby, a title that will doubtless disappear under the welter of a commercial sponsor, might make the race more competitive as northern trainers could be persuaded to run their better novices in it and the B.H.A.’s intention does have sound motives. But would it not have been sensible to shift the race to Kempton, where better ground will be on offer, to help establish the King George meeting as a ‘Christmas Festival’, an idea several big names in the sport has advocated in the past?
With the ‘death by a thousand cuts’ agenda of Aintree and its clerk of the course, it might be to the Grand National’s long-term benefit to run a Grand National trial at its new Boxing Day fixture, the Valentine Chase over a distance longer than the Becher but shorter than the Grand National itself? I would be pretty confident a race of significance over the National fences would draw a larger crowd than a novice hurdle as the feature race.

It is good, though disappointing at the same time, that Pyledriver is to stand at Coolmore as a National Hunt stallion. Doubtless under their marketing skills, Pyledriver will become a popular stallion for National Hunt breeders, it is just sad that a horse with the Group 1 victories he has achieved cannot be given a chance as a flat stallion. It would be also be sad if William Muir and Christy Grassick never get the chance to train any of Pyledriver’s offspring, given they train exclusively on the flat.
A lack of a blue-blooded pedigree is the negativity around Pyledriver as a flat stallion, born on the wrong side of the street, you might say. Rather like Brigadier Gerard who also had a modest pedigree, genes are everything to breeders, not that a lack of the in-genes stopped the Brigadier becoming one of the greatest flat horses of all-time. Some claim him as the greatest, with only recency allowing Frankel to be considered his superior.

I believe a sounder surface will see Bravemansgame back to his best in the King George and the assured decent gallop set by either Frodon or Allaho, or both, will also be to his benefit. On form, with Geri Colombe now running in a very hot Saville’s Chase at Leopardstown, the King George should be between Bravemansgame and Allaho. But the following of form is not an exact science. Form is up for interpretation. With instinct or a hunch always coming into play when trying to decide upon a winner.
If Shishkin jumps off, which he will if Nico can keep him away from Frodon’s naughty influence – in his excitement for the race Frodon can whip round at the start – he remains a player and take with a pinch of salt Nicky Henderson’s talk of ‘the horse perhaps not being 100% fit – how many times as he got a horse ready to win first time out?
The King George always pulls at the heartstrings. It was always the same with Desert Orchid and Kauto Star and with Thistlecrack, Cue Card and when Frodon was in his pomp, and yes, my heart will still root for Frodon, even though my head tells me he has little chance this time around. Then there is my assertion after his Aintree win last season that Shishkin is a Gold Cup winner in waiting. That’s looking a bit silly now but if he were to succeed on Monday then what little reputation I have will be restored. (I remain of the belief that Galopin Des Champs has a fall in him).
So, I will die happy if Frodon could roll back the years, I have a vested interest in Shishkin winning and I expect Bravemansgame and Allaho to battle out the finish. Yet if I were to venture down to the bookies Boxing Day morning, where would my fiver each-way go? Hewick is the answer to that question and I don’t really now why. Instinct, perhaps. A hunch. Or perhaps he is the best value in the race. Or perhaps Gavin Sheehan can do no wrong at the moment. Or perhaps I am looking for the fairy-tale of Kempton Park once again?