trainers greed? constitution hill, stage star & east india dock.

​Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson and Dan Skelton, to give but three examples, are all successful in their chosen careers and with that success comes a certain level of wealth that goes far beyond what any of their staff could hope to achieve. I am not suggesting that Nicholls, Henderson and Skelton are anything other than admirable assets to the sport but to take the attitude ‘it’s not fair jockeys get paid for interviews yet we do not’, sob sob, does them no favours with the racing public, I suggest.
T.V. interviews with trainers represent opportunity for the trainer, especially the young and up-and-coming trainer, to market their business to a large audience. Companies would pay big bucks for the opportunity to appear live on television to advertise their wares or services. When a trainer wins a race valued at six-figures to the winning owner, he or she receives a little under 10%, that is £10,000. Are you telling me they need an extra bung just for a two-minute interview that rarely informs the viewer of anything that is not already in the public domain?
The simple solution to this dispute is for both the racing channels and I.T.V. to stop asking trainers for interviews. To block-off this avenue of self-promotion.

It should be remembered that even the mighty Arkle fluffed his lines occasionally. In his first major test in the 1963 Hennessey Gold Cup, he ploughed through the 3rd-last, which led to him losing his unbeaten record over fences and giving me and everyone in the Mill House camp the false impression the greatest steeplechaser since Golden Miller lived in Lambourn. Kauto Star also had a thing early in his career about bashing the final fence in order to get the attention of everyone present. So, the disagreement between Constitution Hill and Nico de Boinville is of no real concern for his Champion Hurdle bid in March. Nico thought it his fault and apologised to everyone afterwards. I suspect Constitution Hill thought it Nico’s fault as well, not that he had a bother on him when he pulled up. Apparently, Nico suggested the trainer, instead of giving him an easy day today, get Constitution Hill back on the gallops as in his opinion the horse was too fresh. 
At the top of the hill, the horse was travelling so easily I thought he would win a furlong, so three-lengths, with such modest opposition, was a bit of an anti-climax. In chasing down Brighterdaysahead in March, he will not have the luxury of fluffing the last if he is to regain the Champion Hurdle crown.

On yesterday’s showing, with Gentlemansgame 16-lengths in arrears, I believe L’Homme Presse’s form is a few pounds better than last year. Charlie Deutsch was not hard on the horse from the last, winning cosily from a good horse in Stage Star, a horse who obviously benefitted from stepping up in distance. It was mentioned after the race that Paul Nicholls might skip the Festival with Stage Star and head to Aintree, whereas my initial thought was to consider supplementing for the Gold Cup, especially if it looks like only eight or nine going to post. After Galopin Des Champs, the race for second could involve any one of half-a-dozen horses, and if Galopin falls or fails to fire, the race becomes wide open. Would Stage Star get the Gold Cup distance? No one knows; only running him will answer the question.

East India Dock will win the Triumph. I was more impressed with him than with Lulamba last week. Today, Willie Mullins takes the wraps off Charlus. Being a Closutton inmate, if he were to win doing handstands, he might be favourite for the Triumph by nightfall. But as of now, East India Dock would be my pick.