Cheltenham a big problem for Binocular

By Ian Carnaby

There are many things to ponder, and one or two regrets, after a riveting Cheltenham.

One day I shall get to grips with the fact that, of all trainers, Nicky Henderson is the most adept at switching horses from hurdles to fences and back again. In Andytown’s case steeplechasing simply did not appeal and he had worked well over hurdles before winning the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap on the final day. For a horse which had won very easily at the November meeting, off a much lower mark admittedly, 25 to 1 was a remarkable price.

Just about everything worked well for Henderson, including the cheekpieces on Zaynar in the Triumph. Walkon drew alongside on the run-in and looked set to outbattle him at one stage but Zaynar picked up again and kept on strongly. Cheekpieces are ugly but, if they do the job, no one complains.

Although everything went well for the Seven Barrows yard, many people were left licking their wounds when Binocular failed to get up in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. Various theories were put forward for his defeat, the suggestion that he does not stay being the silliest of them. Of course he stays; he could not have finished in front of four previous champions otherwise. However, he does not stay nearly as well at Cheltenham as he does at Aintree or Ascot and it is easy enough to demonstrate that.

Celestial Halo ran such a fine race in the Champion that it is easy to forget how easily Binocular breezed past him at the other two venues. If one horse can beat another by seven lengths, followed by four and a half, yet fail to get past him at all the third time, the course is more than likely to have something to do with it. When Henderson remarked that the spell of freezing weather might just have held up Binocular that vital bit, it was tempting to wonder aloud why it had failed to bother Punjabi. The answer - and here comes a world-class piece of hindsight - is that, no matter how disappointing Punjabi’s third at Wincanton may have appeared at the time, it got a vital run into him. Henderson was in a slightly awkward position after the Champion, celebrating with one set of connections while commiserating with J P McManus and Binocular’s backers.

I still love Cheltenham for the sheer atmosphere, though I happen to believe that some things have gone over the top - the endless round of pre-festival panels, for a start. Racing (or form) is analysed as never before and, if I were a bookmaker, I would smile quietly to myself when no one was looking.

Enrique’s (lack of) stamina influence is a big issue

It’s a strange thing but, in all the talk about Binocular, hardly anyone dwelt on his breeding. His prospects of staying two miles well enough at a demanding track rested almost entirely with his dam, Bleu Ciel Et Blanc. She started her career over 11 furlongs and ended it over two miles. But his sire Enrique, trained by Henry Cecil and always ridden by Kieren Fallon, was never tried beyond a mile. That might not have been a problem in itself but, as a stallion, he soon demonstrated that speed was a vital part of his make-up. In fact his progeny stay, on average, six furlongs - and whether we like it or not, that definitely IS a problem when it comes to winning a Champion Hurdle. My mistake was in acknowledging all of this but still being so blown away by his victory at Ascot, where he gave Celestial Halo ten lengths’ start and laughed at him, that I gave him the benefit of the doubt. This is invariably fatal in racing.

Some people believe that Binocular will return with a better chance as a six-year old next year but it’s hard to see why it should make a difference. He has effectively marked everyone’s card and will be taken along plenty fast enough again before the vital question is asked. In the meantime he will probably win any hurdle race he contests, with Paul Nicholls quite canny enough to avoid him over an easier two miles.

I wasn’t right about much overall. Kauto Star routed the opposition in the Gold Cup, where the steady, even pace set by Neptune Collonges was absolutely perfect for him and asked no questions of his jumping, unlike last year.

The biggest disappointment was Tazbar, however, who simply refused to get involved in the World Hurdle. Given that Big Buck’s and Punchestowns proved much too good for the others, I’d still say that a fully committed Tazbar would have been just as likely to finish third as anything else, but he is obviously a horse of moods and this is not the first time he has fallen way below his generally high standards.

Just to repeat, the Reveleys believe he may be the best NH horse they have had through their hands. The one consolation is that he will be a huge price again next time. The key to my basically flawed policy is that I shall be backing him - but not tipping him, you’ll be glad to hear.