WHEN he races there’s no doubt Gidleigh Park is all heart, but behind the scenes issues with the crucial organ have returned to frustrate connections.
Harry Fry’s class act was due to run in the Ladbrokes Pendil Novices’ Chase at Kempton which fell to Rubaud, who was providing Paul Nicholls with a famous 14th success in the event.
GettyGidleigh Park is a top talent and 20-1 for the Arkle – but has been sidelined again with a recurring heart issue[/caption]
However, the seven-year-old was a notable absentee.
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Today, Fry told me: “Gidleigh Park had a setback last weekend and so we had to miss the Pendil. It’s not a new issue. It’s heart-related again.”
Gidleigh Park was back to his best with a bang when last seen defeating Caldwell Potter in the Grade 2 Fitzdares Lightning Novices’ Chase at Windsor. He jumped for fun from the front.
Fry continued: “Now we just have to manage his return to work. It’s frustrating and disappointing but we have a very good horse on our hands. We just have to do what is right for him.”
Gidleigh Park could have still been considered for Cheltenham without the latest issue – he is 20-1 for the Arkle – although Aintree had ultimately been the place connections had been aiming for.
Fry still has hopes, though, of making a Cheltenham splash, paritcularly with Idaho Sun who will aim for the bumper.
Idaho Sun is unbeaten in two starts at Newton Abbot and Windsor, where he went clear to score well in January.
Fry said: “I thought the bumper was looking a fairly open even until Willie Mullins had one hack up the other day and from the British contenders it looked as though we were right up there with Pipe’s Ascot winner (Windbeneathmywings). Idaho Sun is in good form.
“Altobelli has won his last two races well at Ascot and he’s in the Coral Cup. He went up a fair hike – 10lb – for his last success but he did it well. Beat the Bat would be interesting in either the Coral or Martin Pipe.”
Elsewhere… There should be some interesting Premier Racing Board Meetings at Chester Racecourse over the months ahead.
Chester has been outspoken over Premier Racing, and notably agitated over the restricted 2pm to 4pm window on a Saturday afternoon which has negatively impacted the course.
Just the other day, following an extensive recruitment process, Chester Race appointed Julie Harrington as a Non-Executive Director.
Harrington will replace Charles Barnett, who will step down from the Board at this year’s Annual General Meeting.
Harrington is, of course, a highly respected figure in British sport and business, but was Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority at the time when Premier Racing was introduced.
Indeed, only last year she said: “We should be encouraged that so many racecourses want to invest in and stage these Premier events. We will also see more promotional work and, we hope, a [Levy Board]-funded national campaign to support the work already being done by [Great British Racing] and the racecourses.
“Time and experience will help us determine the optimum number of Premier racedays with regards to racecourses and the horse population. This is the start of a two-year pilot and so we should resist the temptation to make snap judgements on its success based on limited experience.”
Oh to be a fly on the Chester boardroom wall!
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