Trainer quotes 2021/22 season

[Ray]

I think ruby was a little right today in what he was saying..about altior running against cyrname that scenario would be fresh in hendos memory so hes being overly cautious with shishkin..its frustrating that we dont get to see him in the tingle creek though

[Quevega]

Christ lads, how many Cheltenham winners have you guys trained? And how much have you made from the winners the man has trained?

Not the best questions and not sure what it has to do with anything ! - And that's me being polite.

This is a forum where people will give their opinion and take on racing and everything that surrounds it.
It is completely normal that people who achieve great things can also make mistakes and be fallable and open to question. No one is above scrutiny or immune to criticism.

I have every respect for what the man has done, and I also respect his decision not to run the horse next week, even though it disappoints me as a racing fan.
The issue I have is the drivel and slaver he comes out with.

"He's not injured, but I'm not 100% happy with him" would have sufficed. And preferably not after previous comments to the contrary.

Although I'd still have accused him of bottling it, that would just be my opinion, based on him having a history of this sort of thing IMO
But I could well be wrong.

[Star De Mohaison]

The guy is a Cheltenham legend, and has been slated by decisions he has made with the welfare of his horses in mind. If Shishkin isn’t right, don’t run.

Maybe he hasn’t come across the best in his interviews, but my god when he’s gone his name will go down in Cheltenham folklore. It sickens me that people are happy to slate him but happy to pick up their winnings.

I’ve no problem with people having an opinion. Just seems a bit a bit of a witch hunt in here at times and he seems an easy target.

[Ray]

The guy is a Cheltenham legend, and has been slated by decisions he has made with the welfare of his horses in mind. If Shishkin isn’t right, don’t run.

Maybe he hasn’t come across the best in his interviews, but my god when he’s gone his name will go down in Cheltenham folklore. It sickens me that people are happy to slate him but happy to pick up their winnings.

I’ve no problem with people having an opinion. Just seems a bit a bit of a witch hunt in here at times and he seems an easy target.

Yeah, hes class..div though! In this specific scenario

[Istabraq]

The guy is a Cheltenham legend, and has been slated by decisions he has made with the welfare of his horses in mind. If Shishkin isn’t right, don’t run.

Maybe he hasn’t come across the best in his interviews, but my god when he’s gone his name will go down in Cheltenham folklore. It sickens me that people are happy to slate him but happy to pick up their winnings.

I’ve no problem with people having an opinion. Just seems a bit a bit of a witch hunt in here at times and he seems an easy target.

All fair comments SDM and he certainly will be a Cheltenham legend, and rightly so.
The current backlash though I think relates specifically to his difficulties in finding races for Altior and Champ and then Shishkin.
Shishkin, I believe, came back from the field in July and if the horse is fit, healthy and without injury, it suggests the inability for Shishkin to be ‘race ready’ sits with the trainer, would you not agree ?
His current errors/issues shouldn’t be confused with his outstanding efforts in the past, they are in the history books forever more…

[darlojim]

The guy is a Cheltenham legend, and has been slated by decisions he has made with the welfare of his horses in mind. If Shishkin isn’t right, don’t run.

Maybe he hasn’t come across the best in his interviews, but my god when he’s gone his name will go down in Cheltenham folklore. It sickens me that people are happy to slate him but happy to pick up their winnings.

I’ve no problem with people having an opinion. Just seems a bit a bit of a witch hunt in here at times and he seems an easy target.

Come on how can you possibly defend him in this situation?

He said Shishkin was fit in one sentence (95% to be precise) yet said he wasn't fit enough to give him a gallop at Newbury a week or so ago.

Complains about not getting him on the grass but won't put him on the grass for the racecourse gallop.

He's just bottled it in this case.

[Star De Mohaison]

This is a Cheltenham forum, so I’ve been quietly told.

He’s missing the Tingle Creek in the best interest of the horse. He wants him to peak at Cheltenham.

[Atlantic Viking]

It sickens me that people are happy to slate him but happy to pick up their winnings.

I don't really understand this. I was happy to pick up my winnings for Shishkin in the Arkle last season whilst having no issue whatsoever with criticising the absolute dogs dinner he made of Champs campaign. He tied himself in knots with some of the Altior stuff.

Shishkin was being aimed at the Tingle Creek, on Luck On Sunday this week it was where he was going, but then suddenly it isn't. The horse isn't injured. From the moment it was mooted that CPS and co. might be coming over, NH has been shuffling about in interviews prepping the ground for a decision it was embarrassingly easy to see coming. To quote him this week "There's nothing wrong with him, but I just haven't got there. He worked this morning and he just isn't sparky at the moment. I think I just got behind the ball a little bit." - So if it isn't a case of 'bottling' the race, it's incompetence in not having a horse ready for a December target. I like NH in general, enjoy listening to him and think he's a brilliant trainer, on of the all time greats and clearly not incompetent. I also think if CPS and co. had no intention of turning out for the Tingle Creek then Shishkin would be. I think Altior v Cyrname continues to trouble him.

[Quevega]

The guy is a Cheltenham legend, and has been slated by decisions he has made with the welfare of his horses in mind. If Shishkin isn’t right, don’t run.

Maybe he hasn’t come across the best in his interviews, but my god when he’s gone his name will go down in Cheltenham folklore. It sickens me that people are happy to slate him but happy to pick up their winnings.

I’ve no problem with people having an opinion. Just seems a bit a bit of a witch hunt in here at times and he seems an easy target.

I agree, and my criticism can sometimes descend a little and become too harsh.
It's just getting too predictable with Nicky and I play along with the caricature.
I'll try and curve my attitude a bit.

I do think it's important to not overdo the reverence though.
Otherwise you might find yourself getting fingered in the vestibule.


And I'm sure you can find many more things in this life to be sickened by, that are far more worthy of your vomit.

[Exar Essay]

They were chatting about this on the opening show. My word Fitzy and even Matt got defensive of NH. I appreciate that they might side with NH in the debate but to ‘not understand where people are coming from’ seems blinkered. Regardless of his reasoning, avoiding races with his star horses is becoming a habit so to be so dismissive of the contrary view is a bit rum in my book.

[Saxon Warrior]

They were chatting about this on the opening show. My word Fitzy and even Matt got defensive of NH. I appreciate that they might side with NH in the debate but to ‘not understand where people are coming from’ seems blinkered. Regardless of his reasoning, avoiding races with his star horses is becoming a habit so to be so dismissive of the contrary view is a bit rum in my book.

It would be worthy of comment in most ANY OTHER sport, so why should racing be insulated from comment?

Its way too defensive.

[Carnage at Taunton]

Hendo does seem to get a fair amount of stick on here, far more than the Mullins camp who have a fair history of putting us away over the years.
Im going to Sandown next week, and was so much looking forward to seeing Shishkin and getting photos for my collection, so I’m gutted, but instead of slating the trainer I choose to believe him.

[Saxon Warrior]

Hendo does seem to get a fair amount of stick on here, far more than the Mullins camp who have a fair history of putting us away over the years.
Im going to Sandown next week, and was so much looking forward to seeing Shishkin and getting photos for my collection, so I’m gutted, but instead of slating the trainer I choose to believe him.

He is stuck in the world of the 'Boy who Cried Wolf' by the look of it.

People think he's pulled horses out when they should have raced in the past, so now every time he pulls one out people think he's ducking the challenge.

Part of this seems to be based on some of his comments suggesting he's only trying to find easy wins, and uncompetitive races, up until March

The Gen.Pop then look over to the Irish Sea and see competitive Graded races all season long, without any Irish trainer complaining about the challenge of trying to win competitive races.

To the onlooker it seems a stark difference in the mentality of top Irish trainers and some of those in England.

Then the Irish come and take most of the Grade 1s at Cheltenham and questions are asked as to whether all of the best British horses were

* campaigned competitively mid-season to be hardened enough for the Festival

* actually entered and run at the Festival, because it doesn't look like they are, when Aintree is always an easier option.

Maybe if they stretched the gap to a month between Cheltenham and Aintree then more would target both.

I think the Hendo - Cried Wolf scenario could run for a while yet.

[Rooster Booster]

He is stuck in the world of the 'Boy who Cried Wolf' by the look of it.

People think he's pulled horses out when they should have raced in the past, so now every time he pulls one out people think he's ducking the challenge.

Part of this seems to be based on some of his comments suggesting he's only trying to find easy wins, and uncompetitive races, up until March

The Gen.Pop then look over to the Irish Sea and see competitive Graded races all season long, without any Irish trainer complaining about the challenge of trying to win competitive races.

To the onlooker it seems a stark difference in the mentality of top Irish trainers and some of those in England.

Then the Irish come and take most of the Grade 1s at Cheltenham and questions are asked as to whether all of the best British horses were

* campaigned competitively mid-season to be hardened enough for the Festival

* actually entered and run at the Festival, because it doesn't look like they are, when Aintree is always an easier option.

Maybe if they stretched the gap to a month between Cheltenham and Aintree then more would target both.

I think the Hendo - Cried Wolf scenario could run for a while yet.

Genuine question has hendo had a horse that should have won one of the top races at Cheltenham that hasn’t?

[Saxon Warrior]

Genuine question has hendo had a horse that should have won one of the top races at Cheltenham that hasn’t?

I don't think Hendo skips Cheltenham with any horses that could win there.

Its Nicholls that tends to favour Liverpool.

I think the Hendo criticism is that he may skip pre-Cheltenham races unless everything is perfect re conditions and potential opposition.

If that's true then the questions asked seem to be - does that leave some of his horses short of a full or strong preparation for Cheltenham?