#grandouet

[racinglegends]

The New One and Sam Twiston-Davies, leading Grandouet and Barry Geraghty, on way to victory in the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle at Aintree, 3 April 2014.

Photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe

[racinglegends]

Grandouet and Barry Geraghty at Kempton, late December 2013.

Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe

[silksblog-blog]

Next Season Scheming

Plotting the routes that horses take to each year’s festival is an integral part of being a frugal anteposter. The tendency to avoid stablemates and creation of middle distance Grade 1s has made this process even more difficult than usual, as traditional routes are swerved. Here are some educated guesses:

  Simonsig

  Where to next Boss?

The natural 2 mile route of Arkle to Queen Mother is currently impeded by the unsurpassable roadblock of Sprinter Sacre. The fact that both are trained for Henderson simply compounds the matter further. So what for Simonsig? To remain a chaser could see him either aimed at the Ryanair or possibly the King George. The path might take in the Old Roan, the Amlin, the Peterborough and the Ascot chases, with a King George in the middle. Then there’s Finian’s Rainbow and Riverside Theatre… Options are likely to remain vastly open with Sizing Europe style indecision. A hushed voice would whisper about the possibility of hurdles, taking in a Fighting Fifth, a Christmas and finally the Champion. No choice is easy but pace is his trump and a clash with Sprinter Sacre could be a thrill that serves both the horse and the racing public best. 

  Zarkandar

  The first clue to this puzzle lies in his Aintree performance. A meeting with Oscar Whisky and possibly The New One over 2m4f could be the first evidence of Zarkandar’s long distance future. If so Zarkandar looks great World Hurdle value with NRFB at 10/1.

  Grandouet

  Stick with hurdles or try over fences? Clearly brimming with pace it would be exciting to see Grandouet take on an Arkle, possibly with Champagne Fever in it.

  Champagne Fever

  With the scope of a chaser, Champagne Fever’s bumper and Supreme wins stand him in excellent stead for an Arkle next year. If victorious he’d equal the record Bobs Worth just reached by winning three different races in consecutive years at the festival, being a year younger too.

  At Fishers Cross

  A World Hurdle star in the making. How he’ll perform on good ground is still a concern but stayed magnificently in the Albert Bartlett.