When Well Chief beat Master Minded into submission at the Cheltenham Paddy Power meet it was arguably the biggest shock of the jumps season so far. But trainer Paul Nicholls has since revealed his star two-miler had a stress fracture in his 10th rib.
How do you miss something as serious as a stress fracture in a horse, I hear you cry? Well quite easily apparently. A minor rib injury would not present itself until the horse was put under pressure and those powerhouse lungs were blowing like a blacksmith’s bellows. Even working up the steep gallops at Nicholls’ stables he would not have been at full tilt, as he would in a hard race at Cheltenham.
Nicholls has been quoted as saying: “It was obviously aggravating him at Cheltenham when he hung so badly right. There is no reason he won’t make a full recovery and we will get him back for the Game Spirit at Newbury in February as prep for the Champion Chase.”
At least we now know why Master Minded looked so out of sorts at Cheltenham, and I’m sure it will come as a huge relief to Nicholls to have a confirmed diagnosis.
As stable mate Kauto Star only just managed to get home in front of Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase at Haydock recently, there will be those who are queuing up to say Nicholls is finished. This scribe thinks not.
Every so often there is a handicapper rising through the weights that manages to capture the imagination, and I wonder what you think about my favourite youngster at the moment, Lie Forrit ?
He was victorious at Cheltenham in November, and positively cruised home at Newbury recently. I’ve held a torch for him since the Spring when he finished his novice season, and I fancy him for the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final at the Festival in March.
I reckon he will be put up another 12lbs for his easy latest win, and some will suggest he will have to go for the World Hurdle as he will be shouldering too much weight to have a chance in the Pertemps. If I were the owner, I would keep him under wraps until the Festival and I think he would still trot in under top weight.
Lie Forrit is something of a rarity who can handle speed over an extreme trip. He has not let the punters down in his last two starts at Cheltenham and Newbury, and in my opinion there is still plenty more to come.
Lie Forrit for the 2010 Pertemps Handicap Hurdle.
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