SD's Racing Ramble: Two weekend fancies and a word for Nicky Henderson

Having amassed a loyal following on our Races Now YouTube channel thanks to a combination of outstanding tipping and forthright opinions, the unimitable 'SD' has now signed up for a weekly column right here on OddsNow.com! 

Today's latest edition features some choice words over Nicky Henderson's handling of Constitution Hill and two weekend selections from Ayr and Carlisle.

The public love a champion and Constitution Hill is one. It was lovely to hear that it’s all systems go for this season from Nicky Henderson, at yet another racecourse gallop on Monday.

Nicky — adorned in the must have fashion accessory of the Unibet gilet — said after, "He'll do a couple of bits at home and he'll come back here for the Coral gallops morning [November 19], which is perfect."

It is reasonable to call this an infuriating act of defection on the racegoer.

I half get he might want him to have a spin around Newbury to stretch his legs once, but we now have a gallops morning dedicated to not seeing horses on the racecourse, sticking two fingers up at Joe Public.

There is a perfectly reasonable race for Constitution Hill on the 9th November at Wincanton. This would give him 3 weeks before the Fighting Fifth, then the Christmas Hurdle, the International or Betfair Hurdle (how great it would see him in a handicap) the Champion Hurdle, the Aintree Hurdle and maybe Sandown.

Why not?

It was not always thus with other great horses. Istabraq ran six times during the 1997-98 season and seven in 1998-99.  Brave Inca ran six times in each of two seasons, as did Rooster Booster. We might see Constution Hill three or four times, if we're lucky.

For exceptional horses, there is a moral obligation of connections to show fans of our great sport to see their champions in full flight in a horse race. Anything else is a vexatious attempt to cotton wool a horse, which does nobody any favours.

I’m sure connections, should they have the fortitude to read this and not see the light, will say they know the horse inside out. This argument is considered a non-sensical pile of tripe in these quarters and is similar to criticism of “you haven’t sat on a horse” when assessing a mediocre ride.

Now more than ever, with societal movements to a world where our sport offends more than ever before, connections should showcase a champion.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Grand Voyage may go very well indeed in the 1:23pm at Ayr.

Stuart Coltherd's horses are running exceptionally well and he was backed to win at Hexham last time. Sadly, a mistake two out (not picked up by the Racing Post) put paid to his chances but that run should put him spot on for this assignment. The handicapper has been kind dropping him a pound and a good run looks assured.

Carlisle then race on Sunday in what is always a cracking day.

Houston Texas bids to win the Cumberland Hadicap Chase for the third year in succession and he has excellent claims in doing so. A mark of 122 looks workable for this, which is clearly an annual target, and his trainer is a master at keeping veterans interested.

He is just the sort of horse that some zit-faced odds compiler from Stoke, who wouldn’t know the difference between Nicky Richards and Keith Richards, will price up wrong just after the Charlie Hall.

Do take advantage if you are fortunate enough to do so.

For more SD racing insight, be sure to subscribe to the Odds Now and Races Now YouTube channels, and follow Races Now on X (Twitter).