The most remorseful race of 2012 National Hunt season
One of the most disappointing races of the 2012 hurdles season was the Ladbroke Hurdle. Those who flashed exciting headlines and dominated the betting arena right before the race, finished it most disgracefully. The Paul Nicholls’ trained, Ranjaan, who missed
the Cheltenham Festival last year due to sore joints, could honestly not show any improvement whatsoever in his seasonal debut.
Alan King’s entry for the race, Balder Succes, was so heavily backed and still could not make anything substantial out of the trip. One of the most celebrated entries, Olofi, made the fans of the race excited when they heard that he was almost an expert
on the ground condition of the race and that there was hardly anything that could come between him and the success.
The respective trainers stated the following:
Paul Nicholls said:
"He has schooled very well and worked very well and we always thought last year he had the make and shape to be better as he got older. The signs are that he's made significant improvement.”
Balder Succes’ trainer, Alan King, commented:
"You need an improving young hurdler to win this competitive race and we got lucky with Raya Star last year.”
Trainer, Tom George, ever confident and convinced about the title heading his stable mentioned:
"He seems to get on very well on softer ground running some good races. It doesn't inconvenience him as much as others.”
"If you look at his form from last year when he was running behind some good horses he deserves to be where is in the handicap.”
Each of the above mentioned trainers was taken aback by the eventual outcome of the race as not even one out of the most anticipated trio could make it to the finishing frame of the first three positions.
The race on 22nd December at Ascot was won by the Gordon Elliott trained, Cause Of Causes. Riding with jockey, Davy Condon, he defeated Petit Robin by four lengths.
Way down the line, Ranjaan finished twelfth, Olofi came fifteenth while Balder Succes ended right after.
None of the three could justify the expectations that were aligned with them and there is not much that their connections can present as excuses.
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