- 1,612
- 9
- 38
He maybe needed the run in the Lismullen Hurdle under a big penalty over a trip too sharp on seasonal debut, but I thought he'd come forward more in the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle. I don't know is this a deliberate ploy by Gavin to have the horse ready for one day in March or has Flooring Porter become more relaxed at home and, so, harder to get fit this season?
If that is the case, whatever issue he had after Christmas obviously isn't a positive and Gavin was open with everyone saying Flooring Porter had a setback. This is a horrible time of year for trainers, and I'm sure Gavin is no different.
I do hope, for the Flooring Porter Syndicate, he can shine on the day because we had great scenes when the horse won last year. In their favour at least, they know their trainer has got Flooring Porter to Cheltenham in tip-top shape off the same lay-off the last two seasons running. But, with the setback, the market on the run-up to the race will give us more guidance.
Strengths - The horse has been there and done it twice in this race.
Weak spot - His form doesn't look as strong this season and he comes to Cheltenham off a setback, too.
As the season went on last year, subsequent Grade One winner Gelino Bello told us how much we were missing Blazing Khal, who was ruled out of the Albert Bartlett through injury. Before Gelino Bello won the Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree, he had twice been put in his place by Blazing Khal, once on the Old Course and once on the New Course.
At the time, the form looked strong, but Blazing Khal took his form to new heights when winning the Boyne Hurdle under a penalty last time out. I thought he was very impressive, but, and it's a big but, you've got to wonder how he will perform at Cheltenham on the back of that run. The 'bounce factor' has got to be in play here.
I always think when a horse comes back that good off a big lay-off, you just don't know how much it will take out of him, and for me, that is the potential negative with Blazing Khal. At Cheltenham, he's got to go and do that again, but not only that, be better to win a Stayers' Hurdle.
His trainer Charles Byrnes is a magician though, and he'll need to work his magic again, but the horse's fans should take some positives in Byrnes winning the 2013 Stayers' Hurdle with Solwhit, who was a horse who had his own issues, but was produced brilliantly to win a Stayers' Hurdle. At the same time, Solwhit was a horse of serious class on his day.