As the jumps season beckons trainers are starting to look to some of the big handicaps and where to place their horses. John Hanlon is one of those trainers and his 8 year old Hidden Cyclone will be heading straight to the PaddyPower Gold Cup in November. Hanlon had considered the Market Rasen track today for his impressive winner of a handicap last week at Listowel but the fast ground and what he considers to be a harsh handicap mark means he’s been pulled out. He said this morning;
“We’ll wait for the Paddy Power in November now. That will be his next run, I was disappointed with the mark he got in England. He’s 133 in Ireland over hurdles and they’ve given him 144 in England. Usually when you’re in the 130s you’ll get 5lb or 6lb, but I think it’s being very hard on the horse giving him 11lb.”
He continued;
“I don’t mind a horse rated 90 getting 10lb, but when you are going into those higher-class horses I think there should be some leeway. I think it’s a disgrace giving him that much. It will put a lot of people off. We’ll have to stay chasing with him now the way his mark is over hurdles. The Paddy Power is a good race. It’s a big pot, nice trip and hopefully there will be some cut in the ground.”
The PaddyPower Gold Cup is run on the 16th November.
