WHO wants to see Trueshan over hurdles? I do!
And it might just happen, as the star stayer could still light up Cheltenham one day despite his sensational win at Newcastle on Saturday.
Trueshan’s connections have refused to rule out a future career over jumps after his Northumberland Plate success
Chappers thinks Trueshan could one day pack a punch at Cheltenham… if trainer Alan King can be convinced
I was lucky enough to be at the Northumberland Plate meeting at the weekend and will never forget seeing Trueshan humping 10st 8lb to victory under a brilliant Hollie Doyle for Alan King.
Some have suggested that the performance was far from something from a different planet.
But in doing that, and trying to be clever, they have actually proved that it was! More of that later.
Immediately after the race I couldn’t help but let myself think it would be incredible for Trueshan to end up against the likes of Constitution Hill or Honeysuckle in a Champion Hurdle.
It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time, and of course Alan King’s monster was originally a jumps prospect, but it was with little hope of a positive answer I bounded over to Buckinghamshire-based part-owner Alan Marsh to ask the big question.
His answer was not what I expected!
“It’s not impossible at all he’ll go hurdling at some point”, Marsh told me.
“We (the Singula Partnership) might have to try and persuade the trainer, but we are all jumping people and what has happened with this horse on the Flat we never knew would happen.
“Trueshan is only six, so it might not be next season, but it might happen.”
As long as Trueshan can jump, and as far as I am aware he has already schooled over hurdles, it’s surely a no brainer to give him a spin over obstacles one day.
Trueshan defies a huge weight to win the Northumberland Plate! What a machine he is! Alan King deserves massive credit for such an incredible training performance
pic.twitter.com/gAOwvgkhn1
— Hollie Doyle (@HollieDoyle1) June 25, 2022
His desire for give in the ground limits what he can do on the level.
Basically we are looking at an Alderbrook here. A run in a novice hurdle, and then bang straight into the Champion would surely be the way to go.
Trueshan is not a typical stayer, as he travels strongly and actually has plenty of speed.
There is no way he would be too slow for the main event.
Over the weekend racing historian John Randall made an attempt to mock those of us who think Trueshan did something totally mind-blowing on Saturday.
He stated: “Trueshan made history with a record-breaking performance on Saturday, but let’s not get carried away.
SIMPLY HISTORIC FEAT
“In terms of merit there can be a big difference between the weight a winner carries and the value of the form.
Trueshan’s feat is historic according to the first criterion, but not the second.”
Then, very oddly, Randall continued: “On Racing Post Ratings, Trueshan (128) still ranks below Baaeed (130) and Nature Strip (129) on the Flat in Britain and Ireland so far this year. Those who hyped his Newcastle victory as one of the all-time great racing performances need to get a sense of proportion.”
Utter nonsense! Without a doubt those figures prove Trueshan is a worldy.
Stayers rarely get rated anywhere near the best milers or sprinters.
For Trueshan to be 2lb behind Baaeed is quite magnificent. Fact. The Plate success deserves the biggest Yeeehaaa ever.
