Paddy Brennan has doubled down on his headline-making feedback about Structure Hill, insisting the Christmas Hurdle winner is “beatable”, and believes Nico de Boinville’s post-race response is nice for the game.
Talking with Matt Chapman on Unbridled earlier this season, Brennan promised to take his co-host out for a ‘fancy dinner’ in London if Nicky Henderson’s star made a successful comeback at Kempton on Boxing Day.
After steering Structure Hill to victory over Lossiemouth at Christmas, rider De Boinville jokingly instructed Brennan to “stick it where the sun don’t shine”.
The pair had been later photographed collectively as Brennan congratulated De Boinville on a wonderful trip, however the former weighing-room favorite is adamant that Lossiemouth might nonetheless have her day within the solar.
“I was in trouble early at Kempton, it wasn’t good viewing for me,” Brennan mentioned. “Lossiemouth jumped the primary and I assumed: ‘She’s in huge bother’. Possibly she could not go that tempo or possibly she simply did not flip up.
“I do not thoughts being fallacious, I will be fallacious once more. I am at all times going to have an opinion and typically they are often too loud and typically they’re going to be fallacious.
“What we’ve done in this instance is bring out a character. Who’s ever seen that side of Nico de Boinville before? Nobody. It’s boring at times.”
Nico de Boinville celebrates with the Kempton crowd after Structure Hill’s Christmas Hurdle success
Requested by Chapman if he feels Structure Hill is again to his greatest, Brennan mentioned: “I think it’s the first time you could have watched him in a race and think he is beatable.
“I feel Nico was unbelievable on him, he had a plan. Nico was at all times prepared if the tank emptied however he did not give Structure Hill an opportunity for his tank to empty.
“He was always aware of his position, jumped incredibly. There was one hurdle where he was bit too brave. You wouldn’t want to keep that up or he’ll be on the floor.
“About 10 strides earlier than the final, the place usually you’d be capable to put the bit in his mouth and present him off, he quickly bent down and squeezed him laborious all the way in which to the road. That is the place I assumed he was beatable.
Brennan is retaining religion that Lossiemouth might flip the tables on Structure Hill at Cheltenham
“I couldn’t believe how close she [Lossiemouth] got, considering everything. What gives you hope if you’re Willie Mullins or Rich Ricci is she was only beat a few lengths and in a Champion Hurdle on slower ground maybe, I wouldn’t rule her out. I’d still be on her side.”
Chapman replied: “I completely disagree. Constitution Hill is unbeatable.
“He is been flamboyant along with his hurdling earlier than, on the final flight within the Champion Hurdle, however his leaping is phenomenal.”
Henderson also joined the panel on the phone for episode six and, perhaps surprisingly, sided with Brennan.
He said: “I agree with Paddy, nothing is unbeatable however Structure is the one they have to beat.”
