“Makes No Sense”: Horse Racing World Stunned as Renowned Horse HILLCREST Takes a Break for the 23/24 Jumps Season

Hillcrest is a promising horse for the trainer Henry Daly. Last year he was in form and won four hurdle races which included a Grade 2  race at Haydock where he won by eight lengths. He was the favorite to win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival but on his last run was pulled out from the race.

The eight-year-old gelding was diagnosed with heat leg and the owners decided to rest him for the rest of the season. The idea was to give him enough time to recover and come back next season strongly. But, it seems the plan didn’t go as required and he is set to miss another season due to that injury.

Hillcrest will miss this horse racing season

Hillcrest missed the 2022/23 season after getting a heat in the leg. He was rested to give time for healing. But, the leg has not completely healed which forced Mick Meagher, racing manager to the late owner, and  Kathryn Revitt, group chief executive of Hemmings business to take a tough call.

As per the social media post by X, they decided to rest the gelding for one more season 2023/24, and run him the next jumping season. Speaking on the horse, the trainer said, “He’s absolutely fine, walking and trotting at home” with Mick Meagher. But he echoed the duo’s decision and supported their tough call. He said that there is no harm in waiting for next year seeing the huge size of the horse and the associated risk of injury with it.

Henry Daly said that he visited the barn six or eight weeks before and found the horse in fantastic condition. One more season delay didn’t deter the trainer’s confidence in the gelding. He is optimistic that he will start in style in the coming season. The news of one more jumping season skip for Hillcrest left the horse racing world stunned.

Horse Racing world reacts in surprise

Hillcrest will not take part in the 2023/24 season and will miss it. This news had put the horse racing enthusiasts in wonder who were taken by surprise by the news. They shared their thought on the decision in the comments section.

One horse racing enthusiast doubts that the horse will return next season saying he is too fragile.

Another horse racing fan seems unhappy with the decision, giving his opinion that they shouldn’t waste his career.

Another enthusiast shared his hope that the horse will come back stronger next year.

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Another fan shared his thoughts saying big horses have their own problems. He hoped for his recovery but had little faith in it.

Another horse racing enthusiast opinionated that it was a mistake by owners to run him at Bartlett. The horse is missing his best age and getting older.

The decision to rest Hillcrest one more season has created doubts in the mind of the racing enthusiast and time will tell whether the owner’s decision was wise or not

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