Garden team puzzled

Nicky Richards is at a loss to explain Monet’s Garden below-par showing in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The Arkle runner-up had been the subject of glowing reports from his handler in the lead-up to the race but failed to jump with his usual fluency and trailed home a well-beaten sixth.

Richards reported him to be slightly stiff following the contest, but does not think that had anything to do with his disappointing performance.

“He seems OK,” reported the Greystoke handler. “Nothing has really come to light.

“We’ve got our own thoughts about why things just didn’t quite go right, but we’ll give it a few days and see how he is.

“He was stiff after the race but that hasn’t really come to anything. He has been out in the paddock this morning. That just wasn’t Monet’s Garden.

“We can take a beating but that wasn’t the real Monet’s. Never mind though, we live to fight another day.

“Tony (Dobbin) said with a circuit to go he just wasn’t happy with him, he just wasn’t getting the right vibe. They are only horses though and there are worse things that happen in life than what happened yesterday to us.

“He’ll be back. Don’t worry about that.”