Paddy Brennan has doubled down on his headline-making comments about Structure Hill, insisting the Christmas Hurdle winner is “beatable” and believing Nico de Boinville’s reaction after the race is good for the sport.
Speaking to Matt Chapman on Unbridled earlier this season, Brennan promised to take his co-host to a “posh dinner” in London if the Nicky Henderson star returned a winner at Kempton on Boxing Day.
After leading Structure Hill to victory over Lossiemouth at Christmas, rider De Boinville jokingly told Brennan to “hit him where the sun don’t shine”.
The pair were later pictured together as Brennan congratulated De Boinville on a great trip, but the former weighing room favorite insists Lossiemouth could still have her day in the sun.
“I struggled at the start at Kempton, it wasn’t a good watch for me,” Brennan said. “Lossiemouth jumped first and I thought, ‘He’s in big trouble.’ Maybe he couldn’t go at that pace or maybe he just didn’t show up.
“I don’t mind making mistakes, I will make mistakes again. “I will always have an opinion and sometimes they can be too loud and other times they will be wrong.”
“What we have done in this case is bring out a character. Who has seen that side of Nico de Boinville before? Nobody. “Sometimes it’s boring.”
Asked by Chapman if he thinks Structure Hill is back to his best, Brennan said: “I think it’s the first time you could have looked at him in a race and thought he’s beatable.
“I think Nico was incredible with him, he had a plan. Nico was always ready if the tank emptied, but he didn’t give Structure Hill a chance for his tank to empty.
“He was always aware of his position, he jumped incredibly. There was one obstacle where he was too brave. You don’t want to keep this up or you’ll end up on the floor.
“About 10 steps before the last one, where normally you could put the bit in his mouth and show it off, he soon leaned over and squeezed it hard to the line. That’s where I thought I was beatable.
“I couldn’t believe how close (Lossiemouth) got, all things considered. What gives you hope if you are Willie Mullins or Wealthy Ricci is that she was only beaten by a few lengths and perhaps in a Champion Hurdle on slower ground, I wouldn’t rule her out. I would still be on his side.”
Chapman responded: “I completely disagree. Structure Hill is unbeatable.
“He has been extravagant in his hurdles race before, in the final leg of the Champion Hurdle, but his jump is exceptional.”
Henderson also joined the panel by phone for episode six and, perhaps surprisingly, sided with Brennan.
He said: “I agree with Paddy, nothing is unbeatable, but Structure is the one they have to beat.”
