Accolade for Many Clouds a crowning moment after successful season
Much has been made of the ill-fated Many Clouds being crowned the leading staying chaser of 2016-17 in this week's Anglo-Irish jumps classifications with a mark of 171, which put him clear of King George VI Chase hero Thistlecrack (170) and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John (169).
The figures dished out by Phil Smith and the rest of the official handicappers are meant to be impartial, although Oliver Sherwood's former stable star would surely hack up in the popularity stakes – he was voted Jumps Horse of the Year by the public last month.
Few would argue the seven-year-old Sizing John has the potential to end up being a better horse than Many Clouds, but it is hard to say he produced a better performance last season than the Lambourn legend did when denying Thistlecrack – who missed the festival – in a Cotswold Chase for the ages.
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