2016 Gold Cup

[Istabraq]

Would cue cards age not concern you

Definitely, a Cue Card win would be a real trend buster but I just feel the breathing operation he had last Summer has produced such a level of improvement it's as if there have been times he's been running with the handbrake on.
He's in his fifth year chasing and his improvement so late in his career has been incredible, for me he has the best three pieces of form this season and whilst this is the most talented line up for years there are question marks against them all, Cue Card just has less question marks for me....

[Morning Glory]

Stan James stand out 8s and 8.6 on the machine.
I thought his JLT performance last year was one of the best I've seen for years, probably the best since Master Minded won the champion chase at 5 by half the track, I strongly believed he needed to be aimed at the blue ribband after that and I haven't changed my mind, I just remember seeing Rubys face when Cue Card collared him at Kempton and the shock was clear, I think it's put some doubts in connections minds.
All that said, Don Cossack hasn't yet proved he acts at the track and Don Poli hasn't impressed this season to date, Djakadam hasn't had a clear prep and if the ground quickens up he will have plenty of questions to answer, I think Cue Card has the best form in the book and is the one to beat with Vatour probably next best...

Time to be careful with oddschecker. Sid James isnt NRNB. Bet365 clipped Vautour into 6s NRNB. Still a good price if he runs and better than taking the bigger price without NRNB insurance.

[mayo]

Posted a new article on Vautour thread

http://www.fatjockey.com/forum/showthread.php?2001-Vautour-two-time-festival-winner/page5

[mayo]

Sunday, January 24, 2016 - O'Faolain's Boy (Rebecca Curtis), who enjoyed the finest moment of his career when landing the 2014 Grade One RSA Chase at The Festival, is set to return to the Home of Jump Racing for the £100,000 BetBright Trial Chase (1.50pm) on Festival Trials Day, Saturday, January 30.

The nine-year-old missed last season through injury and pulled up on his seasonal reappearance in a Grade Two chase at Ascot in November. However, he left that run well behind him when storming to a 15-length success in a graduation chase at Newbury on December 16.

Curtis, who is based in Pembrokeshire, Wales, said: "The BetBright Chase at Cheltenham is definitely the plan for O'Faolain's Boy.

"He has been in really good form since his win at Newbury last month. He has come on for that win and has been working well at home.

"He won at The Festival on good ground but these days I would prefer to keep him to softer ground, just to help his legs. The likely ground on Festival Trials Day should be suitable for him I would think.

"Hopefully, he can run a nice trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup."

The BetBright Trial Chase is staged over three miles and a furlong and often provides some clues for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup. Four winners of the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup had previously succeeded in the BetBright Trial Chase, with Looks Like Trouble most recently completing the double in 2000. In addition to O'Faolain's Boy, other possible starters this year include 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam (Willie Mullins IRE), last year's winner and subsequent Crabbie's Grand National hero Many Clouds (Oliver Sherwood) as well as the 2015 second in this race and Hennessy Gold Cup hero Smad Place (Alan King).

[mayo]

AP thinks Don C the one to beat

There has been lots happening during the last few weeks including Don Cossack winning the Kinloch Brae in Ireland last week. Two and a half miles there would have been sharp enough for him and I think the trip of the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup will suit him. He does go on soft and heavy ground but quicker ground at Cheltenham will play to his strengths and better ground helps him to show his class.

Gordon Elliott has suggested he might run in cheekpieces in the Gold Cup but I am not sure he needs them. A lot will depend on the ground as I do think he will travel better on better ground, and if it was soft he won’t need them as over that trip I don’t think it would do him any harm to race a bit lazy.

I still think he is the one to beat in the Gold Cup but it will be interesting to see how Djakadam performs in the BetBright Trial Chase on Saturday afternoon. He was only a six-year-old when he finished second in the Gold Cup last year and that is one of the best pieces of form around.

Many Clouds and Smad Place are likeable horses and the greater test of stamina at Cheltenham will help Smad Place, but I do think Willie Mullins’s horse will prove to be better than them. He was impressive winning the John Durkan over two and a half miles and might just have a bit more class.

[gjt7756]

Today would have no effect on my views, i'm now going to lap up the 9/2 bookies are offering about Djakadam now, that fall doesn't lessen the class or the potential the horse has, will still have my saver on Don Cossack but for Djakadam is still favourite in my books

[Istabraq]

Today would have no effect on my views, i'm now going to lap up the 9/2 bookies are offering about Djakadam now, that fall doesn't lessen the class or the potential the horse has, will still have my saver on Don Cossack but for Djakadam is still favourite in my books

Yep agree, what it has done is brought Smad Place more into the reckoning though Alan King was suggesting the Ryanair was a possible target.

[MrMcGoldrick]

I think Smad place is below the class needed for the Gold cup and he probably won't be able to travel quickly enough to lead from pillar to post, they are likely to be stacking up behind him and something will take him on, possibly Cue card, this could lead to them cutting each others throats and setting it up for a class stayer, the two for me would be Djakadam and Don Cossack. If he goes here I think Vautour is the best horse, debatable I know, but his stamina is very much in doubt for me. A slight doubt about Djakadam is that his jumping looked dodgy at 2 or 3 fences before the fall.

[gjt7756]

I think the stable is still overwhelmed with yesterday's peformance of smad place which is why they've said he now goes for gold, after last years success of coneygree you can understand why owners will no want to give it a go but I think smad place would be hard pressed to even finish 4th in a gold cup, least of all with this years renewal looking as strong as it is, thought he was a shoe in for the ryan air, backed him there with al Ferof as a saver, just hope he can do the business now instead

[Istabraq]

Not sure I can ever remember a wide margin Hennessy or trials day winner get such little respect, not just from those in here but the wider media.
We know it's an exceptionally strong Gold Cup this year and Smad Place may not be good enough for a podium finish but he broke the heart and stamina of the current Grand National winner yesterday (who has previously got within 4l of Don Poli) with a country mile back to other decent horses, in a normal year his claims would be obvious....

[Old Vic]

Djakadam fell in the JLT as a novice. One completion from 3 starts not the kind of course form I like. Also noticebable that Ruby gave him a lot of room and clear sight at his fences. I now think Ruby will go with Vautour.

[Faugheen_Machine]

Who was the last horse to win a Gold Cup, having tried and failed to win it the previous year (excluding those that were regaining their crown)? I can't think of one since I've been interested in racing!

I'm of the opinion that this years Gold Cup is a stronger renewal than last year so those that have tried and failed I'm prepared to dismiss.

This leaves me with 4 obvious contenders - Don Cossack, Don Poli, Vautour and Cue Card.......and I'm still undecided who will win.

I just hope every horse at the top of the market makes i there in one piece and we'll hopefully be in for classic!

[Istabraq]

Kauto FM.
Though Djakadam is entitled to improve on last years failed effort given his age your thought process is reasonable

[Faugheen_Machine]

True but Kauto had already shown that he had the class to win a Gold Cup.

It's the only way I'm going to be able to reduce the field size and concentrate on a small number of runners. It's not very scientific but it'll do for me.

[Old Vic]

Who was the last horse to win a Gold Cup, having tried and failed to win it the previous year (excluding those that were regaining their crown)? I can't think of one since I've been interested in racing!

I'm of the opinion that this years Gold Cup is a stronger renewal than last year so those that have tried and failed I'm prepared to dismiss.

This leaves me with 4 obvious contenders - Don Cossack, Don Poli, Vautour and Cue Card.......and I'm still undecided who will win.

I just hope every horse at the top of the market makes i there in one piece and we'll hopefully be in for classic!

I think you are probably going back to 1990s Faugheen....

The 1991 Cheltenham Gold Cup produced a remarkable piece of Cheltenham Gold Cup trivia. The race was won by Garrison Savannah, but also featured two previous Cheltenham Gold Cup winners in Desert Orchid and Norton’s Coin and two future Cheltenham Gold Cup winners in The Fellow and Cool Ground.