2022 Gold Cup

[Spectre]

I'm not sure there's too much to debate to have for now. Galvin will turn up at Down Royal, and Gordon gets to find out whether he's a genuine Gold Cup contender, or whether he's better going down the XC/National route.

If he wins or goes close in the JWN he surely goes to the Gold Cup, if he falls short it'll be the XC/GN route without any further harm to his mark and the very small possibility of a pound or two off.

What we do know is he intends to campaign him openly and there's no need to try to second guess anything now.

Essentially all routes are still on the table and remain possibilities, and cashout should remain for each leaving limited risk.

[HoldenTheReins]

Galvin gone up 5 to 159 in Ireland

[Saxon Warrior]

Galvin up 5lb to 159 for his win yesterday.

Still keeps him in with a Grand National chance, as well as nipping at Gold Cup potential.

Many Clouds 160 won it
Tiger Roll 159 won it
Neptune Collonges 157 won it

Be extremely interesting to see how the Down Royal race goes now.

[Dandrew99]

Galvin up 5lb to 159 for his win yesterday.

Still keeps him in with a Grand National chance, as well as nipping at Gold Cup potential.

Many Clouds 160 won it
Tiger Roll 159 won it
Neptune Collonges 157 won it

Be extremely interesting to see how the Down Royal race goes now.

Galvin is an Irish rating right? And all of the others are British ratings?

If that's the case then I'd be surprised if Galvin didn't get a rating in the 160s should he run in the national off his current Irish rating.

[Saxon Warrior]

Galvin is an Irish rating right? And all of the others are British ratings?

If that's the case then I'd be surprised if Galvin didn't get a rating in the 160s should he run in the national off his current Irish rating.

He had 154 in Ireland and a BHA performance rating of 154 for the win in the NHC, before yesterday,
Galvin is well known to the British 'capper, he has been at the Festival for the last 3 years, and took in a Novice Chase in October last year at Cheltenham.

He has had 7 runs over hurdles/fences in Britain and 8 in Ireland, the BHA 'capper knows him inside out.
I dont see anymore than 159 being applied for that win yesterday by the BHA.

I would think Gordon may enter him at Cheltenham's October meeting, if he wanted to know the BHA 'cappers figures before he runs at Down Royal.

[Dandrew99]

He had 154 in Ireland and a BHA performance rating of 154 for the win in the NHC, before yesterday,
Galvin is well known to the British 'capper, he has been at the Festival for the last 3 years, and took in a Novice Chase in October last year at Cheltenham.

He has had 7 runs over hurdles/fences in Britain and 8 in Ireland, the BHA 'capper knows him inside out.
I dont see anymore than 159 being applied for that win yesterday by the BHA.

I would think Gordon may enter him at Cheltenham's October meeting, if he wanted to know the BHA 'cappers figures before he runs at Down Royal.

For sure yeah, if the National is on his radar I would be absolutely shocked if he doesn't check the BHA mark before Christmas. Just thought I'd clarify that it is possible he gets more than 159, it's worth throwing into the equation at least.

Do you (or anyone else) remember how many of the Irish lot got bumped up last year?

[Saxon Warrior]

For sure yeah, if the National is on his radar I would be absolutely shocked if he doesn't check the BHA mark before Christmas. Just thought I'd clarify that it is possible he gets more than 159, it's worth throwing into the equation at least.

Do you (or anyone else) remember how many of the Irish lot got bumped up last year?

The ones that hadn't been over got bumped up, generally, as they'd only had Irish marks to work with.

But Galvin had been over so his mark was known as he didn't run after he ran at Cheltenham's October meeting.

[Lobos]

Whatever way you look at it, it still makes a GN win very, very difficult. Is he another Tiger ? I still don't see why they ran him to win this week. Cant fathom that at all if Aintree was top of the agenda. Why do that if the GN was their main target ? It clearly isn't. They want him to be a GC horse and must surely be trying to win again at DR. He'll be taking on horses a lot higher than him on ratings so he'll have to be beat some way in order to be dropped again to a more manageable weight for Aintree and if it looks obvious then the handicapper won't be amused. Win there and he'll have no other option than the GC.

[Odin]

Does anyone think that Galvin's RPR of 167 for the other day is a bit high? He peaked at 159 last year and whilst I don't think any of us here would suggest it was anything other than a good performance, it was a slowly run race according to the Topspeed figure. Gordy said he needed the run as well so if it's a correct figure, Galvin should be pushing 170s next race which really would make him a Gold Cup contender as several of you have already suggested. I was expecting a figure between 160-165 so trying to figure out how wrong my position on this specific race (i.e. the one that happened the other day, not the Gold Cup) is or isn't?

[Madmoose]

His next race at Down Royal will be very interesting with him now had a run under his belt and will face the Gold Cup winner and a good yardstick in Frodon who will be first time out.

[Saxon Warrior]

Whatever way you look at it, it still makes a GN win very, very difficult. Is he another Tiger ? I still don't see why they ran him to win this week. Cant fathom that at all if Aintree was top of the agenda. Why do that if the GN was their main target ? It clearly isn't. They want him to be a GC horse and must surely be trying to win again at DR. He'll be taking on horses a lot higher than him on ratings so he'll have to be beat some way in order to be dropped again to a more manageable weight for Aintree and if it looks obvious then the handicapper won't be amused. Win there and he'll have no other option than the GC.

There's a lot of money in 3M Grade 1 races.

If he is competitive in those races and loves Cheltenham in the Spring, then it makes sense to test the horse in Down Royal while the ground still suits him to see exactly where they stand.

After all, there's a Gold Cup at a track, trip and time of year, suited to him that they could aim for if he performs well at Down Royal.

The Grand National weight may be wrecked by that, or not, depending on the result/performance - but its the right thing for the owner to test the horse out at Grade 1 level.

I know a lot of us like Galvin for the GN, and have him backed at 33/1.

But it does make sense now given he worked better than they hoped recently, then won this week, to see if he has improved enough to compete with the Gold Cup winner, at Down Royal

[Lobos]

Yep, with you on that SW. Would have preferred him to go GN as I felt he had a better chance in that but off his old rating. Now, off 159 or even 157 if he's dropped a couple if beat at DR, he looks a 20/1 chance at best. Horses have won off that weight but very few. His chance has gone imo. He's a GC horse or nothing now. Let's hope he hoses up at the end of the month and proves that he can sit on the top table. Very few horses rattle up 6 wins on the bounce and in good company so he has every chance of making the grade.........C'mon big G !!!

[Saxon Warrior]

Yep, with you on that SW. Would have preferred him to go GN as I felt he had a better chance in that but off his old rating. Now, off 159 or even 157 if he's dropped a couple if beat at DR, he looks a 20/1 chance at best. Horses have won off that weight but very few. His chance has gone imo. He's a GC horse or nothing now. Let's hope he hoses up at the end of the month and proves that he can sit on the top table. Very few horses rattle up 6 wins on the bounce and in good company so he has every chance of making the grade.........C'mon big G !!!

That horse owes the owner and trainer nothing, he has been superb for them both.

I'm sure he would be competitive in a good ground Grade 1 3M Chase, the Irish Gold Cup at the DRF may not quite have the ground he would like, so Punchestown or Aintree after Cheltenham, and the Gold Cup, could be opportunities if he didnt go to the Grand National.

After all he has ran 7 jumps races in Britain and 8 in Ireland now, so Gordon doesnt mind searching out the good ground outside the winter, over here.

Gordon's horses usually start a month earlier than Willie's and are generally spent by April and Punchestown.

But with Galvin likely to be having a two short part season, like last year, missing Dec-Feb then he could easily be very competitive next spring.

[Lobos]

Cloth Cap entered in class 2 Handicap Chase on Saturday at Cheltenham off top weight.

[Run4Home]

Champ headed betfair chase & Chantry intermediate chase at Sandown