Gold Cup 2021

[Jrow]

This may have been answered already but has a horse ever won a gold cup without a prep run?

I really fancy/fancied Champ in this but his prep (or lack of) has been a joke.

I am also having doubts about the quality of the last 2 gold cups and that ABP has just been very good amongst average/good horses, but not brilliant.

i think the winner is between APT, Champ and RP.

[opatcho]

We’ll see where they go, trainer thinks this horse is Gold Cup worthy.

So they have two options...

1) try their luck this year in what looks to be a below par renewal. Go ultima, a race he could win off top weight last year, or go world hurdle... which has two extremely strong horses leading the market

2) Wait next year. Monkfish and Envoi Allen, Latest Exhibition, probably Champ after a better prep. Maybe Al Boum coming here for the 4th ??. As it stands, next years renewal could be high class. I think Vinn can place this year, but would struggle to see him close next year with the way things could play out

We shall see how this develops

I suppose I should look for a backup, done want vinn being a NR causing me to just back the fav ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[opatcho]

ABP is clear of the rest here.

If you remove ABP from this race, it becomes an interesting market.

- A Plus Tard becomes the FAV for this race! I mean, he won well first time over 3 miles, and has good course form. However, he's literally won 1 race over 3 miles and he'd be fav if ABP lined up
- Royale Pagaille, guess work. Would be SECOND fav for the gold cup!
- In third spot is a horse that hasnt even ran this season
- Santini in 4th spot, hasn't progressed. Appears to have regressed tbh
- Native River. Warrior, despite being 11 I think I'd rather back Native River over any of the above if it came up testing. This is how bad and questionable the above are


Now, throw ABP back into the mix.... and finally, we have a proper contender, the one that makes sense, the one you'd be confident of a good run, and can see go onto winning.

Too many question marks with those sitting in 2nd - 5th spots in the market. As a result, I can see a 33/1 + shot placing, and a number of those above proving to be poor value

#whatdoIknowthough

[Quevega]

Champ to run in Game spirit next weekend over 2 miles.

Will be really interesting to see how he fares vs peoples perception's of horses and trips etc.
Obviously this horse has also showed jumping issues occasionally also.

[darlojim]

Champ is going for the game spirit as a Gold cup prep, wow..

[ToniC]

Champ going for the game spirit Chase now. Starting to wonder if Hendo is actually trolling by now, either that or he’s lost his marbles. I can imagine it’s so he doesn’t have to slog over 3 miles with less than 4 weeks til the festival, but you have to wonder how he will cope with jumping at a 2 mile gallop

[FaugheenTheMachine]

Hendo sending Champ over 2m is absolute madness in my eyes. Got a fall written all over it

[DenmanSacre]

Well that's made the Game Spirit more interesting.

[jono]

2 miles wouldn't necessarily be the worst thing for some horses. Though you'd surely have to imagine both trainer and jockey will give him as much time as possible through the race and just be happy for him to get round, for a horse who has somewhat been slightly lacking in his jumping then it definitely has the potential to do more harm than good. The flip side is that if he were to get through the race blemish free, then it could effectively help his jumping back up in trip. And going from 2 miles to 3+ doesn't particularly bother me.

It really is laughable how many opportunities they have bypassed to fall into this last chance saloon though. Must have been 5 or 6 races across both Britain and Ireland he could have gone to. Given the fact there are so so many races in Britain for these horses, there are no excuses. There's amble opportunity for a fairly non competitive race as well which is really what he wants for most of his horses. Goodness knows how he'd cope with the Irish programme

[Hurricane fly]

There is a reason Willie and Gordon get the best horses.

Nicky might luck into a couple of real diamonds, but the strength and depth continues to shift across the water because they have competent trainers

Champ set to go to the Game Spirit

[Carnage at Taunton]

Well that's made the Game Spirit more interesting.

Indeed it has. Was not expecting that,doubt anyone was!! Just read Hendo's comments, time will tell if his intention to do the best thing for the horse's Gold Cup chances by running him in that race, works out.

[Ice]

Champ backers must be pulling their hair out with this prep !

[Carnage at Taunton]

Champ backers must be pulling their hair out with this prep !

Ive been waiting and waiting to get him on my side cos he looks like he will absolutely relish 3m2f at Cheltenham........i am still waiting.

[Hurricane fly]

Urge my only benefit will be if he gets round without falling his jumping must have improved some over the year

[Ice]

Ive been waiting and waiting to get him on my side cos he looks like he will absolutely relish 3m2f at Cheltenham........i am still waiting.

He certainly finished like he would appreciate another 2 furlongs when he won the rsa. Would have to hope his jumping has improved and it will have needed to with a 2 mile prep coming up !