2023 Gold Cup

[Quevega]

Stattler emerged from that race with a lot more positives IMO.

[Mighty]

Minella Indo being completely ignored despite having a better Cheltenham record than Stattler and beating Stattler, and being a bigger price.

True, but Stattler was carrying 8lbs more and got beat by a neck. Level weights over a GC distance and you’d expect Stattler to beat Minella Indo in March surely Kev? Paul also had a really poor ride on Stattler - should have used his natural stamina and led, rather than trying to make a sprint of it going into the last fence.

[Lobos]

Minella Indo being completely ignored despite having a better Cheltenham record than Stattler and beating Stattler, and being a bigger price.

Not completely.....

[Kevloaf]

Stattler emerged from that race with a lot more positives IMO.

A lot more?

I can't see how there were any negatives for Minella Indo really?

Yes, I put up in my diary I thought 50/1 for Minella Indo was too big beforehand

Then backed Stattler on the morning



Does everyone believe Stattler does the job at Cheltenham? I'm not certain he'll turn the form around.


Playing for 2nd though

[Carnage at Taunton]

Minella Indo being completely ignored despite having a better Cheltenham record than Stattler and beating Stattler, and being a bigger price.

Yep, twice the price.
It’s almost certainly imo because Stattler is unexposed with the Gold Cup and expected to improve for the extra distance, although same was expected of Galvin last year!!
MI is exposed as a Gold Cup winner and runner up though, not too shabby!!
At the odds MI looks the better choice for an e/ w bet, well to
me anyway.

[YoungHustler]

Mullins told the Racing Post on Monday: "Galopin Des Champs seems to be in very good form and I would say there is every chance his next race will be the Irish Gold Cup. He's been doing everything right at home since the John Durkan and I'm very happy with him.

"He relaxed at Punchestown and I was very happy to see him doing that. I think it's another string to his bow and a very important string. I'd say there is every chance you will see him at Leopardstown next."

[SeanRock]

Minella Indo being completely ignored despite having a better Cheltenham record than Stattler and beating Stattler, and being a bigger price.

Definitely not completely ignore I know I’m definitely in good company of fellow members that took 40/1 with B365. He definitely showed more fight in the finish at Tramore than he had done last year so maybe they are onto a good plan of action with a light campaign! Still fancy Stattler to reverse the form & am happy to have both In my locker to go against the fav!

[Kevloaf]

Mullins told the Racing Post on Monday: "Galopin Des Champs seems to be in very good form and I would say there is every chance his next race will be the Irish Gold Cup. He's been doing everything right at home since the John Durkan and I'm very happy with him.

"He relaxed at Punchestown and I was very happy to see him doing that. I think it's another string to his bow and a very important string. I'd say there is every chance you will see him at Leopardstown next."

Exciting times.

If he beats them all silly in Ireland, am I going to have to read about how Politilogue is the main danger though

[Benjy23]

Exciting times.

If he beats them all silly in Ireland, am I going to have to read about how Politilogue is the main danger though

Be some training performance to step him up from 2 miles at 12 and win the Gold Cup!

[Kevloaf]

Be some training performance to step him up from 2 miles at 12 and win the Gold Cup!

More chance than the one I know is going to get tipped ....

[Benjy23]

More chance than the one I know is going to get tipped ....

I watched it back yesterday when you (I think?) posted it and the rat is beaten much more comfortably than I remember to be fair. All about L'homme for the first home from this side of the water.

[AaronLad]

After reading two articles on the racing post yesterday, one about Hewick(s.hanlon) and one about Noble yeats (e.mullins).
Having read both articles and with seemingly both of them going to the gold cup and then the grand national, I had a quick look at their odds for both races.
Noble yeats is 14/1 and Hewick 25/1 for the grand national. Fair enough with Noble Yeats being the reigning champ.
But the price difference in the Gold cup has me a little shocked

Prior to his grand national win in April 2022 rpr 160, Noble yeats was a 147 rated chaser aged 7.
Prior to his Bet365 gold cup win in April 2022 rpr 162, Hewick was a 149 rated chaser aged 7.

Two convincing wins in 2 staying handicap chases, of course the grand national is a far more prestigious victory.

Hewick then had a spin over hurdles, before winning the Galway plate off 155, with an rpr of 167.
Hewick then went for the kerry national at listowel, off a rating of 163, top weight. He was bang there coming with a challenge before U/R at the last, whether he would've won, we'll never know but it was another excelent, improved effort with an rpr of 171.

In oct 2022 they were both tried overseas, in quite different races with quite different results.
Noble yeats on his first run since the grand national, ran in a grade 3 chase at auteuil, being pulled up early on never looking comforable.
He quickly made amends at the end of october in a listed chase, beating the 143 rated mare hurricane georgie by 4 3/4 lengths, rpr 161.

Hewick was given the task of the "grade 1" American Grand national, which he duly romped home in. Ok not the strongest race, and a horse with his ability should romp a race like that. But there were 2 previous cheltenham festival winners lurking in that field, so it wasn't too dire. rpr of 160 for that race, fwiw.

Noble yeats then went to aintree and won the grade 2 many clouds. ok he showed a nice turn of foot but what has he beat.
Dashel drasher although an admirable horse, he's not a grade 1 chaser, he has been beaten again since.
ahoy senor got within 3 1/2 lengths, he's been beaten 40 lengths and 33 lengths by bravesmangame in his 2 other runs.
Noble yeats was give a 170rpr.

So two horses who started their paths to the gold cup last April, both now rated 167.
one is a best price 8/1 and one 25/1 ante post. or 7/1 and 20/1 NRMB.

personally i think from their respective journeys last April they are priced up completely wrong.
People will say Hewick needs good ground, i'd say the word good has been in the official going description for 7 of the last 10 gold cups.

I'm not necessarily making a case for Hewick to win here, I know how hard galopin des champs will be to beat. l'homme presse and bravemansgame must also be given respect.
But i do think at 20/1 NRMB he's certainly better value than noble yeats.

[Speedy17]

Or... Noble Yeats was set up for the National all of last season, because they knew it was Sam Whaley-Cohens last one, and they knew they had a Gold Cup horse on their hands, and got him very well Handicapped to give SWC best possible chance at winning in his last race. Then this year use him like a Gold Cup contender.

[charlie]

Noble Yeats was very good at Aintree but who is taking 7/1?!?!

He won well LTO but how is 7/1 justified after beating Dashel Drasher 3L and Sounds Russian 4L?

Thats in a different parish to what's going to be required here.

If it were a weak Gold Cup then perhaps I could look at 7/1 and think 'that's fair', but its not weak, not at all.

I'd have 4 horses that are just better animals - GDC, LHP, BMG and Conflated (I haven't even mentioned APT)

I'd have 4 more hovering around the same sort of ability level - Stattler, Protektorat, Minella Indo, Hewick.

It's such a competitive race I'd pause for thought backing Noble Yeats at 14's, much less half that.

Someone somewhere must have put him up. Probably Tom the hack Segal. Another reason to oppose.

[DenmanSacre]

Or... Noble Yeats was set up for the National all of last season, because they knew it was Sam Whaley-Cohens last one, and they knew they had a Gold Cup horse on their hands, and got him very well Handicapped to give SWC best possible chance at winning in his last race. Then this year use him like a Gold Cup contender.

They only bought him late in February before Cheltenham. Unless you think they had already agreed to buy him much earlier in the season, Sam's last season had nothing to do with Noble Yeats earlier campaign.