2024 Gold Cup

[Runragged]

Aye, he's also battled Bronn from a fair way out as well from memory. I'm not convinced the trip will be an issue. And I'm not convinced Geri is entitled to finish ahead of him over any trip.

He's just not that fashionable is he. Same could be said before this year's festival. And in the reaction from many immediately after as well

Can't have been many unbeaten BANC winners that go into their 2nd season as a 20/1 outsider for the Gold Cup!

[FinalFurlong91]

The real whacker is one on my Ryanair list

If there's no Allaho, bounce him out in front and use his jumping

[Runragged]

Not fully convinced he would have the pace to lead up a Ryanair field considering you often find two milers stepping up. Nicholls has already declared Stage Star as being targeted at the Ryanair (I'm sure I read it somewhere!) and he is one who has led in all of his chase runs and all at 2 1/2m, including the Turners last season. I suspect The Real Whacker would get taken off his feet and if he did manage to go the pace he would blow up as it would be faster than he had ever had to run at.

[opatcho]

Real Whacker would run well in the Ryanair
Jumps well, travels well, and has course form

but a pointless conversation, really can’t see why a small yard would go down that route when they have a Gold Cup horse on their hands - whether or not he’s good enough

[Benjy23]

Aye, proper wise guy non runner stuff is Real Whacker for the Ryanair I reckon

Rather back Energumene

[BagOfHammers]

Real Whacker would run well in the Ryanair
Jumps well, travels well, and has course form

but a pointless conversation, really can’t see why a small yard would go down that route when they have a Gold Cup horse on their hands - whether or not he’s good enough

Agree, weren’t they even contemplating sending him to the Gold Cup last year as a novice?

[Kautostar]

Aye, proper wise guy non runner stuff is Real Whacker for the Ryanair I reckon

Rather back Energumene

They’ll be the two horses I’d be most interested in when firms go nrnb, fully expecting to get my stake back for the non runner.

[jono]

Agree, weren’t they even contemplating sending him to the Gold Cup last year as a novice?

Yep, he still had an entry in the Gold Cup a week before.
For me there’s not a chance he goes anywhere but the big one

[FinalFurlong91]

Real Whacker would run well in the Ryanair
Jumps well, travels well, and has course form

but a pointless conversation, really can’t see why a small yard would go down that route when they have a Gold Cup horse on their hands - whether or not he’s good enough

If he gets put in his place in open company at 3 miles it must be probable

Not one iv backed but he's on the list for the ryanair

Can't have him as a gold cup horse at all at this stage

Gerri was the best horse in that BANC for me he just didn't handle the track very well

I don't really like any of the Novices, not a strong crop imo. The turners was crap and dont think the BANC was much better.

Be interesting to see how they get on

[archie]

You can't do much more as a novice than be unbeaten and win the Cheltenham novices 3m championship.

Stamina on both sides of the pedigree so, in my view, very little chance of him dropping down in trip. The trainer has already said 2 races then the Gold Cup.

[somer1]

If anything was to happen to GDC this race is wide open.

[Benjy23]

What is going to put him in his place in open company over 3 miles in England pre Cheltenham? Assuming they pick sensible targets every chance he'll be going into the Gold Cup still unbeaten imo

[Exar Essay]

What is going to put him in his place in open company over 3 miles in England pre Cheltenham? Assuming they pick sensible targets every chance he'll be going into the Gold Cup still unbeaten imo

It depends the route they take of course, but I’d not fancy him to beat L’Homme Presse or BMG, and it’d be close against Protektorat. He’d do well to avoid all 3 pre- GC.

[Captain Chris]

I'll be amazed if TRW remains unbeaten going into Christmas, let alone Cheltenham. He ran 3 brilliant races as a novice, but all were at Cheltenham and the first 2 were small fields that he got a freebie on the front. A flat, speedier track (Wetherby/Kempton/Newbury/Aintree) might catch him out and it'll be interesting to see how he copes with strong pressure for the lead. I like him for the Gold Cup, but he's got enough to prove at the moment and I'd be surprised if we couldn't get ~double his current price at some point during the season. Ahoy Senor was available at 40s after the King George and I could see something similar happening to this inexperienced horse

[Benjy23]

BMG route is obvious isn't it. So I'm assuming he avoids him. But aye if he turned up at the King George then I wouldn't be too confident of my statement.

Not sure on the above like. Looked the complete opposite of that to me last year. Some fancying him for the Ryanair. Others expecting him to get done for speed over 3 miles on some tracks. Can't be having that at all but I guess that's the beauty of opinions