2016 Gold Cuppin

granger

granger

Senior Jockey
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Couldn't find a thread for this which surprised me.

Looking at Don Poli today, I couldn't help them think that maybe he looked more like a national horse maybe.

He is a dour stayer, would wonder if he would get a shot at the race if Coneygree was to blast off like he does.

Am certain BC will ride Don Cossack but if the track has some good, Road to Riches could be their best bet
 
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Don Poli is an interesting one. I do have reservations if it's decent ground that he'll struggle to lay up. He is though lazy so is hard to be completely sure. If it's soft then think he's a huge player.
Totally agree about RTR. 20/1 is too big. He'll run well whatever, but decent ground gives him an even better shout. But yes can't see Cooper not riding Don Cossack.
Djak out tomorrow. Come on boy.
 
yeah think don poli would get left too far behind but if he was anywhere near the leaders swinging for home he'd be staying on better than anything

kinda reminds me of synchronised and he won a poor renewal which this surely won't be
 
A lot depends on the ground. Can't have Don Poli, he wore Many Clouds down today who was beaten out of sight in March. Agree with Granger about Sir Des Champs.
 
For me the similaraties between Don Poli & Bob's Worth are startling. Both won a hurdle race at the festival durng their novice days (albeit Don Poli's was in handicap company) before following up in the next year's Sun Alliance. and both have that low neck carriage, lazy style of running.

Bob's Worth went on to win the next year's Gold Cup - bounding clear up the run-in - and I have no doubts Don Poli is capable of it.

The question, which has already been alluded to is will all the big guns be there in March, if so then it'll be one hell of a field he'll have to beat and what will the ground be like?

Makes it a race to avoid from any ante-post market in my opinion.
 
Sir Des Champs doesn't get home over 3m2f - he is a Flodida Peardle type, in my view, who would be better-off dropped into the Ryanair.

I'm not entirely sure what to make of Don Poli's run yesterday. He did take his time overcoming Many Clouds, but that rival was race fit, and he is probably better over a more galloping track than Aintree too, so I'm inclined to think it was probably a pretty decent effort. It's too early to dismiss him entirely from Gold Cup calls, but given Gigginstown already have Don Cossack and RTR for the Gold Cup (the former of which appears to have the best chance), putting DP away for a National tilt would probably be the way I would approach it.

Is there any update on Coneygree's well-being? I know an over-reach isn't usually season-ending, but it can sometimes mean a decent stretch away from the track, if it's serious enough.

PS. Shouldn't this be a 'Road To....' thread??
 
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Grasshopper said:
Sir Des Champs doesn't get home over 3m2f - he is a Flodida Peardle type, in my view, who would be better-off dropped into the Ryanair.

I'm not entirely sure what to make of Don Poli's run yesterday. He did take his time overcoming Many Clouds, but that rival was race fit, and he is probably better over a more galloping track than Aintree too, so I'm inclined to think it was probably a pretty decent effort. It's too early to dismiss him entirely from Gold Cup calls, but given Gigginstown already have Don Cossack and RTR for the Gold Cup (the former of which appears to have the best chance), putting DP away for a National tilt would probably be the way I would approach it.

Is there any update on Coneygree's well-being? I know an over-reach isn't usually season-ending, but it can sometimes mean a decent stretch away from the track, if it's serious enough.

PS. Shouldn't this be a 'Road To....' thread??
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Don poli was getting 5lbs too. It wasn't a gc performance
 
Can't believe all the negative talk about Don Poli. He's an RSA winner who has done absolutely nothing wrong yesterday and has an unbeaten record around Cheltenham. Granted, it's likely to be strong field this time around but he's perfectly entitled to take his chance. Talk of keeping him back for a national tilt is just absolute madness.
 
I thought yesterday's race had three fine horses in it all jumping beautifully and although it wasn't a big field it was a fine spectacle. I don't recall there being so many quality chasers to enjoy as we have at the moment.
 
Giggis will know that having 4 realistic Gold Cup contenders in December doesn't guarantee even one in March. As it stands, there's no saying if Don Cossack will stay 3m2f up the hill, if SDC has fully recovered or if RTR has improved. Don Poli ran a decent race yesterday and the upper odds of 8/1 this morning for the Gold Cup are probably on the generous side of fair. The 4/1 is a joke.
 
TheBear said:
Can't believe all the negative talk about Don Poli. He's an RSA winner who has done absolutely nothing wrong yesterday and has an unbeaten record around Cheltenham. Granted, it's likely to be strong field this time around but he's perfectly entitled to take his chance. Talk of keeping him back for a national tilt is just absolute madness.
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I'm not negative on Don Poli - I'm just musing whether Giggi would really run all three in the Gold Cup (given I think Don Cossack has a very strong chance), and if not, which of the them would be best suited to the National, if they chose to keep on back for that race.
 
Frankel said:
Don Poli won snug yesterday even without a run.
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True. It's more a question of how much he achieved in winning snug. For me, the performance was well short of Gold Cup standard, but there were mitigating circumstances and a fair bit of promise in the outing.
 
I wasn't knocking DP yesterday.mit was a good race to win.

there is just something with him which makes me think, he could be taken off his feet in March

Road to Riches is the Gigi one I like, as long a last years race didn't bottom him
 
Grasshopper said:
True. It's more a question of how much he achieved in winning snug. For me, the performance was well short of Gold Cup standard, but there were mitigating circumstances and a fair bit of promise in the outing.
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Pretty much where I am with him. Have my doubts but one who is hard to dismiss, especially if soft.
 
Euronymous said:
Don Poli is much more a Cheltenham horse than Don Cossack.
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Potentially something in that. Though also a view that he's really just blossomed and grown in to the real deal.
I thought his Ryanair was encouraging in terms of his chances this year. A bad mistake was followed by getting blocked at a fence. After that he finished with promise. I can see why some would have doubts but I would be wary of dismissing his chances.
 
Don Poli was certainly quick enough to win a 2 1/2 mile festival race so I don't think he'll be found lacking for pace in a Gold Cup. As alluded to before he's just a bit lazy but certainly switches on when asked to. I'd argue it's the flashier Vautour/Cue Card types who might struggle if we get a similar race to last years, but Don Poli strikes me as one who would relish a race like that.

At the moment we're talking about the top 6-7 in the betting all having absolutely rock solid festival form and strong arguments could be made for every single one of them. It's an exciting prospect but also a daunting one from a betting point of view.
 
from a betting point of view I wouldnt take anything shorter than 12/1 for a lazy horse like Don Poli. He looks like finding more and more when being asked but it won't matter if he'll be 100 yards off the leaders.
 
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