2016 Gold Cuppin

Grasshopper said:
Any of the Irish lads get the Irish Field today with the Cheltenham magazine?

Just wondering if there was any juice (we didn't know already) in the Mullins interview about his Gold Cup horses?
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Vautour going for the Ryanair :)

On a serious note, the main thing he said was AF should be ch fav
 
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granger said:
On a serious note, the main thing he said was AF should be ch fav
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I think he's really just stating the obvious with that remark. Only a couple of runs back Arctic Fire (leaving Faugheen aside) had the highest OR in the race on 169. Following a couple of below-par runs he's been dropped to 164, so Annie Power's 162 goes up to the equivalent of 169 with the allowance. Nicholls Canyon was 168 earlier in the season and he's come down to 160. Even now, though, on bare ratings Arctic Fire's 164 is the unadjusted top rating in the line-up.

I actually have reservations about AP's 162. I find a lot of the mares' races form unreliable.

I hope the earlier ratings for Arctic Fire and Nicholls Canyon are more accurate as the thought of a Champion Hurdle with the top rating on 164 is pretty depressing.
 
Is there not a case for saying that if NC had not made that mistake in the ICH he'd have likely finished comfortably ahead of AF. And furthermore without a Faugheen on his inside at Cheltenham the likelihood of a similar error is massively reduced.
 
For those of you who ridicule the Preview Evenings, last year at the Taunton one the name Aux Ptits Soins came up. Nicholls was keen to play down the horses ability but Nick Scholfield openly said he was one of the best horses he had ever ridden there. PN looked across at him with a face like thunder. Horse duly won his race at the Festival (yes I had taken this all on board & backed him as a result of this exchange).
Fast forward to today in the Post where Nicholls is talking about not having a runner in the Gold Cup this year and he says "If we do have a future Gold Cup horse it could be Aux Ptits Soins, I've no doubt about that. Potentially he is very good." Funny that!
 
It could be said the above proves the opposite. PN clearly wished the ability of APS to be kept hidden from the public at the time and it was only a blunder by Schofield that revealed the "secret." I`m not a ridiculer of these previews (good entertainment, usually) but am very wary of "inside" info!!
 
Willie Mullins reports the preparation for his three main hopes for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup - Vautour, Djakadam and Don Poli - to be bang on schedule with the big race just three weeks away.
The Gold Cup is one of the very few major jumps races to have eluded Mullins so far, but the champion trainer is set to make arguably his strongest assault yet on the blue riband.
Djakadam only found Coneygree too good last March and was a good winner of the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in December.
He suffered a cut to his chest when falling in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham last month, but Mullins reports the seven-year-old to be fully recovered from that bad experience.
"We have a little bit of catching up to do with Djakadam, but everything we've asked him to do since his setback has been good," the County Carlow handler told At The Races.
"He worked fairly hard on Saturday and he's come out of that well. He has a few more bits to do because he's a big lazy horse and you really have to ask him and get him to work. He doesn't do it himself.
"He came out of it well, he ate up the other evening, (I was) very pleased with that and he's doing all the right things.
"He's usually a good jumper. He'll pop a few fences. We'll probably bring him to Leopardstown and let him go round there. It's all about what they do on the day. Basically he's a good jumper, so hopefully it will just come right on the day."
Mullins is happy to take Vautour straight to the Gold Cup after he was only caught on the line by Cue Card in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.
"I didn't see any point in running him again," he said.
"Last year we just got him ready at home and just threw the kitchen sink at him. We'll do the same again this year and hopefully he'll come right. We'll just get them fit and the ones that stay, stay and the ones that don't, don't.
"Tactically you might change a few things with the likes of him, but some horses are keen and you should just let them get on with things. We'll see. It depends on who is going to ride him in the Gold Cup."
Don Poli has also not been out since Christmas when he won the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.
"I think he only does what he has to do," said Mullins.
"We were happy we didn't need to run him again and we'll just get him ready to have him going there a bit fresher. He was always going to improve. The extra couple of furlongs will suit him. Just the way he comes up that hill, he's an out and out stayer and gallops.
"We don't know how much he will produce when he's right on the day because he just passes the ones that are in front of him and just stops.
"Bryan Cooper is always worried that he's not going to do it. Anyone that rides him when he's in behind horses thinks he's going nowhere. When you ask him, he just produces it and comes out and does it.
"I think there is still plenty there. The further they go the better he will be."
 
Grasshopper said:
Willie Mullins reports the preparation for his three main hopes for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup - Vautour, Djakadam and Don Poli - to be bang on schedule with the big race just three weeks away.
The Gold Cup is one of the very few major jumps races to have eluded Mullins so far, but the champion trainer is set to make arguably his strongest assault yet on the blue riband.
Djakadam only found Coneygree too good last March and was a good winner of the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in December.
He suffered a cut to his chest when falling in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham last month, but Mullins reports the seven-year-old to be fully recovered from that bad experience.
"We have a little bit of catching up to do with Djakadam, but everything we've asked him to do since his setback has been good," the County Carlow handler told At The Races.
"He worked fairly hard on Saturday and he's come out of that well. He has a few more bits to do because he's a big lazy horse and you really have to ask him and get him to work. He doesn't do it himself.
"He came out of it well, he ate up the other evening, (I was) very pleased with that and he's doing all the right things.
"He's usually a good jumper. He'll pop a few fences. We'll probably bring him to Leopardstown and let him go round there. It's all about what they do on the day. Basically he's a good jumper, so hopefully it will just come right on the day."
Mullins is happy to take Vautour straight to the Gold Cup after he was only caught on the line by Cue Card in the King George VI Chase at Kempton.
"I didn't see any point in running him again," he said.
"Last year we just got him ready at home and just threw the kitchen sink at him. We'll do the same again this year and hopefully he'll come right. We'll just get them fit and the ones that stay, stay and the ones that don't, don't.
"Tactically you might change a few things with the likes of him, but some horses are keen and you should just let them get on with things. We'll see. It depends on who is going to ride him in the Gold Cup."
Don Poli has also not been out since Christmas when he won the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.
"I think he only does what he has to do," said Mullins.
"We were happy we didn't need to run him again and we'll just get him ready to have him going there a bit fresher. He was always going to improve. The extra couple of furlongs will suit him. Just the way he comes up that hill, he's an out and out stayer and gallops.
"We don't know how much he will produce when he's right on the day because he just passes the ones that are in front of him and just stops.
"Bryan Cooper is always worried that he's not going to do it. Anyone that rides him when he's in behind horses thinks he's going nowhere. When you ask him, he just produces it and comes out and does it.
"I think there is still plenty there. The further they go the better he will be."
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That clearly reads that Ruby will take the ride on Djakadam.
 
What did he mean with Vautour when he said we'll throw the Kitchen sink at him again & hopefully he'll come right? Has there been an issue with him since the KG


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They had to hard-train him to get him ready for the JLT last season, KA - don't think there is anything to worry about in those comments.
 
I knew they did last year alright after his xmas disappointment, they upped his work considerably and it worked. Sounded initially like he had a niggle or an issue or two but he must've meant come right without a run by working him at home.

Happy re Don Poli comments there & also heartened to see Phil Smiths assessment of him.


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RW says Ryanair is the possibly the weakest race of the fest. Would loooove for Vautour to run but most prob won't. #CheltMental
 
Ruby says he's going to bend the ears off Ricci and Willie to get Vautour in the Ryanair. #CheltMental
 
McCoy has Vautour down as a non-stayer in GC.

Walsh to pick his GC mount after Vautour and Djakadam have worked on The Curragh the week before the race (course he will).
 
Smad Place has no chance according to our panel!! #CheltMental
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Paddy Power Racing ‏@pphorseracing 3m3 minutes ago
AP says Vautour Will. Not. Stay. Likes Don Cossack. #CheltMental
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Paddy Power Racing ‏@pphorseracing 4m4 minutes ago
RW says fractions were the key to Cue Card out staying Vautour in the King George. #CheltMental
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Paddy Power Racing ‏@pphorseracing 5m5 minutes ago
RW says he's going to decide when Vautour and Djakadam work in the Curragh 7 days prior who he'll ride. #CheltMental
 
I know these things are normally bollix but I'm surprised to hear Ruby say he would rather Vautor runs in the RyanAir. Is he just thinking about winning easier races?
 
and there you go... Charity bet time! RW goes reverse forecast Vautour & Djakadam in the GC! #CheltMental make yer mind up Ruby! He also says his charity bet is Min, Douvan, Limini treble. Which one will he fall off?
 
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