King George VI Chase 2014

Not sure it was all that genius a ride from Fehily. He was handy throughout the KG last season, and against a number of questionable stayers today, a forcing-ride was the obvious tactic to adopt.

He didn't do a great deal out-of-the-ordinary for me, other than ride the horse as he needs to be ridden; and that's not the hallmark of a great ride, in my view - only of competence.
 
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He got him jumping perfectly and kept up a superb rhythm and paced it perfectly. That's a bit better than competence for me.
 
He couldn't rely on favourable ground conditions to slow the others down, so a strong pace (EC1?) is what Fehily had to use to slow the others down. He was the best stayer in the race.
 
As predicted the opposition amounted to nothing. Al ferof finished closer than he did last season.

Cue Card as suspected has lost the plot and Menorah as expected found a fence to walk through.

One bookie went 3/1 for the Gold Cup....I think hey must have been hoping others would follow suit so they could lay him.


As much as I said he was a steering job today due to the lack of opposition I wouldn't touch him with a barge pole for the Gold Cup.

If you ask what would I back to beat him I couldn't at this time answer but no doubt in my mind something will.
 
As always, looks obvious afterwards. However, assuming SC continues to underperform at CH, I look elsewhere. Windermere could run a stinker this week, but remains of interest. Am looking towards Road to Riches or something else progressive.
Unless something ails him, Cue Card is a lesser horse now. Yes, he needs a better jockey. Maybe they should head straight to the Champion and let him bolt, presuming Sprinter won't return and Sire always looks beatable.
 
Flagship uberalles said:
Ryanair will be some race now, pretty much everything in behind will head there you would feel.
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Wouldn't be so certain. When they look at the depth of it, and then look at the absence of Sprinter Sacre and Sire de Grugy from the 2 mile Champion, I should think there'll be a few who reckon they've got a chance of beating Dodgy Bullshit
 
Good performance by both Silviniaco Conti and Noel Fehily for me albeit against a bunch of non-stayers.

So many of those horses didn't stay 3m around Kempton. Cue Card, Champagne Fever, Dynaste all at home over slightly shorter. They didn't seem to go overly fast and there was a stage before 2 out where they closed but one by one the stamina ran out.

I can't have Silviniaco Conti for the Gold Cup, I thought he ran very well in it last year but the questions I'm asking myself are

Can he produce a 3rd winning performance over 3m in the same season?
Can he jump so well around Cheltenham where he won't get an easy lead?
Will the spring ground be to his strengths?

I think the answer to all of those questions is arguably no. The Irish horses such as Lord Windermere are being trained for the 1 race, whereas Conti is showing his wares in October/ November/ December. I wouldn't say he's definitely not a spring horse, but I do think others can have an edge in terms of freshness.

English trainers seem short of top quality in form stayers. Nicky Henderson has Bob's Worth who is yet to show his wellbeing but other than that we're struggling. Jonjo O'Neill very quiet but you can expect that to change the closer we get to the spring festivals. The rest of the trainers have decent horses or horses that can pitch in at the highest level providing they get their ground, but there's certainly nothing to frighten PFN and Silviniaco Conti from these shores at the moment.
 
Answers to questions.

1. no reason why not. Same was said about sdg last year. I think the advantage of so called targeting is overrated.

2. He jumped well at haydock. I think he's just jumping better now full stop

3. My one concern is the ground but no me should assume that because of a bit of rain today just before race it was soft. It was light rain and Kempton needs a lot of rain to change going.
 
clivex said:
Answers to questions.

1. no reason why not. Same was said about sdg last year. I think the advantage of so called targeting is overrated.

2. He jumped well at haydock. I think he's just jumping better now full stop

3. My one concern is the ground but no me should assume that because of a bit of rain today just before race it was soft. It was light rain and Kempton needs a lot of rain to change going.
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Fair enough Clive.

As I say, the questions can be argued for and against. Silviniaco has won on good ground before and as you say, it wouldn't have been true soft ground at Kempton today.

He is a reliable jumper now, a seasoned professional. I sort of hope he wins the gold cup, he deserves one after showing himself to be one of the top stayers of his years. There was a time where he seemed to play second fiddle to Al Ferof and wasn't regarded at the same level as Bobs Worth and Long Run. He was also beaten by Invictus and Grand Crus in his novice year. Feels like he has been around for every but only 8.
 
They all jump better when they are under no pressure.........only Arkle's Kauto's and Denman's can get round Cheltenham's 3m2f without coming under pressure.


I just don'tthink he has the class nor is he tough enough to win a Gold Cup............last of a bad 4 in last seasons race says it all for me
 
DanB88 said:
Fair enough Clive.

As I say, the questions can be argued for and against. Silviniaco has won on good ground before and as you say, it wouldn't have been true soft ground at Kempton today.

He is a reliable jumper now, a seasoned professional. I sort of hope he wins the gold cup, he deserves one after showing himself to be one of the top stayers of his years. There was a time where he seemed to play second fiddle to Al Ferof and wasn't regarded at the same level as Bobs Worth and Long Run. He was also beaten by Invictus and Grand Crus in his novice year. Feels like he has been around for every but only 8.
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Invictus could have been anything in fairness. Yes but he is the top stayer now. It was at aintree that year that he really blossomed.

they don't all jump perfectly when uncontested fist but overall as dan says, he's at least a reliable jumper now. As for toughness I, not sure he's looked anything ther than totally genuine in last two races.

class? How many grade ones does he have to win? If lady Windermere can win the bloody thing...
 
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clivex said:
Invictus could have been anything in fairness. Yes but he is the top stayer now. It was at aintree that year that he really blossomed.

they don't all jump perfectly when uncontested fist but overall as dan says, he's at least a reliable jumper now. As for toughness I, not sure he's looked anything ther than totally genuine in last two races.

class? How many grade ones does he have to win? If lady Windermere can win the bloody thing...
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Yeah of course, he looked very good before encountering his problems.

He certainly has the class and being beaten 1 3/4 suggests he can win it. My only concern for him is a fresher horse on the day whether it be an irish raider or something Jonjo is keeping wrapped up that improves about 30L.
 
Flagship uberalles said:
Great ride, made it all about the stamina, all he had to do was jump well and did it easily. What the hell happened him in the Gold Cup?
Ryanair will be some race now, pretty much everything in behind will head there you would feel.
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Just watched it, and for mine it wasn't a great test of stamina; doubt Dynaste would have finished as well as he did, otherwise
SC's definitely a sharper horse these last 2 runs, probably down the the cheekpieces, though the more forcing tactics undoubtedly contributed. Never lost faith in him as a Gold Cup horse, though, and it'll take a very good one to beat him.
 
Actually I was thinking the same. Only seen it at the course but feeling at time was that he simply outperformed them rather than ground them into the ground.
 
Tanlic said:
They all jump better when they are under no pressure.........only Arkle's Kauto's and Denman's can get round Cheltenham's 3m2f without coming under pressure.


I just don'tthink he has the class nor is he tough enough to win a Gold Cup............last of a bad 4 in last seasons race says it all for me
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Not enough class? Pull the other one. He travels well and jumps perfectly. It's all about whether he can get up the hill after 3 miles of it.
 
BennyB said:
The more I think about this race, the more I'm thinking it comes down to one horse - Conti. CF is the unknown and could be a world beater but does have to improve on what he's shown so far. Love CC but last year showed he doesn't really stay. Menorah is a hound, Dynaste has never convinced me and the rest have a few lbs to find.

I'm lining up a decent each way bet at 5/2, as unless he falls I can't see him out of the three, and he really should win.


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Nice to get one right now and again. This horse should really win a gold cup. Unless it's fast in march he stands a very good chance of doing so - probably should've won the last two. Tbh I'm still scratching my head as to how he didn't win last year.


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