King George VI Chase - Boxing Day, Kempton

Grassy you're sounding like a man that's both emotionally and financially invested in Vautour running in the GC. Barring an injury to Djakadam there is absolutely zero chance that Vautour will line up. Every interview with Mullins and Ricci spells this out quite plainly. Whether you agree with this or not is irrelevant.

After being quite vocal about my lack of enthusiasm for Don Cossack pre race I was actually quite impressed with that run. He ran in snatches throughout which suggests he'd appreciate a slightly slower pace over an extra two furlongs to be seen at his best. I certainly wouldn't discount him for the Gold Cup.
 
The 11-day ban and large fine imposed on Brennan leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. Brennan won by blatant cheating, he knew exactly what he was doing. If the rules were as they should be, Cue Card would be disqualified.
 
Vautour vs Cue Card in the Ryanair would be the race of the festival. Vautour barely outstayed by another non-stayer. Don Cossack, given the finished effort of the first and second, I think would have won.
 
Don's an odd one. He lost a fair bit of ground 7 or 8 out ( I think - need to check) and Cooper was niggling all the way round today but he needed reminders in the Punchestown Gold Cup and then stayed on resolutely.
 
Interesting to note that Cue Card, in form terms, appears to have run much the same race as when finishing 2nd to SC two years ago, with Al Ferof 13l back in 3rd today (11 behind CC then).
 
TheBear said:
Grassy you're sounding like a man that's both emotionally and financially invested in Vautour running in the GC. Barring an injury to Djakadam there is absolutely zero chance that Vautour will line up.
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tbf he's got 16s. at that price you don't really need to go balls deep on the horse. there isn't a lot wrong with a speculative bet on him.

i don't think mullins/ricci even know themselves yet what to do with him at cheltenham. i think a number of factors may come into play. what djakadam does in his next run. does vautour have another crack at 3m+ between now and march?
 
Not emotionally, and only today from a financial perspective, TheBear.

Powers price was an over-reaction. That's why he was clipped 4-points in the space of 30 minutes. The only way I don't have a value bet, is if Vautour doesn't take his chance, or massively disappoints in his prep (in which case, he wouldn't take his chance anyway).

So what does he run in?

You seem to think that, like Powers, there's no way he goes to the GC. Fair enough, though this does seem to be based on the final 200yards of the KG alone, which I personally find to be highly dubious thinking.

It Brennan had not broken the whip rules, maybe Vautour would have gained the 6" he lost by, and we'd now be talking about a) Vautour being a thorough stayer, and b) CC clearly getting the trip?

We are talking extremely small margins here - something not reflected in Powers original view, or indeed your own confidnce about Vautour heading to the Ryanair rather than the Gold Cup.

Djakadam ran in the Durkan for a reason. Vautour has been this yard's big GC hope, from the moment he first went up their gallop, and if they dismiss his chances on the back of today's effort, I will be massively surprised and disappointed.

Their horse has been beaten a head in the King George.....in what was agreed to be the strongest field assembled in years......by an in-form, multiple G1-winning chaser......who was coerced illegally.......running to somewhere north of 175......on his second start in open company......on a track that wasn't meant to suit him.

These are the considerations, as far as I'm concerned, and when connections get over the initial disappointment, they have plenty of reasons to be absolutely delighted with Vautour's effort. He has progressed yet again, and returned to his favoured track, there is every chance of even better to come.

An equally telling quote of Mullins post-race was when he said "I won't be taking him out of it (the Gold Cup) anyway". When connections assess the race, I think they will realise the many positives they can take from it, and make the correct decision to re-route Djakadam to the Ryanair, where has has a clear form chance on Durkan running.

Vautour lost precisely nothing in defeat today, and I march-on in the expectation that I will hold a very-strong bet as they line-up in the Gold Cup. :)

Kauto Abu - no worries. :)
 
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JamesRB said:
i don't think mullins/ricci even know themselves yet what to do with him at cheltenham. i think a number of factors may come into play. what djakadam does in his next run. does vautour have another crack at 3m+ between now and march?
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Exactly! Patrick said his father waits until the last minute to decide evn the smallest things, let alone Vautour target so far ahead. He may look at this and say he ran well into 2nd and with diff. tactics he may stay the GC trip. I don't think its a prob. for them to put both Djak and Vautour in the GC, he wants to win one badly.
 
Missed the 16's but I'd have taken them if I could. He's been majestic two years in a row at the festival. In a race with question marks all-over the shop that's a great price to be sitting on.
 
Bonjers said:
Don's an odd one. He lost a fair bit of ground 7 or 8 out ( I think - need to check) and Cooper was niggling all the way round today but he needed reminders in the Punchestown Gold Cup and then stayed on resolutely.
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Yep, he looked the same there and stayd on to beat Djak resolutely, I have no doubt he would've done the same thing here if not the fall..
 
Time to stir up the troops :whistle: :lol:

So should Al Ferof have been awarded the race?


"The Stewards held an enquiry into the use of the whip by Ruby Walsh, the rider of VAUTOUR (FR), placed second, from approaching the final fence. Having heard his evidence and viewed recordings of the race, they found him in breach of Schedule (B)6 Part 2 in that he had used his whip above the permitted level. The Stewards suspended Walsh for 2 days as follows: Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 January 2016.

The Stewards held an enquiry into the use of the whip by Paddy Brennan the rider of the winner, CUE CARD from the third last fence. Having heard his evidence and viewed recordings of the race, they found him in breach of Schedule (B)6 Part 2 in that he used his whip above the permitted level. The Stewards suspended Brennan for 11 days as follows: Saturday 9, Sunday 10, Monday 11, Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13, Thursday 14, Friday 15, Saturday 16, Sunday 17, Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 January 2016. Under Rule (B)54 the Stewards also fined the rider £4,200."
 
You make a good argument but I still don't agree!

Ricci has a horse that came a close 2nd in a Gold Cup as a novice and the winner will not be there this time around. He also has a horse that put up the performance of the festival last year over 2 and a half miles. It's an easy choice. I did wonder if he was obsessed with winning the GC and was considering sending them both there but his interview before todays race convinced me that he's a pragmatist rather than a romantic.

Everything in Vautour's performance today convinced me that he's a Ryanair horse this season. He's only just going to turn 7 so this could change in time. What sticks in my mind is his leap at the last today compared to that of the final fence in the JLT. The tank looked empty to me. I would also take no consolation from the fact Mullins won't take him out of the GC. He's renowned for multiple entries until the last possible minute.
 
That's not the point, TheBear.

The point is that to run him in anything other than the Gold Cup, would be viewed by connections as an even bigger disappointment than him running in it, and getting beat!

They do not want to any other race BUT the Gold Cup with Vautour, and the Ryanair wouldn't be any kind of consolation......no matter how much they lied through their teeth in the Winners Enclosure. :)

Only a calamitous failure in his prep run will make them think differently about a Gold Cup run - I'm convinced of it - and your "zero chance" remark* was/is miles out.

* Poetic license is permissable, but only to an extent. :)
 
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The owner had Djackadam to win the race with.so i can see Vautour going Ryan Air and winning that easily. Oh and Djack ran in the Durkan just as pipe opener. No point chucking him into a 3m race first time out - esp when he is as fat as a pig.
 
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Grasshopper said:
That's not the point, TheBear.

The point is that to run him in anything other than the Gold Cup, would be viewed by connections as an even bigger disappointment than him running in it, and getting beat!

They do not want to any other race BUT the Gold Cup with Vautour, and the Ryanair wouldn't be any kind of consolation......no matter how much they lied through their teeth in the Winners Enclosure. :)

Only a calamitous failure in his prep run will make them think differently about a Gold Cup run - I'm convinced of it - and your "zero chance" remark* was/is miles out.

* Poetic license is permissable, but only to an extent. :)
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But connections also have the favourite for the Gold Cup and they also have time on their side with Vautour. Let Djakadam have his chance this year and if he gets beat again then go back to the drawing board. Accepting a sizeable cheque from Michael O'Leary would be some consolation I'm sure!
 
We'll see what happens, TheBear. I've no insight into connections thinking, other than my own conspiracy theories.

PS. Didn't Djakadam have his chance last year? ;)
 
I'm not getting drawn in! Just watched a replay of the KG again. Don Cossack actually took off at the 2nd last just before Cue Card suggesting he was just getting the better of him. That is mitigated by the fact he hardly got off the ground so was he coming to the end of his tether?
 
looking at the new market, Mullins has first 2 in betting, could be that Vautour is given another easy task at Chelt this year as they have the Annie Power experience so prob their thinking is that its important to win any race at the festival and try GC for the next season who knows. But Don is 8s with Betfair anyone wants to get the most exciting deal 8/1 will be worth it, problems in running, falling at any time, losing position, I almost wish Cooper will ride Poli instead and see how Don will get on with other pair of hands, Carberry & McCoy gave him rides that made him the highest rated chaser, Russell rode him to first G1...
 
1. Congatulations to Cue Card and connections. Long time coming, great training performance to bring him back better than ever and thoroughly deserved.

2. Cue Card definitely goes Gold Cup now and Vautour would win the Ryanair by a fence.

3. Don Poli would have got up, I've no doubt. Gold Cup won't suit so he'll be the next Beef or Salmon.

4. Djakadam wins the Gold Cup.
 
Cue Card is the forum horse.
He was tipped up on the festival chat before he won his bumper at a huge price by someone (Flame)?
Hes a non stayer that can now stay.
Fantastic horse, well deserved winner who is an owners dream.
 
Despite having my pocket picked (I had £40 matched at 19 in January about Vautour - biggest price laid in Betfair's ante-post market), and despite the fact I've spent three losing year's backing him for the KG, Cue Card is about as likeable chaser as has been around for years, and I do not begrudge him this victory one iota.
 
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