Paddy Power Gold Cup

Well done Coole Cody backers

Thought Spiritofthegames had every chance coming to the last but refused to go through with his challenge. That was always the danger with him I guess


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I was wincing watching Sirah Du Lac, thinking that he was going to get his leg caught in the reigns jumping fences with no jockey on like that.

I bet connections will be satisfied if he comes back safe and sound.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Spiritofthegames more than once (essentially when I've backed him) has struck me as unwilling to engage in a tough battle.

He might have the winning of a big race if he drops a bit in the weights and can be brought wide and late, maybe even on a short run-in, but if it comes to a battle of bottle my money would be on him as the first to crash.
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Arguably ran to expectations.

[In response to viking above]
 
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Euronymous said:
All the fuss made about the first big race of the season and really it's just a ho hum handicap.
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I thought it was a very competitive race (basically the reason I ended up backing so many) although maybe not as high class as people were trying to make out.

I would have to say, though, that the last time my ratings had it as a "ho hum handicap" was the year Joint Sovereignty won and even now I sometimes think back to that race and wonder if I was too dismissive of the form.

You could argue that the race fell apart to an extent with SDL catapulting Scu into orbit at the first and others making mistakes and/or falling but the bottom line is that it fell apart because CC made it fall apart. They just couldn't go with him and just because he wasn't widely fancied beforehand, presumably on account of his age and past disappointments, doesn't mean he shouldn't have won.

Take him out of the equation and I reckon people would be raving about the race with Happy Diva, Al Dancer, Spiritofthegames and Sky Pirate all very fanciable beforehand and Saint Sonnet and Mister Fisher arguably found out by the quality of the race or the ground.

I can see me taking a very positive view of the form.
 
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This is a race on it's own with three pages here. I dont see any thread for the Betfair next week which features proper top class horses.
The Magic Saint/Fanin Destruval handicap yesterday was better quality than that.
 
Euronymous said:
This is a race on it's own with three pages here. I dont see any thread for the Betfair next week which features proper top class horses.
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By the time the race comes round there will be a thread (I'll start one!) and there will be plenty of discussion but there won't be as many runners among which to spread opinions.


Euronymous said:
The Magic Saint/Fanin Destruval handicap yesterday was better quality than that.
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Based on what premises or evidence?
 
Coole Cody jumped uneconomically throughout the race and still somehow won. That suggests the others in the frame aren't particularly well handicapped. Spiritofthegames is very exposed.
Not exposed are Magic Saint (over his optimum trip of two miles) and FD.









 
Euronymous said:
This is a race on it's own with three pages here. I dont see any thread for the Betfair next week which features proper top class horses.
The Magic Saint/Fanin Destruval handicap yesterday was better quality than that.
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Rest assured I will be talking unadulterated shite about Saint Calvados’s chances in the Betfair, if he’s confirmed for the race.
 
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Maybe I'm being harsh. I think we like different sort of races. You love these handicaps where you can look into all the form and work out your bets. I'm much more of an instinct punter and for me that novice chase at Punchestown with Asperion Follonge and Conflated was way more interesting than the PP today
 
Euronymous said:
Maybe I'm being harsh. I think we like different sort of races. You love these handicaps where you can look into all the form and work out your bets. I'm much more of an instinct punter and for me that novice chase at Punchestown with Asperion Follonge and Conflated was way more interesting than the PP today
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I do love getting my teeth into these handicaps but only the really good ones for that reason: they are very good and tend to be contested by quality horses. The prize money attracts the quality. How often do we end up talking about Group/Graded horses in these handicaps?
 
The 2m3f handicap chase at Fairyhouse today won by Daly Tiger was as good a handicap chase I've seen this early in an Irish season. Not sure why this year's race attracted such decent field, and not sure why it attracted so little attention.
 
Good craic in Ireland tomorrow I see.

I didn't know Fury Road was out until I checked the card.

Ps, todays Paddy Power would have been a lot more interesting has Siruh not unseated rider.

At least he has a good feel for the fences anyhow.

Entered in the Ladbrokes in a fortnight strangely enough.
 
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Lot more interesting if Simply the Betts hadn’t jumped like a pig too.
The winner also clouted a few


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I've had another look at the race with a view to anticipating what the handicapper might do, mainly with the Massey-Ferguson back at the course next month in mind.

As I said before, you could argue that the race fell apart or that Coole Cody made it fall apart.

I favour the latter angle but suspect the handicapper will favour the former. He'll probably assume he had a grip on Spiritofthegames, especially since the market seemed to agree, allowing it to go off at 14/1, while Happy Diva (16/1) was well there when falling two out, probably falls into a similar category.

I reckon he'll presume others haven't run their race and, given the winner's age, will err on the side of caution. I'll be a little surprised if he raises Coole Cody any more than 6lbs and can see him settling for 5lbs.

I reckon SOTG will go up 1lb and Al Dancer will stay on his mark.

My own ratings will put them some way higher but the lack of suitable races for time comparisons makes life more difficult.

We'll find out on Tuesday.
 
Yes pretty much my thoughts too Maurice. Coole Cody was allowed to dictate off the front with a feather weight, and as was often shown over the weekend low weighted galloping types were hard to peg back off the front.

The maximum he'll give Coole Cody is 6lbs. Anything more is too much. 2lbs for Spiritofthegames, annd maybe 1lb for Al Dancer. Nothing else should go up.
 
Could be exciting for connections and punters finding out one way or another. I loved the way the horse ran riderless through the race, doing a Might Bite after the last and then nearly catching Coole Cody again near the line.

Obviously loves its racing, which is always a big plus.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I've had another look at the race with a view to anticipating what the handicapper might do, mainly with the Massey-Ferguson back at the course next month in mind.

As I said before, you could argue that the race fell apart or that Coole Cody made it fall apart.

I favour the latter angle but suspect the handicapper will favour the former. He'll probably assume he had a grip on Spiritofthegames, especially since the market seemed to agree, allowing it to go off at 14/1, while Happy Diva (16/1) was well there when falling two out, probably falls into a similar category.

I reckon he'll presume others haven't run their race and, given the winner's age, will err on the side of caution. I'll be a little surprised if he raises Coole Cody any more than 6lbs and can see him settling for 5lbs.

I reckon SOTG will go up 1lb and Al Dancer will stay on his mark.

My own ratings will put them some way higher but the lack of suitable races for time comparisons makes life more difficult.

We'll find out on Tuesday.
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Good call, 6lb it is
 
He's left SOTG, AD and KR alone so it looks like he's given the winner a little bit extra for the manner of victory and gone conservative with the rest of the form.

It will indeed be interesting should all four meet again in the Massey-Ferguson.
 
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