Road to the 2013 Gold Cup

Had two I know of , one at Chepstow on Welsh National Day, and one at Warwick on Jan 12th . Think there was supposed to be another one but not sure if it took place owing to the cold spell.

He also had one at Chepstow in October and one at Towcester in November but they were negated by a slight injury.
 
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Imperial Commander was reported to have had 3 racecourse gallops (SL, Friday, IIRC), and was probably as fit as a flea on Saturday. Not only did they go to a great deal of trouble to ensure that, they also ran him knowing it would be an outright slog, and in no way was he ridden like a horse with another day in mind.
Add to that, he was set to receive weight from inferior horses to those he'd meet off levels at Cheltenham, and you can bet your bottom dollar that, not only was he 'off ' for his life, but the stable knew he was no longer near good enough to be a threat in the big one.
Cape Tribulation can also be written down for only just bettering him, and anyone who thinks either will feature in anything but the poorest of Gold Cup's really ought to have a word with themselves.
 
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Reet you should perhaps listen to what his trainer said.

He was behind in his work and they were pushed for time and that's why the gave him a couple of racecourse gallops to get him fit in time.

The plan wasn't to try and run everything into the ground that was Imperial Commander's idea.

If that was any other horse who wasn't a 12 year old people would have been falling over themselves to back him at 25/1 after a comeback like that.

Imperial Commander loves Cheltenham. The race will either set him back or he'll come on for the run. If it's the latter even at 12 years old he's still a much superior animal to most of those who will run. Some horses run more times in 2-3 years than he's run in his entire life.

Bobsworth and Long Run both look good enough at their best. Sir Des Champs I like but he was well beaten by Flemenstar until he ran out of stamina and that tells me he's not quite top class. No idea what Tidal bay will do and Silviniaco Conti is very hard to weight up. All the rest are much of a muchness.

If Imperial Commander turns up and he'll have to be spot on for NTD to run him I can't see him not being bang there at the finish.
 
Tanlic said:
Imperial Commander loves Cheltenham.

Bobsworth and Long Run both look good enough at their best. Sir Des Champs I like but he was well beaten by Flemenstar until he ran out of stamina and that tells me he's not quite top class. No idea what Tidal bay will do and Silviniaco Conti is very hard to weight up. All the rest are much of a muchness.
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Sir Des Champs also loves Cheltenham and jumped so well in the Jewson that he must go close in the Gold Cup with his stamina proven if he returns to that sort of form.
 
Much as I like SDC, he will go to Cheltenham with his stamina largel unproven, pretty-much regardless of whether he wins the Irish Hennessy. A trip of 3m2f around Cheltenham, is an altogether different examination than 3m round Leoaprdstown, regardless of how soft the ground is.

I'm by no means writing him off, but he'd need to win head-in-chest pulling a 22 bus, for me to be convinced about his chances in the Gold Cup. I do concede that my enthusiasm for him is largely tempered by my strong belief in Bobs Worth's chance, whom I believe capable of a very strong performance indeed.
 
Grasshopper said:
Much as I like SDC, he will go to Cheltenham with his stamina largel unproven, pretty-much regardless of whether he wins the Irish Hennessy. A trip of 3m2f around Cheltenham, is an altogether different examination than 3m round Leoaprdstown, regardless of how soft the ground is.
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That's completely true, but I have to think an economic round of jumping (which I fully expect on decent ground) will help him in that endeaver.
 
Everybody seems to be of the view that Leoparsdtown is a flat track - you go down to the end of the back straight and see the pull up to the line... It takes getting.
 
Grasshopper said:
Much as I like SDC, he will go to Cheltenham with his stamina largel unproven, pretty-much regardless of whether he wins the Irish Hennessy. A trip of 3m2f around Cheltenham, is an altogether different examination than 3m round Leoaprdstown, regardless of how soft the ground is.

I'm by no means writing him off, but he'd need to win head-in-chest pulling a 22 bus, for me to be convinced about his chances in the Gold Cup. I do concede that my enthusiasm for him is largely tempered by my strong belief in Bobs Worth's chance, whom I believe capable of a very strong performance indeed.
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Given up the Hidden Cyclone ghost :whistle:?
 
There's quite a pull too going away from the stands to the bend at the top of the track. Nevertheless, the extra two furlongs at Cheltenham are a very tough two furlongs.

Talking of muggings at Leopardstown, edgt and I were involved in one when poor Camira was denied by a pixel from winning a first prize of almost 30k. Most people at the track thought she'd held on.
 
This is the worst bunch of Gold Cup horses I can remember!
I even had to search for this thread on page 2 the day after the Irish Gold Cup and the Newbury trial
 
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Happy 5th Birthday Harry :lol:

Last year would take some beating on that score.

Considering Kauto shouldn't even have gone there, Long Run ran a lifeless sort of race and the Great Bolster manged to finish second it was hardly a classic.

Potentially this is a better race with Bobsworth, S Conti and Sir Des Champs improving all the time.

You could say of any of them they are not good enough to win a Gold Cup but by this time next year you could be saying one of them is an absolute certainty for the renewal.

The Old School:- Long Run and Imperial Commander make it interesting as both have won the race in the past and if one or both should turn up in top form we could be in for a cracker.

It's an interesting Gold Cup if not a classic one.
 
Tanlic said:
It's an interesting Gold Cup if not a classic one.
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If this is the case, I'm even more happy to have a punt on Katenko. Has done nothing but improve since arriving here, and would definately be shorter if trained by one of the big two names. I'm expecting it to hack up in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton before running a big race in this. You've been warned!
 
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I was really happy with his performance Saturday,the way he travels up and his jumping really impressed me.He will be bang there on the day.Id take him in a match bet with sir des champs any day of the week.
 
I really thought that Flemenstar was the second coming.

Can anyone make a case for First Lieutenant being the best Irish Gold Cup horse with his liking for the course and likely March ground?
 
harry said:
I really thought that Flemenstar was the second coming.

Can anyone make a case for First Lieutenant being the best Irish Gold Cup horse with his liking for the course and likely March ground?
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First Lieutenant will go for the Ryanair. 10/1 is currently a seriously good bet.
 
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