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Road to the 2013 Gold Cup

kurtz.jpg
 
i cant see it in a month of sundays but i wouldnt begrudge anthony knott his million.
 
Sixteen entered for the Hennessy at Leopardstown

Albertas Run
Bog Warrior
China Rock
Flemenstar
Joncol
Kauto Stone
Mall de Blevre
Pandorama
Prince de Beauchene
Quel Esprit
Quito de la Roque
Roi de Mee
Seebass
Sir des Champs
Sizing Europe
Tidal Bay
 
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Quito de la Roque wins the Kinloch Brae easily from fellow Gigginstown owned Roi de Mee.

The going must be very heavy for Quito to be winning handy over a trip well short of his best.
 
chroniclandlord said:
The going must be very heavy for Quito to be winning handy over a trip well short of his best.
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I thought the ground was always very heavy in Ireland.

And to be frank, after what some of you were saying only a month or so ago, I don't think you've a right to argue about him at his 'best'.:lol:
 
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Nice to see even when I'm gone I'm not forgotten, remember I'm always lurking in the wings.:)
 
I'm starting to develop a Keeganesque attitude to those who totally dismiss Cape Tribulations chances of performing well in the GC. Yesterday he beat a tuned up former GC winner giving weight. That is an achievement and all credit to Jefferson who seems to have got the horse enjoying his races. Yes a handicapper, albeit a bloody good one over hurdles, but that is because he has not really cut it over fences until LTO.

As a fan and frequent backer of Imperial Commander it was good to see him back but imo he was beaten by a better horse yesterday. If one looks at CT's races he does have the ability to finish strongly after travelling pretty well. That's how he won his festival hurdles races. He is not a dour stayer but is at last starting to show the level of performance that was potentially there when he was running in bumpers.

So I would love it, really love it, if he runs well in the GC. I've got him at ridiculous prices, up to 150/1win and 40/1 place, though the average is far lower. However it is the possiblity of early hopes being realised that excites me more than the financial reward.
 
I've always had a soft-spot for Malcolm Jefferson, as he trained the fabulous Dato Star (most under-rated 2m hurdler of last 20 years - fact), and would also "love it" if Cape Tribulation ran well in the Gold Cup.

That said, yesterday's Argento was, in my view, not the kind of race to draw too many strong conclusions from. Bobs Worth's absence diluted it hugely, and half the fields were already exposed as inconsistent at best, and thorough-going dodgepots at worst (Wayward Prince, Weirld Al etc).

Take out the outclassed handicappers, the non-staying Hunt Ball, and Grands Crus (once again ran no sort of race over Cheltenham fences), and CT had Imperial Commander left to beat. And for all that IC goes well fresh, loves the course, and is a Gold Cup winner - lets not forget that he was a 12yo returning from 2 years off the track.

I'm not looking to pop TS's bubble in any way - there's nothing better than taking big prices and seeing the horse move in the desired direction.....but the Argento is just not a race to have much faith in, for me, and I'll rbe surprised if any of them land a blow in March.
 
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purely for TS i hope CT wins.

but...I can't help questioning the value of yesterdays race from a time point of view though..sorry about that;)

if you compare it to vino griego's race per furlong the Argento comes up about 10 seconds slower

if that 10 seconds is down to a slow early pace..then thats fair enough..but if it isn't then the form isn't that great
 
Tout Seul said:
I'm starting to develop a Keeganesque attitude to those who totally dismiss Cape Tribulations chances of performing well in the GC. Yesterday he beat a tuned up former GC winner giving weight. That is an achievement and all credit to Jefferson who seems to have got the horse enjoying his races. Yes a handicapper, albeit a bloody good one over hurdles, but that is because he has not really cut it over fences until LTO.

As a fan and frequent backer of Imperial Commander it was good to see him back but imo he was beaten by a better horse yesterday. If one looks at CT's races he does have the ability to finish strongly after travelling pretty well. That's how he won his festival hurdles races. He is not a dour stayer but is at last starting to show the level of performance that was potentially there when he was running in bumpers.

So I would love it, really love it, if he runs well in the GC. I've got him at ridiculous prices, up to 150/1win and 40/1 place, though the average is far lower. However it is the possiblity of early hopes being realised that excites me more than the financial reward.
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I don't agree that IC was beaten by a better horse . He was holding CT all the way until he just got exhausted in the last 25 yards and by the sounds of it from NTD for all the fact the old boy goes well fresh - he was not as fit as they liked because of the splint he threw.

On the other hand in an open year Cape Tribulation deserves his chance , I am sure they once said he is only a handicap hurdler about Forgive N Forget . CT is revitalised over fences , goes really well round Cheltenham , is versatile re ground and stays all day . I would be very surprised if he didn't beat many of those above him in the betting .
 
From a naked eye viewpoint on Saturday Imperial Commander seemed to run a lot further than many of the others in the field, Paddy Brennan taking him wide to get better ground presumably. Cape Tribulation was taking the paint off the rail on the first circuit and only pulled out later on the second circuit by Denis O'Regan who rode a tactically superb race putting his mount into Imperial Commander's slipstream thereby not giving any help to the horse in front whilst getting maximum help himself.

All things being equal reckon Imperial Commander would reverse placings next time.
 

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