Road to the Gold Cup 2011

Euronymous

Euronymous

Senior Jockey
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It's mid September so we're equidistant between Festivals and I was wondering what camp people are in? Old guard or a new beginning?

I personally cannot see Kauto or Denman being realistic challengers come March and Imperial Commander just doesn't strike me as being a dual winner. And with What a Friend being fourth in the market (what??) I've been throwing some small bets at outsiders and have backed Pandorama and Mad Max at fancy prices.
 
I think Pandorama could dominate in Ireland over the winter but Cheltenham in March is a different matter.A good back to lay.
 
Will Pandorama go on the good quick ground?

It looks open this season. The old guard getting on, the new king....well still has it to prove, if that is possible for a Gold Cup winner. I just don't like the way he runs in and out, although he's more in than out around his fav track. But he's a hard one for me to measure. Anything stepping up in trip that could prove the one to watch?
 
Hunch says Kauto Star, Denman and Imperial Commander will not win after Christmas....but not sure who will beat them yet.
 
LUKE said:
I think Pandorama could dominate in Ireland over the winter but Cheltenham in March is a different matter.A good back to lay.
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You got there a second before me. I've always held the same opinion of Pandorama since his bumper days......a big one paced soft ground horse. Admittedly, that one pace is decent. He's a relentless galloper and the heavier the ground the better. He never really races on the bridle to me so I think he could be in trouble early at Cheltenham.
 
LUKE said:
Its a shame because his superiority over Weapons Amnesty would give him a right chance.
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I've taken a punt on the ground because these days we just don't know about the ground come March. I'm sure the July course had a meeting run on soft a bit ago and that is unheard of in my experience.
 
IC has a magnificent record at Cheltenham. I give him the utmost respect

Might Masterminded be tried over further this term?

I believe both Sizing Europe and Forpadydeplasterer will be tried over 3miles this term
 
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Meade also had news of his dual Grade One-winning chaser Pandorama, who has been off the track with injury since edging out Weapon's Amnesty at Leopardstown in December of last year.
"He's in good form and he's back in doing work now," the trained continued.
"The plan for him is to hopefully head towards the Hennessy at Newbury and he might have a run beforehand, but we'll see."
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Interesting..
 
Surprised to see that Imperial Commander is 5/1. I was expecting him to be 9/4 or 5/2 ish. He's a very straightforward horse that isn't difficult to read, being best caught fresh. When he's beaten Denman in the Betfair Chase, he'll be 5/2. Okay so he might drift out again if they run him around Christmas when Twiston-Davies have lost their form again, but he should be A1 again for March.
 
Imperial Commander just does not strike me as a likely dual Gold Cup winner - just an impression I have of him though it should be said I got the horse completely wrong last year too!
 
Who knows. More realistic than Kicking King looked after his Arkle maybe.

Leaving betting out of it he's the one animal (after Denman of course) in training I'd most love to see win the race in March.
 
I'd really love to see Forpadydeplasterer targeting the Gold Cup - I think he was crying out for it last season but still ran some great races, just kept finding one too good at the trip.

Or he could just be a wee bit too slow :)
 
granger said:
If he could stay the trip yes,whether he can is to be determined. I'd campaign him at something like the John Durkan and if all was good and well the King George
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The Lexus would surely be a better place to test his stamina if he was successful in the Durkan, granger, no? I'm not convinced Kempton would be his track either.
 
Grasshopper said:
The Lexus would surely be a better place to test his stamina if he was successful in the Durkan, granger, no? I'm not convinced Kempton would be his track either.
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Agreed on the stamina issue, my thinking is he gets around Kemptons 3 miles alot easier than Leopardstown and is also likely to get ground more in his favour at Kempton
 
One of our customers is in a syndicate with a few horses here and there and he'd heard that both Kauto and Denman will bypass the GC this season with the main (and apparently only aim) for Kauto being the KG with the National for Denman. Apparently Nicholls doesn't think either are capable of winning the GC again. Of course, it might just be a roumour....
 
Nicholls has stated more than once (and recently) that Denman won't be entered for the National as Barber isn't keen and he [Nicholls] thinks that the race won't suit him, especially as he has missed out the odd fence jumping of late.
 
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