Road to the Gold Cup 2011

He looked less than happy at Aintree in 09 as well. I think you can forgive any horse a dodgy run after lung bursting efforts at the Festival.
 
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Euronymous said:
Or he just doesn't like going right handed and having a race after a punishing effort at Cheltenham.
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...this is also the view that I'm taking. Seems he is showing more enthusiasm than ever at the moment. 12s seems big to me and is likely to look even bigger after the Hennessy.

I doubt that the 12s will last for long however. Coral and Hills only go 8s and even this far out the markets will tend to equalise.
 
Punchestowns and Cooldine are the two for me at current prices - I don't think either were right last year, and there is plenty of juice in their current odds.
 
Hamm said:
Punchestowns and Cooldine are the two for me at current prices - I don't think either were right last year, and there is plenty of juice in their current odds.
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I also feel there is much to come from Punchestowns. Not so sure about Cooldine, I don't feel he will quite match the expectations of him.
 
Really? His performance today and in last year's Hennessy suggests he goes best when fresh as a daisy to me. He may have left his Gold Cup in the Aon last time and of the big three he makes the most appeal at the prices. Kauto's odds in particular are ludicrous.
 
SteveM said:
...this is also the view that I'm taking. Seems he is showing more enthusiasm than ever at the moment. 12s seems big to me and is likely to look even bigger after the Hennessy.

I doubt that the 12s will last for long however. Coral and Hills only go 8s and even this far out the markets will tend to equalise.
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Ain't no 12's left now Steve - serious run - and very wise to leave him till March now - hope the Imperial decision is to miss Kpton and take maybe one race in Jan and then to the GC.
 
Henrietta Knight must be the racing advisor to Gold Cup fancies this year. Is any horse going to run more than three times?
 
A couple of tin pots to be won. The lexus, pillar and Irish Hennessy will be there for the taking for What A Friend, Joncol, Cooldine, Pandorama and Sizing Europe.
 
I don't. I'm sure they'll go for Cheltenham judging by how much Nick Williams wants that first Cheltenham winner. Hopefully first of many.
 
Yes, come on, Irishmen - what news of PANDORAMA? Desperately out the back, looked really done in. Bled? Pulled off a shoe?
 
krizon said:
Yes, come on, Irishmen - what news of PANDORAMA? Desperately out the back, looked really done in. Bled? Pulled off a shoe?
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Noel Meade said on another website that the mistake at the second, getting tangled with the fallers and subsequent mistake at the next put paid to his chances - he travelled home fresh and well and is looking at something st Leopardstown at Christmas for him! So nothing really wrong with him it seems!
 
That's good news - he was very disappointing, but nothing worse than bumbling about and traffic problems. Thanks, OTB.
 
I can't stop thinking about what a glorious beast of a creature Denman is; there's something of the 'old fashioned type of chaser' about him..Golden Miller and the like. I always remember what Clare Balding said about him years ago, that it's not good when another horse comes upsides him, because it makes him 'angry'. I always think of that when I watch him.
 
moehat said:
I can't stop thinking about what a glorious beast of a creature Denman is; there's something of the 'old fashioned type of chaser' about him..Golden Miller and the like. I always remember what Clare Balding said about him years ago, that it's not good when another horse comes upsides him, because it makes him 'angry'. I always think of that when I watch him.
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Desert Orchid was just the same, as the likes of Yahoo, Panto Prince and Pegwell Bay found out.

I believe poor old Barnbrook Again found out also, when he once dared to go off in front on the gallops. :)
 
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I think it's who thinks they're an Alpha Male and who's more of a follower. You've always got to have a herd leader and that job goes to the most intimidating, bossy stallion. I believe DENMAN is also very like this at home, even when in a field supposedly quietly grazing.

Dessie was such a sweet-looking horse that he didn't look an Alpha type, but you can bet he was. The desire to dominate is all - even when he'd been well retired, remember how he used to tank off with Colin Brown during those displays for the crowd? He was so keen to be on track and boss his rider as much as the other runners!

MOONAX would've been another Alpha - ready to brawl with anyone, equine or human, and assert his dominance. Remember him gnashing at a rival when fighting out a finish, ears back, really meaning to do damage?

Fortunately, we don't see too much of that sort of really overt aggression on the course too much, but that desire to lead the herd is what makes winners. Trainers who say their horses like to front run are in possession of horses with herd-leading traits: winning is irrelevant to the animal - it just wants to boss the herd, and when they are defeated it can annoy them or leave them looking as DENMAN did, quite seriously dejected. ("If those arses hadn't stuck half a ton of lead on me, like a pack donkey, I'd have led the lot for another three miles.")
 
I have to admit that one of my problems with Kauto Star has been that he replaced Dessie in peoples memory; I didn't mind affection transferring to One Man because I loved him too. But I somehow don't mind Denman taking over the mantle. Maybe because, unlike Dessie, you can't anthropomorphise Denman in the same way...unless he morphs into Mike Tyson, and, even then, you'd have no desire to give him a polo and tickle him behind the ears.
 
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