Road to the Gold Cup 2011
- Thread starter Euronymous
- Start date
Bar the Bull
At the Start
Punchestown Going Report
Next meeting 13th October 2010
Hurdle/Chase - GOOD to YIELDING
Weather Forecast
Mainly settled and dry over the weekend and into next week
Next meeting 13th October 2010
Hurdle/Chase - GOOD to YIELDING
Weather Forecast
Mainly settled and dry over the weekend and into next week
Go Sam!
WALEY-COHEN RELISHING GOLD RUN
By Ashley Iveson, Press Association Sport
Sam Waley-Cohen is excited about renewing his partnership with Nicky Henderson's Long Run in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham next month.
The five-year-old French import enjoyed a fine first season in Britain, winning the Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton and the Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Warwick before finishing third in the RSA Chase.
Waley-Cohen, whose father Robert owns the horse, feels the gelding is stronger than ever ahead of the new campaign, and hopes he can overcome what is likely to be a big weight on November 13.
"The Paddy Power Gold Cup is exactly the plan for Long Run," said the amateur jockey.
"He's got quite a high weight, but it will be good to get the experience into him around Cheltenham with the Festival obviously always in mind.
"If he can't sort of win a handicap like that without getting my claim, he's never going to be able to step up to the next level so it's a big ask for him.
"I've been sitting on him quite a lot and just getting to know him while he's quiet now.
"He's had a very, very good summer he's bigger, stronger and calmer - he just seems like a more grown up horse.
"Maybe it's because he's not fully wound-up yet, but I hope he'll be more mature both physically and mentally."
WALEY-COHEN RELISHING GOLD RUN
By Ashley Iveson, Press Association Sport
Sam Waley-Cohen is excited about renewing his partnership with Nicky Henderson's Long Run in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham next month.
The five-year-old French import enjoyed a fine first season in Britain, winning the Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton and the Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Warwick before finishing third in the RSA Chase.
Waley-Cohen, whose father Robert owns the horse, feels the gelding is stronger than ever ahead of the new campaign, and hopes he can overcome what is likely to be a big weight on November 13.
"The Paddy Power Gold Cup is exactly the plan for Long Run," said the amateur jockey.
"He's got quite a high weight, but it will be good to get the experience into him around Cheltenham with the Festival obviously always in mind.
"If he can't sort of win a handicap like that without getting my claim, he's never going to be able to step up to the next level so it's a big ask for him.
"I've been sitting on him quite a lot and just getting to know him while he's quiet now.
"He's had a very, very good summer he's bigger, stronger and calmer - he just seems like a more grown up horse.
"Maybe it's because he's not fully wound-up yet, but I hope he'll be more mature both physically and mentally."
granger
Senior Jockey
China rock in it too. Will make it a good test
Grasshopper
Senior Jockey
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2006
- Messages
- 16,050
What makes you think he won't be in the top 4?
His handicap mark reminds me of Denman's first Hennessey, which is still the most ive ever had on a horse in a handicap.
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Bar the Bull
At the Start
He is not as good as Denman, though.
With his rider's allowance he will be on a mark 10 pounds less.
His novice chasing form, in the UK and France, is quite close to Denman's.
I think he will be better at Kempton based on what we have seen so far (limited), but Henderson has said recently he felt the horse was gone in his coat come Cheltenham, and is a different horse physically this season. Remember he had been on the go for nearly a year when he ran at the Festival, so he in retrospect (because I certainly didn't consider it at the time) he was entitled to run below par.
PRICEWISE2008
At the Start
I turned 40 lately. My wife( bless her:<3::<3
has organised for us to be at the festival on the Thursday- Friday for the Gold Cup. My first ever trip to Cheltenham Happy days- bring it on
has organised for us to be at the festival on the Thursday- Friday for the Gold Cup. My first ever trip to Cheltenham Happy days- bring it on
Diamond Geezer
Gone But Not Forgotten
- Joined
- May 2, 2003
- Messages
- 13,884
To expand on Redhead's post this was in the Gloucester Echo yesterday
THE chances of the 2012 National Hunt Festival being moved to a weekend slot will become clearer early in the new year.
Edward Gillespie, the managing director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said they hinged upon plans for a £30 million upgrade of existing facilities which were already behind schedule.
He was pressed on the matter at a press conference yesterday ahead of the two-day Showcase meeting, which starts tomorrow week.
"We are currently putting together a business plan in terms of the next five years, including the development of the racecourse," he said.
"Firstly, it's about how we fund these developments and move from where we are now and to where we hoped to be five years ago, by now.
"Secondly, within that, it's about how we drive the business forward, looking at the opportunities to attract more people here and to get as much as possible out of commercially positive times.
"By February we will be in a better position to know what needs to happen in order for the business to press forward.
"Now, if it points to us that the sooner we move from where we are now to the weekend the better, then 2012 remains an option.
"But frankly, I don't know at the moment what it will be telling us."
If the Festival is eventually moved back a day to a weekend slot, the meeting is expected to start on a Wednesday and finish on Saturday.
Gillespie said it was not certain the Gold Cup, the feature race of the meeting, would be run on the Saturday.
He said it could stay on the Friday, which was commercially twice as profitable as the other three days.
"At the moment we have the four days (in terms of sport) very much to ourselves," he said. "On a Saturday afternoon there will be a full sporting programme, not only of football but also a Six Nations programme.
"Actually in 2012 England will be playing Ireland at Twickenham on that Saturday.
"In terms of positioning the Festival, we've got to do this because it's financially better for us and we make more money to plough back into the sport.
"We want to be absolutely certain that we get it right and move forward with confidence."
THE chances of the 2012 National Hunt Festival being moved to a weekend slot will become clearer early in the new year.
Edward Gillespie, the managing director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said they hinged upon plans for a £30 million upgrade of existing facilities which were already behind schedule.
He was pressed on the matter at a press conference yesterday ahead of the two-day Showcase meeting, which starts tomorrow week.
"We are currently putting together a business plan in terms of the next five years, including the development of the racecourse," he said.
"Firstly, it's about how we fund these developments and move from where we are now and to where we hoped to be five years ago, by now.
"Secondly, within that, it's about how we drive the business forward, looking at the opportunities to attract more people here and to get as much as possible out of commercially positive times.
"By February we will be in a better position to know what needs to happen in order for the business to press forward.
"Now, if it points to us that the sooner we move from where we are now to the weekend the better, then 2012 remains an option.
"But frankly, I don't know at the moment what it will be telling us."
If the Festival is eventually moved back a day to a weekend slot, the meeting is expected to start on a Wednesday and finish on Saturday.
Gillespie said it was not certain the Gold Cup, the feature race of the meeting, would be run on the Saturday.
He said it could stay on the Friday, which was commercially twice as profitable as the other three days.
"At the moment we have the four days (in terms of sport) very much to ourselves," he said. "On a Saturday afternoon there will be a full sporting programme, not only of football but also a Six Nations programme.
"Actually in 2012 England will be playing Ireland at Twickenham on that Saturday.
"In terms of positioning the Festival, we've got to do this because it's financially better for us and we make more money to plough back into the sport.
"We want to be absolutely certain that we get it right and move forward with confidence."
Thanks for that, DG.
A four-day Festival from Wednesday-Saturday would actually be quite good, but the implication of 5 days from last night's news slot was still quite worrying.
A Friday Gold Cup is probably more financially viable because people take a day off work to attend and are in holiday mood, whereas Saturdays clash not only with other sporting events, but also with family obligations.
Just how much interest is there in the Gold Cup out there outside of racing fans, does he think?
It's not as if it is a national institution such as the Grand National. Interest outside the racing fraternity has only ever been local, a once-a-year event for some and a bloody nuisance for others.
A four-day Festival from Wednesday-Saturday would actually be quite good, but the implication of 5 days from last night's news slot was still quite worrying.
A Friday Gold Cup is probably more financially viable because people take a day off work to attend and are in holiday mood, whereas Saturdays clash not only with other sporting events, but also with family obligations.
Just how much interest is there in the Gold Cup out there outside of racing fans, does he think?
It's not as if it is a national institution such as the Grand National. Interest outside the racing fraternity has only ever been local, a once-a-year event for some and a bloody nuisance for others.
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Euronymous
Senior Jockey
Most of the people I know at least knew who Kauto Star was and that there was something going down.
But ultimately what makes sport popular has to tap into tribalism or nationalism or it's doomed to the outside world. Look at last week where the Ryder Cup was everywhere. You even had tools on Five Live claiming it was the best sporting event in the world - when in reality it wasn't even the best sporting event of that particular weekend. I think that's why the Kauto Star vs Denman thing was pushed so relentlessly. You're either in one camp or the other.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup has had plenty of media interest over the last few years - Best Mate going for 3- the Denman /Kauto rivalry and it has been lead sport story on the FRiday ..
Competing with the rugby internationals on the Saturday is unwise - they would be better off running Thursday's card .
Competing with the rugby internationals on the Saturday is unwise - they would be better off running Thursday's card .
Maybe so, Ardross, but how often does something that captures the media's interest happen?
How often do we get a clash like Kauto v Denman, or Best Mate's triple wins? It's only in the last few years that we have had a Gold Cup scenario that has briefly caught the attention of people who normally have no interest in racing - and even then that was probably only a small percentage.
How often do we get a clash like Kauto v Denman, or Best Mate's triple wins? It's only in the last few years that we have had a Gold Cup scenario that has briefly caught the attention of people who normally have no interest in racing - and even then that was probably only a small percentage.
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