Road to the Gold Cup 2011

Very difficult to find anything new to say on the race at this stage but really looking forward to a cracking contest- it looks so open (to my untrained eyes anyway lol). Fancy Imperial Commander to retain if he gets there in tip top shape but more interested in finding some massive priced outsiders to run a screamer and maybe sneak a place.
Disappointed Planet of Sound pulled out but have backed China Rock at 66/1 ew & Weird Al 50/1 ew NRNB as he may end up anywhere. As has been mentioned on the Forum many times it's not unusual to find a huge priced one hitting the frame so I hope it's one of mine lol. Good luck to everyone whatever your bets- there's nothing quite like The Gold Cup :):).
 
China Rock seems to be popular e/w. I believe Gary O'Brien of Attheraces is keen on his place chances at the preview nights.
 
=Pearsy;409249]...Good luck to everyone whatever your bets- there's nothing quite like The Gold Cup :):).
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Indeed not... good luck yourself Pearsy... it's so close now you can taste it!;)
 
Taken from a review of Towcester preview last night on another site, wasn't there so can't coroborate, maybe someone else was?

Paddy Brennan – Imperial Commander is about 85 – 90% where he was last year !!!! Has question marks about Long Run as not sure he will stay. He wasn’t overly confident about Imperial Commander (did say privately that if the race was today then it wouldn’t run !!!!)
 
Steve T said:
Taken from a review of Towcester preview last night on another site, wasn't there so can't coroborate, maybe someone else was?

Paddy Brennan – Imperial Commander is about 85 – 90% where he was last year !!!! Has question marks about Long Run as not sure he will stay. He wasn’t overly confident about Imperial Commander (did say privately that if the race was today then it wouldn’t run !!!!)
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if thats true Steve..then he is now the worst value favourite next week

i'll bet you were rubbing yer hands:)
 
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Dunno about Steve T, but I'd like to see IC at his best, otherwise Denman could be embarassed in being so far ahead.;)
 
Hamm said:
I think Long Run will go off favourite.

I have a very very bad feeling about IC and think he is a place lay. The market could start to reflect this in the next week.
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If it does there must be a possibility that Denman could get backed off the boards. He's arguably the most popular horse in training and if Nicholls is having a good meeting??

I've backed Long Run as well as the Tank but I kind of worry about Nicky not having much of a Gold Cup record. Marlborough is the closest he's got.
 
How far off their best form would Denman or KS need to be to win - judging all the negative stuff coming out about so many others ?
 
I think the Gold Cup is a model for an upset this year, as I believe Kauto is getting on a bit, Imperial Commander is clearly unwell, Long Run will ironically be hindered by the distance, and Denman..well..I suspect Denman is far inferior to Starluck and Solwhit.

But who is the outsider? I love China Rock, but he has a fierce habit of flattering to deceive - back to lay material, perhaps, he'll be up there. Pandorama is quite unexposed, but that's maybe because he hasn't raced enough times to be exposed..and Kempes, I mean, Willie Mullins is a super trainer, so how could he seem surprised to have a potential Gold Cup horse in his yard. I'd imagine if you asked him at the start of the year who that horse was, he'd have said Mikael D'Hageneut.

Neptune Collonges surely can't bounce back from injury, Tidal Bay is a bigger headcase than a poster who cannot be named on this forum [mainly cos she might start ringing me now if I did..]..and Midnight Chase...if a horse with a load of 1's beside his name wins the Gold Cup, then amateur gamblers around the country will wonder why we all bother talking about form when we all know the horse with the 1's beside it is the best.

I really haven't cleared the picture up at all.
 
Remember earlier in the thread a few months ago I had it 2/7 front three - 3/1 the rest of the field how silly that looks now! It does seem clear Kauto Denman IC could be beatable I'm going with Midnight Chase at nice odds!
 
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Euronymous said:
If it does there must be a possibility that Denman could get backed off the boards. He's arguably the most popular horse in training and if Nicholls is having a good meeting??

I've backed Long Run as well as the Tank but I kind of worry about Nicky not having much of a Gold Cup record. Marlborough is the closest he's got.
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Backed Denman again at 7/1 with PP this morning. I've also taken your lead and had a covering bet on Long Run at 11/2.

I'm covered on stake if either IC or Long Run win and my season is paid for if Denman or Tidal Bay obliges. That's me done on the race apart from oncourse place money on Denman.
 
Bar the Bull said:
So you have backed 4 horses, including three of the leading four in the betting?
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Only two really Denman and Tidal. The other two are only running to cover my stake.

Denman backed at 12/1 (before Hennessy) and 7/1 today and Tidal backed at 50/1 and 33/1.

On the Festival races I choose to bet on I've normally got weighted exposure to two or three. I don't normally attempt to be too greedy at the Festival. If I can double or triple my outlay (which is much bigger for this meeting than any other) I'm very happy. I usually do just that. Occasionally, if it works out really efficiently, overwhelmingly better than this. The advantage is that downside is protected while upside is likely.
 
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I backed Pandorama at 47 at the start of the season and topped up after the Lexus. But Kempes beating pretty much the same animals in similar fashion put me off so I laid it all back.


This surely will be the last Gold Cup where Kauto, IC and Denman are contenders so the market this time next week for 2012 will be fascinating.
 
I'm bemused as to how anyone could possibly consider that Midnight Chase has a chance of winning the Gold Cup.

Denman is looking more rock solid by the day - has to be nailed on for a place at least. I thought it was between him, Imperial Commander and Long Run and with the amount of negative vibes rumoured to be emanating from Paddy Brennan and the uncertainty over Long Run Denman looks better and better every day.
 
Shadow Leader said:
I'm bemused as to how anyone could possibly consider that Midnight Chase has a chance of winning the Gold Cup.
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He was looking like this year's Tricky Trickster until the Couch tipped up China Rock on RPTV.

I can't hardly contemplate the emotion if Denman wins. I might buy a pocket sized pack of Kleenex with the RP on the morning of the race.
 
Euronymous said:
He was looking like this year's Tricky Trickster until the Couch tipped up China Rock on RPTV.

I can't hardly contemplate the emotion if Denman wins. I might buy a pocket sized pack of Kleenex with the RP on the morning of the race.
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Yes although I've written him off I'd definitely be reaching for them myself should he do it.
 
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