Road to the Gold Cup 2011

SteveM said:
Wasn't it so... Won by a brilliant 6yo who was ridden cannily in the slipstream of the two finest steeplechasers for half a century. 11yos just don’t do what these two have done. The reason they have done it is that they are exceptional.

Just before three out we had the three Gold Cup winners and Long Run virtually together. At two out Denman and Kauto had asserted with Long Run the only other capable of going with them. Long Run’s younger legs got him up the hill the best.

This was a true race. A connoisseur’s event. One of the greatest I’ve witnessed. It satisfied our best expectations, left me speechless and gave us a great winner. Well done to horse and rider. It’s not a race they or we will forget.

In terms of health Denman was back to what he was when winning his Gold Cup and Hennessys. He shone in the parade ring. With younger legs he would have been unstoppable and perhaps Sam would have done well to ride him more aggressively (as he did when he won it on him). But when all's said and done a brilliant 6yo has beaten two legends fair and square. Both Denman and Kauto are likely to continue next season. Good luck to them both. They will still take the beating wherever they go.
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My overriding memory of the race was the fourth last where Denman leapt right into contention, Kauto was scratchy but was back on the bridle immediately and Imperial Commander fluffed it and was gone from that point. And that's the difference between good Gold Cup winners and proper legends.
IC never had that aura about him.
 
I watched the race from a balcony directly opposite the second-last. The memory of Kauto and Denman coming off the bend and into that fence will stay with me for a long, long time.

I reckon the race will be remembered as much for the mighty performances in defeat from these ageing giants - two warriors having one last, great, battle - as it will for the ultimately commanding victory of the heir to the throne.

I think someone said it earlier in the thread, but in terms of a 'perfect' National Hunt race, this may even eclipse the 2004 Tingle Creek.
 
Do I understand from SteveM's 'us' and 'our' best expectations, that he's a co-owner of LONG RUN with the Waley-Cohens? In which case, special congratulations are due.
 
I think Kauto should be retired.
I thought Denman looked the best I had ever seen him.
One of the greatest races to watch, everyone screaming for their favourite.
 
I really hope they don't run Kauto in the Betfred. Personally I don't think it would be fair to run him in a handicap at this stage in his career (I'm guessing he'd be top-weight?).
 
If Kauto had run like that in the KG I reckon he would have gone very close .

It is all very well Steve saying what Denman might have done with younger legs . The same could be said of Kauto - on that ground the 2009 version would have quite possibly had far too much toe for them.
 
The days of Kauto vs Denman have gone, they both need to be appreciated for the legends they are.


I'm jealous of the pub debate though, I was out on Saturday with work colleagues and our talks never get beyond football when it comes to sport. Boring.
 
Well I've been puzzling over rating this race for a few days now and have finally concluded that Midnight Chase is the horse to rate it around. In his last race before the G.C. he was all ot to win off 155 but the h'capper put him up 8lb - he's run consistenly around Cheltenham and I think he's run to a mark of 156. The horse that has puzzled me most is What A Charm rated 159 and finishing upsides Kauto. The times on the day suggest the going was good/fast ground which would not have suited a lot of the horses in the race.

Long Run 175+ - never had to run to his King George mark and was always travelling best imo.

Denman 168 - quite lightly raced for an 11yo - may have another good race in him yet if h'capper relented - one last Hennesy?

Kauto Star 164 - slowly regressing time to retire this superstar

What A Friend 164 - ran a lifetime best in first time blinkers

Midnight Chase 156 - ran his usual sound race but the h'capper probably has his measure at 163 in future h'caps.

none of the others ran their race.
 
Midnight Chase was all out in his last race before the GC but the horse in second is a progressive 6yo and they were well clear of the third. That third is an exposed handicapper rated 144 who is probably a couple of pounds to high these days. I'd give Midnight Chase 160 for Friday:

Long Run 179 - don't think he was travelling best, he was being niggled round the turn) and for me he has run up to his KG mark.

Denman 173 - I think Imperial Commander was overrated last year and he has run to a similar mark on less suitable ground but he had a better prep.

Kauto 168 - On the decline but still capable of high class form

What a Friend 168 - Totally had his conditions today and we saw a fair bit of improvement

Midnight Chase 160
 
Ardross said:
If Kauto had run like that in the KG I reckon he would have gone very close .

It is all very well Steve saying what Denman might have done with younger legs . The same could be said of Kauto - on that ground the 2009 version would have quite possibly had far too much toe for them.
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I was talking about both Denman and Kauto in the same context James.

"At two out Denman and Kauto had asserted with Long Run the only other capable of going with them. Long Run’s younger legs got him up the hill the best".
 
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Euronymous said:
Midnight Chase was all out in his last race before the GC but the horse in second is a progressive 6yo and they were well clear of the third. That third is an exposed handicapper rated 144 who is probably a couple of pounds to high these days. I'd give Midnight Chase 160 for Friday:

Long Run 179 - don't think he was travelling best, he was being niggled round the turn) and for me he has run up to his KG mark.

Denman 173 - I think Imperial Commander was overrated last year and he has run to a similar mark on less suitable ground but he had a better prep.

Kauto 168 - On the decline but still capable of high class form

What a Friend 168 - Totally had his conditions today and we saw a fair bit of improvement

Midnight Chase 160
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It's the improvement in What A Friend that puzzles me but even if it were somewhere between the ratings we have come up with he looks nicely in if he goes for the National.
 
Grasshopper said:
I watched the race from a balcony directly opposite the second-last. The memory of Kauto and Denman coming off the bend and into that fence will stay with me for a long, long time.

I reckon the race will be remembered as much for the mighty performances in defeat from these ageing giants - two warriors having one last, great, battle - as it will for the ultimately commanding victory of the heir to the throne.

I think someone said it earlier in the thread, but in terms of a 'perfect' National Hunt race, this may even eclipse the 2004 Tingle Creek.
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The roar and cheering that Kauto and Denman got coming back to the parade ring, you would have been forgiven for thinking they had both won.
 
swedish chef said:
It's the improvement in What A Friend that puzzles me but even if it were somewhere between the ratings we have come up with he looks nicely in if he goes for the National.
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The ground would have suited What a Friend more than any of the front 3. He is also a dual Grade 1 winner in open company. Whilst he is not a 170 chaser in my mind, he is much more of one than Poquelin (when will people learn?).
 
I think Midnight Chase ran beyond his handicap runs - moreover he can be rated a potentially easier winner of the last race he won as he stumbled badly on landing three out and lost his place before getting up close home .

By the way can anyone explain how Long Run is described as winning by 7 lengths - he is only about 5 clear at best when you pause the video !!!
 
SteveM said:
In terms of health Denman was back to what he was when winning his Gold Cup and Hennessys. He shone in the parade ring. With younger legs he would have been unstoppable
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That was the part of your post Steve to which I was responding . With younger legs Kauto might have been unstoppable as he was in 2007 and 2009 !
 
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