Road to the Gold Cup 2011

Surprised to see Imperial Commander as easy to back as what he is today. If anything I feel he's at his least vulnerable today than at any other stage during the season. Excellent record fresh, yard continue in good form and he has a huge amount in hand on his bestform. Coral's 8/13 much nearer the mark than the general 10/11 imo.
 
Tactics? I think if IC gets into a good, settled rhythm, he'll win. I suppose Nacarat might try to take him out of his comfort zone? Only way I see him coming unstuck.
 
davidjohnson said:
Surprised to see Imperial Commander as easy to back as what he is today. If anything I feel he's at his least vulnerable today than at any other stage during the season. Excellent record fresh, yard continue in good form and he has a huge amount in hand on his bestform. Coral's 8/13 much nearer the mark than the general 10/11 imo.
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said same on other thread..hope you had a good lump on David..bet of the month at the crazy odds offered
 
Nice call on other thread EC. Just an interest bet tbh. Don't like having a lot on shorties. Had more in hand than the bare form suggests.
 
davidjohnson said:
Nice call on other thread EC. Just an interest bet tbh. Don't like having a lot on shorties. Had more in hand than the bare form suggests.
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no i'm same really..i hate having to bet at evens but sometimes its necessary

yes jockeyspent most of the last few fences looking through his legs and under his arms..easy win
 
Definitely in pole position for a second Gold Cup.Place laid him for lumps at Kempton last year -can't see myself doing the same this year.
 
LUKE said:
Definitely in pole position for a second Gold Cup.Place laid him for lumps at Kempton last year -can't see myself doing the same this year.
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He's the real deal - but I don't know about Kempton with him. I would by-pass Kempton and maybe take in the Lexus instead. Ballsy laying him in the place Market after his Betfair run last year!!! His performance today was at least on a par with last year and 10/11 was literally buying free money!!!!! We may never see a better value horse all year.
 
What did Imperial do today that was any better than Kauto at Down Royal. I know which one I would expect to improve for the run...

I thought he was going to win by a street turning in so the wining distance for me was disappointing.
 
Galileo said:
What did Imperial do today that was any better than Kauto at Down Royal. I know which one I would expect to improve for the run...

I thought he was going to win by a street turning in so the wining distance for me was disappointing.
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Kauto is bombproof at Kempton over 3 miles! Imperial might help the price but cannot see him troubling the champ!!
 
Galileo said:
What did Imperial do today that was any better than Kauto at Down Royal. I know which one I would expect to improve for the run...

I thought he was going to win by a street turning in so the wining distance for me was disappointing.
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Your first point is fair but second is harsh. PB said he got a bit tired in the ground. TB finished giving all he had, if pushed IC would have found more i'm sure
 
EC1 said:
why win by a street..its a long season yet
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It won't be a long season for Imperial Commander - this, Kempton and The Gold Cup. We all know IC is the type that goes best when fresh (as your stats show) so I am not sure he is the sort to improve greatly for the run.

Ok he did not need to win by a huge distance - but I was really taken with him down the back and just on the turn in so I feel the small margin is a bit of a worry for me when I do not think fitness was an issue.
 
granger said:
Your first point is fair but second is harsh. PB said he got a bit tired in the ground. TB finished giving all he had, if pushed IC would have found more i'm sure
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I have no doubt he got tired in the final couple of furlongs - thats the problem for me.
 
Galileo said:
It won't be a long season for Imperial Commander - this, Kempton and The Gold Cup. We all know IC is the type that goes best when fresh (as your stats show) so I am not sure he is the sort to improve greatly for the run.

Ok he did not need to win by a huge distance - but I was really taken with him down the back and just on the turn in so I feel the small margin is a bit of a worry for me when I do not think fitness was an issue.
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there is a difference between fitness FTO and fitness after a couple of months though

they aren't going to have him GC fit today as they don't need him to be..he had 2 stone in hand today..so leave a stone or so of hardening up for the next few months

i think its really hard to judge these top horses in November...a couple of seasons ago folk were saying KS were done with when he just pipped Monets in the handicap..a month later and he was a different animal

it was tiring ground today..and the jockey wasn't exactly hard on the horse..it would have been difficult to be hard on him when jockey was looking behind so much
 
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OTB -just remembered why I laid him like mad last Christmas-it was all to do with NTd's terrible strike rate in December.Historically the stable form dips badly mid season-might be worth remembering that in the next few weeks.
 
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Imperial Commander, good round of jumping and could improve for the run, still he didnt put the figure you expect when you see the horse last season in this race and then winning the Gold Cup, I dont like him for Kmp but has a chance to win the gold cup again.
 
According to the Sporting Life, he came back with a little cut to his leg. They're going to monitor it but the intention is to run at Kempton, where he will be ridden handily.
 
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