The Gold Cup 2010

Nicholls quoted in the RP

He added: "I spoke to Tony this morning and he did absolutely nothing wrong. it could have happened to anybody and he'll ride at Cheltenham."
 
Ardross said:
I agree with Galileo though I expect Cooldine to definitely be in the frame - I was expecting 3rd before the Aon but possibly 2nd now .
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If Denman is now less likely to win the Gold Cup then Cooldine should have shortened as well as Kauto Star. Took 14.5 on the machine earlier today - I think this is the best value currently available on any Festival race.
 
Interesting to read Nicholls say that it was the owners that wanted to put McCoy up. Does anyone think he is distancing himself from that decision? Obviously I have a soft spot for McCoy given what he did for us and I think he is a serious tactician, so don't get involved in the debate of whether he should or shouldn't be on him, but just surprised by the way Nicholls said it. Of course, could have been the way it was reported....out of context.
 
If Tricky Trickster was being trained for the Grand National, he maybe lost it yesterday. When the weights come out on Tuesday it will be interesting to see how his mark compares with what it was.
 
Hard to think he's done his mark too much if any harm, he was rated 1 lb superior to the runner-up yesterday but was receiving 3lb. It would be fanciful to think they've both improved under yesterday's conditions.
 
I love how Kauto is usually labelled the less genuine and worse jumping out of the two :whistle:

Hope he conntinues to prove his unjustified doubters wrong.
 
Paul Nicholls said on Racing Post today that Denman would have won if he had jumped the fourth and third last fences properly! I hope he wins at Cheltenham!
 
Cantoris said:
Interesting to read Nicholls say that it was the owners that wanted to put McCoy up. Does anyone think he is distancing himself from that decision? Obviously I have a soft spot for McCoy given what he did for us and I think he is a serious tactician, so don't get involved in the debate of whether he should or shouldn't be on him, but just surprised by the way Nicholls said it. Of course, could have been the way it was reported....out of context.
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It would surprise me greatly . PN has always been a big fan of AP even though of course there was a bit of a falling out when he went to Pipe.
 
Where or when has anyone ever labelled Kauto Star as anything or than 100% genuine?

Does anyone know where Steve M is, or whether he threw his PC at his tele yesterday?
 
Desert Orchid said:
Knowing SteveM's luck he'll cock a snook at us all when Binocular and Denamn land him a big double.
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True and you have to say he is never afraid to put his head above the parapet and often as with Shamardal he is very right - only seldom as with Sea the Stars is he very wrong.:cool:
 
Conflicting information from Messrs Walsh and Nicholls regarding Denman. Ruby on Friday said he was as good physically and mentally as he was for the Hennessy, PN says today that:

"There are a couple of things to remember - he's a month off being anywhere near as good as he was in the Hennessy, both mentally and physically. And it was a trial, not the real thing. I think you'd have found yesterday that if he'd jumped the fourth-last, he would have picked up and gone on and won the race"

I don't read the Post, was any mention made of this regarding Denman yesterday?

I too have been a vociferous supporter of Denman and would dearly love to see him slaughter his field again, but if he turns up at Cheltenham looking like that I would be worried.
 
Really uncanny how similar the sequence of events leading up to his unseat yesterday was to Aintree last year. The common denominator seems to be that he was tired on both occassions.

I think it's fairly plausible that events conspired to mean yesterday probably wasn't the disaster it appeared at the time. The distinct impression that I got watching him go down was that if it was any reflection of how he went at home that it must take an absolute heap of work to get him anywhere near fit.

Added to that McCoy seemed to give him a ride that suggested he thought he was fairly near full fitness, really increasing the tempo from the first down the back and pressing on from there. Was interesting to hear him say after the race that he was dissapointed that he didn't have Niche Market cooked swinging into the straight, which further suggests he (and possibly connections) thought the horse was fitter than he was in actuality. Just a possibility.

That's not a criticism of McCoy. My only possible ciriticism of McCoy was throwing the kitchen cink at him at the third last ~ obviously he was looking for a stride but not sure it was the best move tbh.
 
I was surprised at what happened as before the 4th last I was thinking how well he was jumping for AP. Perhaps I was too uncharitable and he would have gone on and won.

My main worry is his apparent fragility - he remains capable of terrific performances but also - witness yesterday and Aintree of falling to pieces when challenged. Kauto on the other hand just appears to get better and better .
 
He doesn't throw the kitchen sink at the 3rd last - AP is sitting tight as if allowing Denman to pop it - Denman takes off far too far off of his own accord !
 
Yes, that's the correct reading of the race, Ardross. I noticed how particularly still AP was today - not pushing much at all and none at all at many fences. He's a far more sophisticated rider than he was years ago - it's just taking some people a long time to realise that.
 
Ardross said:
He doesn't throw the kitchen sink at the 3rd last - AP is sitting tight as if allowing Denman to pop it - Denman takes off far too far off of his own accord !
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Maybe "throw the kitchen sink" is too strong a phrase, but if you think he doesn't boot him into the fence I suggest you watch it again.
 
trackside528 said:
Maybe "throw the kitchen sink" is too strong a phrase, but if you think he doesn't boot him into the fence I suggest you watch it again.
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I have watched it a number of times - he doesn't boot him into at all .He takes AP by surprise when he takes off so far out.
 
I thought AP ran as good a race as he could. There was no obvious sign to me of his usual pushing from the saddle. Denman went off too soon and it was his jumping that lost the race, not McCoy's riding.
Only a few more weeks til all questions answered.
 
A dramatic time of it at Newbury on Saturday. Back home now... Those who haven’t yet backed Denman must be rejoicing. I’m in again with the 7/2 since Saturday and much bigger prices on Betfair (after backing him again at 9/4 before the race). I’ve so far averaged about 5/1 overall.

Collected a magnificent framed picture of Denman winning the Hennessy from Tracy Roberts, which now graces my study. I’ll be back to her for a matching pair when AP steers him round Cheltenham... he’s the real deal and will take an impossible amount of beating in five weeks time. Be sure of it.
 
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