The Road to the 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup

Diamond Geezer said:
Sarah Bradstock this morning


Although slightly frustrated by the lack of rain, Coneygree has been galloping and schooling on our new Andrews Bowen Soundtrack all weather gallop, and we are delighted with his progress. Both Nico (de Boinville) and I agree that he feels every bit as good, if not a little bit better than ever and the excitement of getting back on the track is mounting in the yard!
We were hoping to be going for a racecourse gallop at Haydock this weekend (after the flat fixture) but for the first time in many years, the ground is fast and not suitable for our champ. Kirkland Tellwright, the Clerk of the Course at Haydock, has been extremely helpful and is willing to reorganise when the weather changes.
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I hope they don't assume that Tellwrong has the going correct.
 
i'm a bit staggered that with tellwrights previous accuracy record ..anyone still listens to him...the fact that Bradstock does..marks her down for me. a staggering statement for me..are people asleep most of their lives?
 
The current market for the race looks way off. Thistlecrack, Vautour and Douvan criminally short.

I've taken 24 on the machine about Djakadam. A replication of last season's run probably wins this with doubts about DC and Coneygree given their injury issues.
 
Vautour makes the market for owt else in race..will either not run..and certainly won't win if does..hope it wins for you Euro...at the prices you have a decnt bet imo
 
He's another Florida Pearl/One Man.

The one doubt I have about Djakadam is him running at all 3 Fests last year after a punishing GC behind Coneygree. Hope he hasn't been bottomed.
 
It looks like the Bradstocks took computer lessons after last years mess with all their updates this term.

i think you have a cracking bet Euro

im thinking of adding Valseur Lido to mine
 
Euronymous said:
He is, a ratings buster - Denman mark II.
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Denman with his intact heart was simply better than KS. Coneygree full throttle is not better than Don. Coneygree is the best jumper of a fence I've ever seen(never touches a twig) while Don is a lousy jumper so I can't wait for them to meet hopefully back in full health. The rest won't matter.
 
with his jumping would take him out, but with his class Don might be just good enough... hopefully he stays at Gigis `120%` health mark and won't retire him so we can have another proper battle of the champions like 10 years ago.
 
Euronymous said:
He's another Florida Pearl/One Man.

The one doubt I have about Djakadam is him running at all 3 Fests last year after a punishing GC behind Coneygree. Hope he hasn't been bottomed.
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Djakadam is more like Rince Ri or Alexander Banquet. He stays the Gold Cup trip well, but is exposed as not good enough, imo. When all's said and done, he is 2/9 in chases in open company; winning a handicap off 140-odd, and the Durkan. He is clearly very smart, but he is hard to win with, and the Gold Cup doesn't strike me as the kind of race, a horse with his type of profile wins.....especially at the third crack.

I will Remain positive about Vautour's stamina, until such time as the question is satisfactorily answered - one way or the other. To date, it has not been, imo.
 
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Aughex said:
Denman with his intact heart was simply better than KS. Coneygree full throttle is not better than Don. Coneygree is the best jumper of a fence I've ever seen(never touches a twig) while Don is a lousy jumper so I can't wait for them to meet hopefully back in full health. The rest won't matter.
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Think you're talking cobblers about Kauto/Denman, but each to their own. There will be a thread somewhere that details all the arguments for/against each of them, if you want to know where everyone stood on the matter.
 
Will Coneygree come back the identical racehorse is what I'm wondering.

I make it 33 percent chance he comes back older and better, 33 percent chance he's deteriorated since the injury, and 33 percent chance he is capable of (or will run to) his best Gold Cup winning mark again. Horses can go backward or forward in any event, but I think there's more of a question with Coneygree. In some ways we know little about his 2017 Gold Cup claims until we see him in a proper grade 1 again..
 
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granger said:
Any worries Grass re his end of season performances and a fleeting belief that French horses don't have the longevity of UK Irish breds
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None whatsoever, granger.

The Aintree fall was clumsy/unlucky/just one of those things, and Vautour is otherwise an exemplary jumper. And he was patently running over the wrong trip at Punchestown - for reasons best-know to connections.

There is nothing in his profile that suggests he can't come back to his stellar best, and equally nothing which suggests he is a precocious Frenchie, whose star will shine only briefly. We're talking about a horse who has now won four Cheltenham championship races in his four seasons at Mullins, and he is as game and enthusiastic a participant, as you will watch on a racecourse.
 
Just expressing my opinion, Euro. I personally can't have him for the reasons given, but fill yer boots. :cool:
 
Grasshopper said:
Think you're talking cobblers about Kauto/Denman, but each to their own. There will be a thread somewhere that details all the arguments for/against each of them, if you want to know where everyone stood on the matter.
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Kauto stamina was't his strong suite(Ruby knew how to make it happen and I imagine he'll try the same tactics with Vautour, after last year's KG -go from the front- experiment failed) and was/would be vulnerable to a horse like Denman, Coneygree or Don Cossack at their best. Denman wasn't himself again after the heart problems thats why KS beat him that season, he was never the same horse.
 
Grasshopper said:
Just expressing my opinion, Euro. I personally can't have him for the reasons given, but fill yer boots. :cool:
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Small bet only at this stage. He's so under the radar compared to some of his stable companions he'll likely be a nice price NRNB in January with a couple of firms.
 
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