7 weeks today let the countdown begin!
Share your fears that a Saturday Gold Cup means a 5 day festival. What are they going to pad it out with, a veterans chase? a grey horse handicap hurdle? Leave it be.
Fearing another mauling by the Irish on the track. Agree that we are looking like a 1 man team at the moment with Henderson. Shishkin is the obvious one but Epatante looked decent on Boxing Day, although still up against it.
We'll know more after Saturday when Champ and Chantry House, who he describes as a 'proper Gold Cup horse' are both out.
.......and there's room for a Maiden Hurdle and a 'round the wrong way' Bumper with a downhill finish. Best not encourage them.
I think Henderson's Constitution Hill is a bit of a machine, I really, really like him. Walking On Air looked useful at Newbury last time out and a step up in trip for the Ballymore looks tailormade for him. He looks a horse with a bright future.
There's talk of Energumene turning the tables at Cheltenham, but I can't see it myself. I'd expect Shishkin to make it 8 for 8 over fences.
Ferny Hollow won well at Leopardstown on Boxing Day and he seems the sort to win an Arkle........I don't fancy opposing him at the moment.
At the end of last season I was very gung-ho about Bob Olinger, but I can't say he's impressed me since over fences. He doesn't seem to jump with the same fluency over the bigger obstacles. I see he's entered at 2m 4f and 3m. He's got an engine, but needs to sharpen up his fencing skills. There are no prisoners taken at the Festival.
I was also a big fan of Kilcruit last season and think, ridden better, he would/should have won the Champion Bumper, but he did put the record straight at Punchestown next time out. I was so looking forward to see him over hurdles, but that's been a total disaster as he's been beaten twice at odds on!! I know a couple of people who are quite keen on his Cheltenham victor, Sir Gerhard, but I must be missing something, because I don't see it.
I don't think Champ is good enough and a 10yo hasn't won it since 1998, when Cool Dawn won at 25/1.
Chantry House ran awful in the King George, so bad there must have been an issue of some sort. Saturday will tell us more about his Gold Cup chance, because if he doesn't win that, then I wouldn't be keen on his chances in the big one.
That said, there's not much to fancy in the Gold Cup as far as I am concerned, I think it lacks a lot of quality.......in fact it has for the last few seasons. If you dropped a Denman or Kauto Star in, it would be a no contest.
