The Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase - Friday March 18 2016

It does look like it could be a fantastic race and I tend to agree with Shergar that the new kids on the block are the more likely winners than the more seasoned campaigners. That's not to crab horses like Cue Card or Silvinacco - I just think last season's novices look a class above.

 

Do you reckon he'll line up in the King George Oddy? It looks like a mini Gold Cup as things stand, be the best King George for many a year if he does.

 

Has the Gold Cup lost its sponsor?

 

I still think Don Poli is being over looked! If they can get him interested in the race and not give coneygree and the other leaders to much he will like Coneygree be able to gallop the field to submission! He isn't the quickest so will need some pace but that doesn't seem to be a problem with the potential field

 

My view is similar to Wooly's in that Coneygree is perfect in the race for Don Poli as he just loves something to run down.

 

Is Don Poli skipping the Hennessey?

I thought his mark looked a very tempting one!

 

Possibly Oddy Totally agree on the book he's plenty to prove. Two Festival wins under his belt though so he loves the place, and he's not likely to achieve a huge rating against novices. Whilst RSA form looks poor, I just think he's typical dour stayer that keeps plenty for himself and that run in. Opposite of Vautour really.

 

Don poli has no chance, doesn't have the pace

 

Coneygree was a novice going in to the gold rated at 166 so only 3lbs more than Don Poli - improvement as a second season chaser looks very likely ok yes he has to prove himself but what's not to say he will improve

 

What and Syncronished (RIP) had the pace of a 2miler

 

You don't lose in a Gold Cup because of a lack of speed very often, you lose because you don't stay strongly enough. Don Poli's lack of gears won't come into it.

Kauto Star is the only horse with speed who's won a Gold Cup recently, and the pace was very slow in both his wins with most of the field still in contention coming down the hill.

Generally speaking strong stayers win Gold Cups, and Kauto Star aside all recent winners have been very strong stayers who weren't particularly quick

 

When it quickens Don poli will be left for dead
Synchronised won a poor renewal

 

Are ya mad or what? His only target would be the Lexus at Leopardstown I thought ??? That's going to be the best GC trial all season.

 

But if they are going some pace to start off with, it wouldn't really bother me that! As there won't be many gears left of th others, as Shergs said the gold cup isn't won on speed it's won on being able to stay up with gallop and staying on up hill! Which Don Poli will have no problem staying with what ever gallop they have. If it turns out to be a crawl then I would say yes he won't win but what last gold cup was ran like that

 

That's exactly it, as Wooly says Coneygree will make it a searching gallop and giving a lovely toe round for Don Poli. Coneygree is essentially his pacemaker if you like

 

I see this race very clearly.