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2026 Gold Cup

riccirich said:
I'm a bit unsure what's going on with lecky watson. I'm in no doubt they have the handbrake on, but I'm not sure for what reason. He hasn't been ridden prominently in either run which is his preference, and he also looked to get tired in his last run having travelled into it well, and he's one I think is a strong stayer so I'd say he probably still wasn't fully fit.

They're either building him up slowly to a gold cup without being too hard on him, which you'd imagine should be the target given his performances at the track. Or they're minding his mark for the grand national, which would seem a bit odd given his liking for cheltenham. Or also possible, they're thinking about going gold cup and grand national, and so would want him very fresh for spring if they're thinking of going for both.
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My guess is he’s going down the Bobbyjo onto the National route like Nick Rockett.
 
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Curtis confirms Haiti Coleurs will run in Irish Gold Cup
 
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Dan Skelton feels Grey Dawning has the same chance in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup as he had before Saturday's Betfair Cotswold Chase.

The grey, an impressive winner of the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his reappearance, could finish only third behind Spillane's Tower at the weekend.

But speaking on Monday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast the trainer said: "Before Grey Dawning’s race, because we knew the ground wasn’t perfectly in his favour, I kind of thought to myself if he gets beat, how am I going to feel? I didn’t know how I would react but driving away on Saturday evening I wasn’t too concerned.

“I thought he was moving into it very well, made the mistake two out, which isn’t the first time he’s made a mistake at that fence, and as I pointed out on the day the last time he made a mistake at that fence he went on to win at the Festival in the spring.

“We’re hoping lightning strikes twice and my feeling going into Saturday's race was we can’t win a Gold Cup on Trials Day but we can certainly lose one by having a hard race or whatever.

“That absolutely did not happen so while it’s not get any easier or harder to win a Gold Cup than it was ten minutes before that trial, we certainly didn’t leave a Gold Cup behind on Saturday."
 
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Not too much has been made of the kick that Grey Dawning received prior to the start but surely that must have had an effect? I'm no expert on horses physical structure but it looked nasty to me. Or would he have downed tools if he had felt it?
 
Watched it live, wasn't a full on kick & wouldn't have made much difference, if it had he wouldn't have trotted sound afterwards, probably had a hematoma the next morning but not much else, in my opinion.
 
Jockey would have known as much anyone and he wasn't concerned and none of the Skeltons mentioned it either.
Had horse felt much at all he'd have let Harry know about it.
 
Any reason Gaelic Warrior pushed out by everyone today for Gold Cup ? Anything said ?
 
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Faugheen_Machine said:
Hope this isn't the case, but could easily see PT pushing to ride him in the Ryanair.
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Surely way too far out for PT to be making that call FM

Definitely not before seeing how the Mullins horses get on at the DRF
 
Liammet said:
Surely way too far out for PT to be making that call FM

Definitely not before seeing how the Mullins horses get on at the DRF
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GDC only has to show he’s still a big player to get Townend splitting them up.
Ruby did it and he does it.
Can’t say I blame them of course.

Interesting thing would be if GW showed on the weekend that he’s their best chance of winning the Gold Cup.
 
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Latest DRF Forfeit Stage:

Affordale Fury
Champ Kiely
Fact To File
Fastorslow
Firefox
Gaelic Warrior
Galopin Des Champs
Grangeclare West
Haiti Couleurs
I Am Maximus
Inothewayurthinkin
Lecky Watson
Monty's Star
Stellar Story
Spindleberry
 
ComplyOrDie said:
Latest DRF Forfeit Stage:

Affordale Fury
Champ Kiely
Fact To File
Fastorslow
Firefox
Gaelic Warrior
Galopin Des Champs
Grangeclare West
Haiti Couleurs
I Am Maximus
Inothewayurthinkin
Lecky Watson
Monty's Star
Stellar Story
Spindleberry
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Wowsers.
 
Banbridge....

Ryanair or GC??

The ground will probably dictate a lot and also he could wait for Aintree too because he's won at Aintree in the past, and seems to like that track. All of those things will be discussed closer to the time with Ronnie Bartlett, his owner.
 
Lobos said:
Banbridge....

Ryanair or GC??

The ground will probably dictate a lot and also he could wait for Aintree too because he's won at Aintree in the past, and seems to like that track. All of those things will be discussed closer to the time with Ronnie Bartlett, his owner.
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Personally I'd say it's either Ryanair or Aintree, I can't see him anywhere near a Gold Cup...
 
The year he won at Aintree he skipped Cheltenham.

And he did run a shocker the one Ryanair he ran in. Wouldn't be surprised if they skipped. Although this Ryanair does look very lacking in depth.
 
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Anyone can share the key quotes on what spindleberry ownersaid have said on RP today about gold cup ?
 
He wants to go to the GC. He's trying to persuade Willie. Fair play to him.

Reckons she has a good chance if the ground is soft in March. He suggested that while Galopin Des Champs is the current "king" of the division, it might be time for a "queen" to take the throne.
 
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