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2026 Gold Cup

Hoped Fact to File didn't run to be honest.

Pick of the meeting by far this race though.
 
Benjy23 said:
Hoped Fact to File didn't run to be honest.

Pick of the meeting by far this race though.
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Mark Walsh chosing FTF over Inothewayurthinkin over 3 miles says quite a bit about the latter.
 
He does what he is told by Frank Berry.
 
If F2F pissed up, would they supplement him for GC ??
 
Lobos said:
If F2F pissed up, would they supplement him for GC ??
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Hmm, I had similar thoughts.

Walsh onboard does make you wonder if JP’s lot are doubting Inothewayurthinkin for March and testing the water one last time with F2F for a plan B. I’m assuming it’s them, rather than Willie, that’s made the call to run him. I wasn’t expecting him to be declared.

Also surprised to see Gaelic - a poor run and it sets Paul up to ride him in the Ryanair.
 
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Curtis told the Press Association: “It was a tough decision, but it just turned out there were too many negatives to taking him over.

“Firstly he’d come off a few days of antibiotics at the beginning of the week, a very small sinus issue which was nothing really, that wasn’t our main issue.

“They cancelled our local ferry from the nearest port at Fishbourne which would have meant a big hike up to Holyhead and then across to Dublin.

“Thirdly there was the uncertainty about the ground, they are due more rain again having already been waterlogged once this week so the likelihood is heavy ground, whether it will be that we don’t know.

“When the Gold Cup is his main aim we just thought everything wasn’t adding up for a good prep run for that, so we’ll definitely go to the Denman at Newbury next Saturday with him now.”

She added: “He’s all well, there are no problems but you need everything aligned to be at your best at Cheltenham and we didn’t think that was happening, as we were using it as a prep we didn’t think it was ideal only six weeks out from Cheltenham.”
 
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If F2F does win at the weekend in that ground then there will be no doubts about him staying the GC distance. I too was surprised to see him declared.
 
Lobos said:
If F2F does win at the weekend in that ground then there will be no doubts about him staying the GC distance. I too was surprised to see him declared.
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I’m surprised people are talking about him beating GDC over 3m in any conditions , let alone those likely at the weekend.
I’m also surprised people still feel he’s capable of staying the gold cup trip.
Anyway, only my opinion.
 
Carnage at Taunton said:
I’m surprised people are talking about him beating GDC over 3m in any conditions , let alone those likely at the weekend.
I’m also surprised people still feel he’s capable of staying the gold cup trip.
Anyway, only my opinion.
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Why run him then?
 
Bit surprised to see Jack Keeping jocked up on I Am Maximus

Stellar Story and Firefox in the race

Or am I missing something obvious ?
 
Carnage at Taunton said:
I’m surprised people are talking about him beating GDC over 3m in any conditions , let alone those likely at the weekend.
I’m also surprised people still feel he’s capable of staying the gold cup trip.
Anyway, only my opinion.
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He's a 9yo who skipped a season over hurdles and only had 14 races under rules. Still think there is the potential for him to stay. It's not as though he is a head case who throws away any chance of staying by being keen. Didn't get involved in the King George for whatever reason, whether something wasn't right, or even just didn't have the pace to go with them which would be surprising considering the pace he showed in the Ryanair last year. I don't think he is a lost cause over 3m just yet anyway.
 
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