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2026 Gold Cup

They should open up the Ryanair more to attract novices by offering them a carrot of a weight concession. With a minimum rating to enter of 155 or something along those lines.
3lb or 5lb or summat like that.
That might sort a few issues out.
 
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Lobos said:
He just didn't fire on the day for whatever reason. Ran very flat by his standards. Don't think it was anything to do with age catching up with him.
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The proximity of the third and fourth does bring the form into question
 
Wayward Lad said:
The proximity of the third and fourth does bring the form into question
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Agree. It wasn't his form at all imo and for me it was a very poor Gold Cup so the winner may well have been flattered.
 
Benjy23 said:
Didn't go particularly well in the Ryanair either though did he. Think they'd do well to swerve the festival this year.
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That seemed to be JOB’s initial thoughts, but he was less certain when interviewed the next day. Perhaps he’s seeing the Ryanair open up so much (and he has just put 10l into the reigning Ryanair champ).

The ‘24 Ryanair was very soft which probably went against him. I’d still like to see him have another go at the trip but on better ground. He is a winner on the new course over 2m4 after all.
 
Lobos said:
Agree. It wasn't his form at all imo and for me it was a very poor Gold Cup so the winner may well have been flattered.
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The winner rated OR 176 and RPR 182 for last years GC win……….OR 16lb better than ever before and RPR 19lb better than ever before

GDC’s SP was 8/13 last year and considering before the race he had over a stone in hand, or more, than anything else in the race, then maybe he should have a been a shorter price
 
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Exar Essay said:
That seemed to be JOB’s initial thoughts, but he was less certain when interviewed the next day. Perhaps he’s seeing the Ryanair open up so much (and he has just put 10l into the reigning Ryanair champ).

The ‘24 Ryanair was very soft which probably went against him. I’d still like to see him have another go at the trip but on better ground. He is a winner on the new course over 2m4 after all.
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Aye, he's got the festival handicap win over hurdles hasn't he. Just don't think he's quite up to it in the Grade 1 chases there. Skipping it and targeting Aintree would give him a right chance there...
 
Wayward Lad said:
The winner rated OR 176 and RPR 182 for last years GC win……….OR 16lb better than ever before and RPR 19lb better than ever before

GDC’s SP was 8/13 last year and considering before the race he had over a stone in hand, or more, than anything else in the race, then maybe he should have a been a shorter price
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My feeling is that GDC ran between 5 and 10lb below his best, almost certainly because the ground had dried right out. Even going down the back on the first circuit it was clear that he wasn't letting himself down so, in the circumstances, he did well to be in contention over the last. Add to that the possibility that INOTWYT is a spring horse who had every right to improve given his age and you can see how he managed to take advantage of GDC's difficulties.
I do think that GDC should be favourite for March and expect to see him win comfortably at the DRF. However, there is still the possibility that Cheltenham will again produce unsuitable ground. Also, given his connections it's entirely possible that INOTWYT is being prepared with just one race in mind with no consideration for the racing public.
 
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Exar Essay said:
That seemed to be JOB’s initial thoughts, but he was less certain when interviewed the next day. Perhaps he’s seeing the Ryanair open up so much (and he has just put 10l into the reigning Ryanair champ).

The ‘24 Ryanair was very soft which probably went against him. I’d still like to see him have another go at the trip but on better ground. He is a winner on the new course over 2m4 after all.
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Banbridge is a much better horse on good ground. We found this out in his novice chase season - dotted up a Gowran (GOOD), dotted up in the Grade 2 Arkle trial at Cheltenham (GOOD), beaten half the track in the Drinmore (SOFT), decent 2nd behind the monster El Fabiolo in the DRF (GOOD), skipped Cheltenham due to ground, won the Manifesto at Aintree (GOOD-SOFT). He is one of the most ground-dependent horses out there but Joseph has done a great job of managing his progress. He missed a few fences in the 25 Gold Cup and, even though he was still 3rd down the back straight in the 2nd circuit, his jumping errors started to take their toll and he couldn't go on with the prinicipals at the top of the hill. I don't believe he stays the Gold Cup trip and if he gets his ground at Cheltenham I would go Ryanair with him. Otherwise wait for Aintree and Punchestown.
 
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….Affordale;

Meade said: “He’s come out of the race very well and the plan, more or less, is that he will go to the Irish Gold Cup and then, if we’re happy with him, on to the Gold Cup. That’s the way the plan is looking at the moment.

“He was very good and in fairness we were expecting a big run, he was in terrific shape and we were very happy with him.

“He did exactly what we hoped he’d do. He jumped a little to the right and I suppose if he didn’t do that he’d had won a lot easier, but he was very good and finished it out well.

“He’s come out of the race well and he’s going to have an easy fortnight and then we’ll start to build up for the next race.”
 
I honestly think Inothewayurthinking will.win again, run terribly all year round and to be honest it's a shame for racing if he does.
No one will remember as a great horse
 
BigL said:
I honestly think Inothewayurthinking will.win again, run terribly all year round and to be honest it's a shame for racing if he does.
No one will remember as a great horse
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Think they might if he's a double Gold Cup winner. Very few of those!
 
BigL said:
Won't be a fan favourite will be unfortunately with how the horse is campaigned
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He won't be the first or the last one to be campaigned that way, if indeed he is. May be that he has an issue?
 
BigL said:
I honestly think Inothewayurthinking will.win again, run terribly all year round and to be honest it's a shame for racing if he does.
No one will remember as a great horse
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I don’t think he will win again this year

You could make the argument that his run in the Gold Cup has left a mark on him in a Similar way to the likes of Bravemansgame,Gerri Colombo,A Plus Tard,Native River,Mite Bite etc
 
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I'm not too sure that Inothewayurthinkin was 'off' in the Savills. What would they have to gain from it?

Cromwell's have been struggling all season though so there's a possibility he's under the cloud.
 
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Cheltenham, March 13)
Affordale Fury (Noel Meade, Ireland)
Banbridge (Joseph O'Brien, Ireland)
Champ Kiely (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Croke Park (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Envoi Allen (Henry de Bromhead, Ireland)
Fastorslow (Martin Brassil, Ireland)
Firefox (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Found A Fifty (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Gaelic Warrior (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Galopin Des Champs (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Gerri Colombe (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
Gold Tweet (Gabriel Leenders, France)
Grangeclare West (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Grey Dawning (Dan Skelton)
Haiti Couleurs (Rebecca Curtis)
Handstands (Ben Pauling)
Heart Wood (Henry de Bromhead, Ireland)
I Am Maximus (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Impaire Et Passe (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Inothewayurthinkin (Gavin Cromwell, Ireland)
Jango Baie (Nicky Henderson)
Konfusion (Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith)
Lecky Watson (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
L'Homme Presse (Venetia Williams)
Monty's Star (Henry de Bromhead, Ireland)
Myretown (Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore)
Nick Rockett (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Resplendent Grey (Olly Murphy)
Spillane's Tower (Jimmy Mangan, Ireland)
Spindleberry (Willie Mullins, Ireland)
Stellar Story (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
The Jukebox Man (Ben Pauling)
Three Card Brag (Gordon Elliott, Ireland)
 
Based upon previous interviews and recent radio silence then I can’t comprehend why Willie has entered Impaire Et Passé in the GC?
 
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