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2026 Gold Cup

Istabraq said:
Everyone is assuming he supplements Fact to File but in doing that he very likely sends Gaelic Warrior to the Ryanair, who then in my opinion would be a warm order to win that race, so he would effectively throw away a near certain winner in Fact to File for a shot at a race with a horse would have a question mark about his stamina.
Of course the Gold Cup is the Gold Cup but it looks strong this year, I would have thought last year was the time to do it but as we know he had the winner anyway...
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I don't think its as cut and dry as everyone seems to think it is myself.
 
Istabraq said:
What's your take Jim ?
Where do you think they all land ?
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1 will DEFINITELY go Ryanair

Probably still side with it being Gaelic out the 2, but wouldn't say its guaranteed. 70-30 I'd say

What I would say is

If F2F goes GC, he has a question on staying and JP has a 2nd fav in the Ryanair against a hot pot

If F2F goes Ryanair, he'd be bombproof and would have 2 chances with INTWUT and Spillanes in the GC
 
Istabraq said:
Everyone is assuming he supplements Fact to File but in doing that he very likely sends Gaelic Warrior to the Ryanair, who then in my opinion would be a warm order to win that race, so he would effectively throw away a near certain winner in Fact to File for a shot at a race with a horse would have a question mark about his stamina.
Of course the Gold Cup is the Gold Cup but it looks strong this year, I would have thought last year was the time to do it but as we know he had the winner anyway...
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Last year he was beaten comprehensively by galopin though twice in a row over three miles in the lead up, so it would have been natural for them to assume that Cheltenham probably wouldn't be much different.

This year he's beaten the best in Ireland over three miles on heavy fairly comfortably. And is current fave.

He'd have the fave in the gold cup, and maybe second fave in the ryanair with jonbon if he wanted. Would seem like the best way to split them to give himself a good chance in both races. He'd also have good chances in both if inothewayurthinkin was in good form which seems uncertain.
 
darlojim said:
If F2F goes GC, he has a question on staying and JP has a 2nd fav in the Ryanair against a hot pot

If F2F goes Ryanair, he'd be bombproof and would have 2 chances with INTWUT and Spillanes in the GC
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I agree, does this not suggest you've got your 70/30 the wrong way round ?
 
Istabraq said:
I agree, does this not suggest you've got your 70/30 the wrong way round ?
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Potentially, but the thing that sways me most is that Paul be eager to send Gaelic Ryanair

And that could have a fair bearing on it
 
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darlojim said:
1 will DEFINITELY go Ryanair

Probably still side with it being Gaelic out the 2, but wouldn't say its guaranteed. 70-30
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darlojim said:
Potentially, but the thing that sways me most is that Paul be eager to send Gaelic Ryanair

And that could have a fair bearing on it
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Fuck so RR actually has 3 masters
 
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darlojim said:
I don't think its as cut and dry as everyone seems to think it is myself.
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Exactly. Will all be up in the air over next few weeks. Personally I feel that JP will stick with his original plan and run F2F in Ryanair. Gaelic in gold cup with Patrick on
I also feel that there’ll be a big move for Spillane tower in GC
 
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Pretty bullish update on Spillanes Tower from Jimmy Mangan today (I read it on ATR) and he has always struck me as quite a realist when assessing the chances of his horses.If it’s looking like it could be soft enough on the Friday this may well play into JPs decision making process. You’d imagine that F2F in the Ryanair and ST in a soft ground GC would be the owners best chance of doubling up. Apologies for mentioning the weather this early but in some forecasts there is some rain forecast almost every day for Cheltenham up to and including the 24th Feb. I don’t know what the water table is like but it feels like it hasn’t stopped raining for fucking ages now.
 
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Rooster Booster said:
Pretty bullish update on Spillanes Tower from Jimmy Mangan today (I read it on ATR) and he has always struck me as quite a realist when assessing the chances of his horses.If it’s looking like it could be soft enough on the Friday this may well play into JPs decision making process. You’d imagine that F2F in the Ryanair and ST in a soft ground GC would be the owners best chance of doubling up. Apologies for mentioning the weather this early but in some forecasts there is some rain forecast almost every day for Cheltenham up to and including the 24th Feb. I don’t know what the water table is like but it feels like it hasn’t stopped raining for fucking ages now.
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Knowing how well it drains I’m betting it will be g-s (Possibly soft in places)
 
Killiney said:
Knowing how well it drains I’m betting it will be g-s (Possibly soft in places)
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I’m not an expert by any means but as well as the undersoil composition and contours and shit isn’t drainage efficiency/effectiveness also impacted by the water table particularly on the rate / speed of drainage when rainfall is fairly recent …I think this is called reduced infiltration though I could be talking bollocks. Where is the Green Goddess. Obviously the track is famous for its drainage but I’d be curious to know what the water table level is compared with previous years.

Just don’t let Q see this post.
 
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Carnage at Taunton said:
From what I’ve seen this season, PT should want GW in the Gold Cup.
His best chance of winning the race.
GDC is on the wane, I don’t buy the excuses for not winning a race this season.
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I doubt paul would get off GDC. Hes very loyal to horses hes won plenty of big races on.
 
My last comment on the weather.
The wettest winter ever recorded in the UK was 2013/14.
The ground for the supreme that year when Vautour pummelled them was good to soft.
So i doubt the weather right now means an awful lot.
It's the week or two immediately prior that will matter.
 
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Quevega said:
My last comment on the weather.
The wettest winter ever recorded in the UK was 2013/14.
The ground for the supreme that year when Vautour pummelled them was good to soft.
So i doubt the weather right now means an awful lot.
It's the week or two immediately prior that will matter.
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Seriously…I thought I’d got away with it. Fucking hawk eye you are
 
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