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Cheltenham Gold Cup 2018

This race is Definitly a bookies race at the moment

If you can predict the King George winner, you've got the Gold Cup SP fav IMO.

Only an impressive win from Yorkhill could usurp the KG winner as fav for me (even an Our Duke big win might not convince bookies).

For me, Might Bite will be fav although how the market reacts will depend on the manner of any winner. If it looks as deep a race as it is now though it'll be a really strong looking winner on paper!

You could make a case for MB 14/1 for KG/GC in my opinion as he'll be similar price to thistlecrack was (5/2) after the KG?
 
I agree with that Kev, I just think as it stands it's the bookies race!
 
Willie Mullins not bothered about Douvan getting the GC trip because he's got the winner in the stable....Acapella Bourgeois :devilish::devilish::devilish:
 
Here is a scenario for you.

Bristol De Mai beats Sizing John and Cue Card in Betfair Chase by comfortable few lengths , what price would he be straightaway afterwards.

If he then went for King George and won that also or was placed , would he come into the reckoning for Gold even though no form on undulating tracks.

I fully expect him to beat Sizing John by the way , really impressed me last time out.Kempton would also suit his running style also.
 
Willie Mullins not bothered about Douvan getting the GC trip because he's got the winner in the stable....Acapella Bourgeois :devilish::devilish::devilish:

I got some big prices on the exchange for AB with the thought process that if its a heavy ground gold cup he'd have a chance.... a week later he got shortened to 25/1 because the news came out he'd moved to Mullins.

So we can cheer him on together :highly_amused: ..... that and do a rain dance.
 
I got some big prices on the exchange for AB with the thought process that if its a heavy ground gold cup he'd have a chance.... a week later he got shortened to 25/1 because the news came out he'd moved to Mullins.

So we can cheer him on together :highly_amused: ..... that and do a rain dance.

It wouldn't be a confident pick for me Kev, I'm expecting WM to get a real tune out of the horse now its out of SH hands. Our Duke is still my pick for the race.
 
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It wouldn't be a confident pick for me Kev, I'm expecting WM to get a real tune out of the horse now its out of SH hands. Our Duke is still my pick for the race.

Yes he'll certainly improve for the switch to Willie , but I do think the bookies have over reacted.

I haven't changed my opinion from my opening post still
 
Did I mis-hear that?

Did Nicky Henderson say Might Bite might run in the Ryanair? I wasn't listening properly!
 
Did I mis-hear that?

Did Nicky Henderson say Might Bite might run in the Ryanair? I wasn't listening properly!

I genuinely thought thats where he may end up. But henderson said He will see how he gets on in the king george in terms of stamina " i can't believe that would mean he would end up in the ryanair, but you never know"
 
If he wins the King George (which I fully expect he will), no chance he doesn't go for this
 
If he wins the King George (which I fully expect he will), no chance he doesn't go for this
Very likely he would go GC . But I don't think he wants 3m2 round Cheltenham at all. Thistlecrack, sizing john, disko would be the 3 for me. But deffinately not at current prices. They all go king george, I'd be hoping might bite wins the king george then I'd be backing2 out of the other 3 after a drift. Simular to don cossack.
Won't be having a bet in this race any time soon.

Also would have a hunch douvan could very well go to the GC IF sound.

Yorkhill might bite would make the market for me in an ideal world. I think both will go here but couldn't have either. The shorter prices The better.

If you conveniently rule out his last run, I think our duke will stay on well simular to minella Rocco but wouldn't have to pace to be right up in contention to win for me.
 
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Our Duke, a 14/1 chance with Sky Bet for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, needs time on the sidelines after Jessica Harrington said last season's Irish Grand National winner has undergone an operation on his back.

Harrington believes a back problem contributed to the seven-year-old's disappointing return at Down Royal, when he beat just one horse in the JNwine.com Champion Chase on November 4.

His trainer told Racing UK: "He had an operation and hopefully he'll be back for the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown at the beginning of February.

"He also scoped dirty after the race (at Down Royal) but the fact he never jumped a fence was probably more down to the back problem."
 
Easy to strike a line through then ... harder to be bullish about claims as he's now on quite a tight schedule and will only have one run before the gold cup and it'll be a competitive heat!
 
Willie Mullins not bothered about Douvan getting the GC trip because he's got the winner in the stable....Acapella Bourgeois :devilish::devilish::devilish:

I don't think WM has what it takes to train a GC winner, there will always be 1 or 2 better staying chasers out there. His poorest judgement was for 3 years he thought Djakadam could win.
 
I don't think WM has what it takes to train a GC winner, there will always be 1 or 2 better staying chasers out there. His poorest judgement was for 3 years he thought Djakadam could win.

Think that's a tad harsh. Poor judgement for finishing 2nd twice and 4th once? Basically every other trainer who didn't win it then has poor judgement, worse than Willie infact. That's a lot of the 'best' trainers who have poor judgement too!
 
Think that's a tad harsh. Poor judgement for finishing 2nd twice and 4th once? Basically every other trainer who didn't win it then has poor judgement, worse than Willie infact. That's a lot of the 'best' trainers who have poor judgement too!

Looking at it COD I think I was a bit harsh on Djakadam.
 
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I don't think WM has what it takes to train a GC winner, there will always be 1 or 2 better staying chasers out there. His poorest judgement was for 3 years he thought Djakadam could win.

Acapella out in the Troytown this weekend. I fully expect him to win.
 
Think that's a tad harsh. Poor judgement for finishing 2nd twice and 4th once? Basically every other trainer who didn't win it then has poor judgement, worse than Willie infact. That's a lot of the 'best' trainers who have poor judgement too!

Djakadam stopped Champagne Fever taking his chance and that one would have had a chance...