2012 Gold Cup

Slightly off topic but if anyone fancies a trip down memory lane, someone has finally uploaded the 2009 Gold Cup- the Channel 4 version as well! Hurry before RUK remove it.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_t … y_uploaded

Grabbed!

Thanks for the heads-up, Kautoflyer. Some great Harchibald/Rooster Booster memories on this channel too.

Thanks for that. Watching it again you can’t help but notice how much Kauto struggles with that damn hill. His stride becomes visually shorter and scratchy after the last and that’s a huge worry.

If Kauto is to win a 3rd Gold Cup it must be done out in the country by increasing the pace from about 5 out and forcing Long Run into jumping errors.

That will use up a lot of energy and even if he can get Long Run at it he himself could be picked off by a staying type in the closing stages.

There’s nothing cut and dry about this Gold Cup and as much as I want Kauto to win or Long Run if that’s not possible I think we could find both may lose out and a shock result is on the cards.

No doubt I’ll throw a few quid at Kauto on the day for old time’s sake unless I nail my hands to my desk before the off…….too hard to resist after backing him every time he has run.

Nicholls said Kauto wasn’t finishing his races last year, and that that was more apparent than ever in the Gold Cup and at Punchestown(his last 2 races of the year).

He says it has been worked on, and seemingly been cured. Right this second, that can’t be doubted. To what extent though, is the question.

The amount of people I’ve seen that have said 12 year olds don’t win Gold Cups is ridiculous. This time last year how many people were saying 6 year old don’t win Gold Cups?!

There are 2 mainstays in the outcome of this years race and everyone knows it; will Long Run jump and will Kauto stay? It’s as simple as that, and if either does one and not the other they should win. The fact of the matter is they both pose major question marks, and so the outsiders are brought into it. This is where you look to find one who looks good enough to do both at the highest level with an experienced pilot on board.

Enter Synchronised……….

Kauto Star stamina issues? Struggling with the hill?

Jesus wept. I think it was Evan Williams who said in a Racing Post Q&A recently that he had never seen a fresher horse after Kauto won the Gold Cup in 2009.

Looking back at his two victories in the contest, Exotic Dancer was hardly making ground on the great horse after the last in either renewal and that horse wasn’t exactly fazed by the hill during his career.

This is the poorest renewal Kauto has ever encountered and he won’t have Denman pushing him at the top of the hill. The vast majority will be so far back by then you will need binoculars to find them and Ruby can fill Kauto’s lungs for one final effort.

Long Run beat a poor horse on the two occasions they met last year, yet Kauto was still bang there at the last fence in the Gold Cup. Everything we have seen this term proves that Kauto was struggling with his breathing last season. No doubt about it.

If the gound is no easier than good to soft, Kauto will be very hard to beat.

Hope you are right Bos I just backed him in a double and 2 singles with Binocular for sentimental reasons. They both couldn’t win again could they?

Maybe as a precaution they will hold him to make doubly sure he gets the trip as there is nothing like Denman in the race.

Long Run looks perfectly capable off messing up without Kauto’s help One bad error out in the country and he will go to pieces IMO

I think that’s the beauty with Kauto these days. He is tactically versatile and Ruby can make a decision after the first couple of fences. If they go too quick, sit back and when his crusing speed beomes a factor, take it up and turn the screw.

He seems a much assured jumper from the front and, when you couple that with his cruising speed, he is one deadly weapon and can have them well and truly strung out going out onto the second circuit. After all, they aren’t the quickest bunch this year.

My ew alternative is Weird Al. I can just imagine the horse hunting around – much like he did at Haydock – before picking up the pieces late on.

Nicholls said Kauto wasn’t finishing his races last year, and that that was more apparent than ever in the Gold Cup and at Punchestown(his last 2 races of the year).

He says it has been worked on, and seemingly been cured. Right this second, that can’t be doubted. To what extent though, is the question.

I wonder if he’s had a little bit of tinkering….

IC was (and still is) held in the highest regard by NTD, one of the best horses hes ever trained. The GC win mustn’t have come as that much of a surprise I don’t think.

I wouldn’t personally draw parallels with him and MC. Yes MC has been very good the last few years and obviously loves Cheltenham, but didn’t quite cut the mustard in the GC last year, whereas IC beat the very best in 2010 (albeit with KS falling). I don’t think MC is quite capable enough.

Imperial commander was significantly better. Won as a 9 year old not a 10 year old and had won the paddy power and ryanair both a little better than the races midnight has won IMO. Midnight chase is a frontrunner too, the style of running means you have to be an absolute monster to win the gold cup from the front. He hes not up to it. A very likeable horse and a place shout. Similr to horses like grey abbey. Has that class to win decent races but not the very best.

This may be controversial but I believe Grey Abbey had more than enough class to win Kicking King’s Gold Cup. Grey Abbey dominated every race he ran in for a year and half before that race, including established trials and an incredible weight-carrying win in the Scottish National.

Unfortunately, the ground was much too quick for him in the Gold Cup after an interrupted prep. He still managed a very creditable 5th (I think), then stormed home in the Betfair Bowl at Aintree.

I agree that Midnight Chase isn’t good enough, though. I don’t think he has enough pace to respond when the best ones quicken. If The Gold Cup was 3m 5f, then maybe he’d have a shout!

KAuto Star rated 50/50 for Cheltenham after suffering a fall in training….

You’d expect Grand Crus to run now and possibly Medermit too.