2012 Gold Cup

**Warning, contains strong language**

Please remove if offending anyone…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRiL2VlD … S_0vnis%3D

Best laugh I’ve had or ages

While Sam did very little wrong Zippy it goes beyond the last half mile. Ruby has probably the best pair of hands in racing and can turn horses off completely saving loads of energy.

That becomes very important in the latter stages as we saw with Long Run. I wouldn’t say he was badly over racing but he was a bit more involved than perhaps he would have been if the likes of Ruby had ridden.

The way the race turned out from the second last not even AP could have conjured up enough to have won on Long Run but whether better handling out in the country would have made the difference is definitely debatable.

My own gut feeling the way Synchronised was pulling right away in the last 50 yds, the best Long Run fans could have hoped for with the likes of Barry on board would be 2nd.

It may very well be people are underestimating just how good a horse Sync is, he put up a very performance to give Giles Cross 18lbs and a thrashing last season and he is one very well handicapped horse,as we have seen this season when he recently beat Neptune Collonges of a 6lb higher mark.

That may not tickle too many people’s fancy but add to that the fact he’s come on since then and you don’t exactly get minced beef.

When it comes to classy Sync. is a visual nightmare which no doubt puts people off him, but he has bundles of a ability and keeps improving and is currently holding the crown.

I’m prepared to wait and see what comes up through the ranks that might dethrone him but I’m not prepared to look back as I can’t see Long Run ever winning another Gold Cup.

2 horses regaining the crown after losing it within a couple of years when it’s taken a lifetime to do it? No chance.

**Warning, contains strong language**

Please remove if offending anyone…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRiL2VlD … S_0vnis%3D

Absolutely priceless Zamorstan, alhough obviously someone has got too much time on their hands .

I never thought I would hear myself say (or write this) but I agree pretty much with Hitler…..well on most of it. I can’t have that slagging of JP or jonjo….but the rest I pretty much go along with, even down to Mccoy’s long face (I’d never thought about that one till he mentioned it)

I was just pondering to myself that people [me included] have been saying for years that Kauto should run in a handicap and show people how good he is by giving lots of weight and a beating to other horses, and now we get a horse winning the Gold Cup that has done just that, and we’re thinking to ourselves ‘yes, but he’s just a handicapper and didn’t beat anything much’. Dear little horse he is; wish I’d backed him!

The question is Ginge,just how far below form was

Long Run

or was he over-rated in the first place,my initial interpretation of events was ‘Time for Rupert’ ran right up to his best hurdle rating of 166,his official mark of 153 would have made him a good thing for the Festival Chase,that was the Real Rupert we saw.’The Giant Bolster’ rated 160 also ran above his mark,i’d say nearer 172 which suggests he is better than the handicapper I called him to emphasisie the difficulty facing the official Handicapper. I rated

Synchronised

at 170 before the off and he’s ran to 177.My marker horse is’Burton Port’ so if he has run to his mark of 166 which i reckon he has then ‘Long run’ never was a 182 horse in the first place,my rating was 178 so he’s run to nearer 170! Lets not go go down the ‘Kauto Star’ being rated 193 for beating ‘Madison du Berlais’ ‘Barbers Shop’ and ‘Nacarat’ road as that was just making numbers up!
This years Gold Cup reminded me of the days gone by when ‘Handicappers’ who excelled on the day reaped their rewards,’Charter Party’ for one!

So what you are saying Gord is:

4

of the first

6

home improved their Timeform rating

considerably

, and by some amazing

coincidence

;

all 4

improved by

almost exactly

the same amount. And that includes the previously

thoroughly exposed

Knockara Beau.

As far as Long Run is concerned:
In fact, if you look at my first "ratings" post on this subject; you’ll see, I now believe Long Run was rated a little too high by Timeform. But there can’t be much doubting his winning King George form. With Riverside Theatre franking the form; not once, not twice, but three times. With those performance ratings working well with the King George form.

Long Run might not be capable of running to the form of last year. May never be able to show that form again.

Synchronised is no 177 horse.

So what you are saying Gord is:

4

of the first

6

home improved their Timeform rating

considerably

, and by some amazing

coincidence

;

all 4

improved by

almost exactly

the same amount. And that includes the previously

thoroughly exposed

Knockara Beau.

As far as Long Run is concerned:
In fact, if you look at my first "ratings" post on this subject; you’ll see, I now believe Long Run was rated a little too high by Timeform.

Synchronised is no 177 horse.

Thats exactly what I’m saying Ginger,well done! You of short memory will have forgotten that

Knockara Beau

finished a mere half length behind

Burton Port

and

Long run

in the Novices Gold Cup and George Charlton has always maintained that ‘on his day’ he could run a big race in a Gold cup.He did! Just like

Time for Rupert

and

The Giant Bolster

did!
Dont kid yourself

Synchronised

is not the horse I say he is either,he’s shown incredible improvement this year! I’m not one for saying my assessment of this years Gold cup was Spot on but my ratings certainly worked for me!

Thats exactly what I’m saying Ginger,well done! You of short memory will have forgotten that

Knockara Beau

finished a mere half length behind

Burton Port

and

Long run

in the Novices Gold Cup and George Charlton has always maintained that ‘on his day’ he could run a big race in a Gold cup.He did!

Difference being both Burton Port and Long Run have improved in leaps and bounds in those

two years

. Particularly the latter, who didn’t run to form in the RSA, another race in which ear plugs were not used. Knockara Beau hasn’t improved. Using what trainers publicly think of their horses will lead any punter to the poor house, unless you’ve got inside information. Every trainer going in to a big race says those things, he/she has to. Otherwise they’re accused of having a social runner. It will be interesting to see whether Knockara Beau confirms your opinion in future races.

Dont kid yourself

Synchronised

is not the horse I say he is either,he’s shown incredible improvement this year! I’m not one for saying my assessment of this years Gold cup was Spot on but my ratings certainly worked for me!

Well done for tipping and backing Synchronised Gord. But don’t let that fact kid yourself in to believing he’s much better than he actually is. Synchronised has improved this season and (although already well handicapped for the Grand National) has to progress further to do as well next season.

Ginger.Simple Question,but why ‘has he got to progress further to do as well next season’? All thats stopping him from winning the National is those bloody fences,he’s just not built to jump fences like that,even park fences see him having to ‘Skewer’ himself over them at times,he’s that low.To his credit he attacks everyone of them and wont go down without fighting.I hope he doesn’t run in the race myself as he’s done more than enough winning the Gold cup and Lexus aswell as 3 other Nationals to boot! Team Mcmanus have

Sunnyhill Boy

sitting perfectly at the bottom of the card!

Ginger.Simple Question,but why ‘has he got to progress further to do as well next season’? All thats stopping him from winning the National is those bloody fences,he’s just not built to jump fences like that,even park fences see him having to ‘Skewer’ himself over them at times,he’s that low.To his credit he attacks everyone of them and wont go down without fighting.I hope he doesn’t run in the race myself as he’s done more than enough winning the Gold cup and Lexus aswell as 3 other Nationals to boot! Team Mcmanus have

Sunnyhill Boy

sitting perfectly at the bottom of the card!

Synchronised probably "needs to improve" further next season because this year’s Gold Cup winning performance was below average in quality. ie He has to put up a better performance to win an average renewal. Also suspect one or two young Irish chasers (eg Sir Des Champs) will also give him plenty to think about if returning there. Ireland’s established staying chasers were particularly poor this term.

We agree in hoping Synchronised does not run in the National, jumping isn’t up to it. Although in my opinion Sunnyhillboy’s isn’t much better.