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Sizing John and Yorkhill head the entries at this stage. It will be Yorkhill’s seasonal debut and Sizing John is probably 50/50 to turn up after his win on heavy ground in the John Durkan.
Outlander is a likely runner, defending his crown from last year.
Disko, Valseur Lido, Coney island, Road to Respect, Empire of Dirt, Killultagh Vic, A Toi Phil other possible runners. Will be interesting to see who turns up. Can’t see Djakadam being rushed back for this
Current market has Sizing John the 2/1 fav and Yorkhill the 5/2 second fav; if one of them drops out you’d imagine the other will be odds on. Would be nice to see two Gold Cup contenders square off.
Don think SJ will run
Coney island ascot bound on saturdayI wish theyd hurry up and get killultagh vic out so i know where i stand with him in terms of the gold cup,
Will just be a watching race for me, would be good if yorkhill bolted up but you cannot take 5/2 about him to do so
Sizing John had 5 races in 4 months last season and I think Jessie Harrington was a bit concerned she may have overdone it with him. Fears probably mostly allayed now he has won the John Durkan…but just wonder if he would have beaten Djak and Coneygree more easily at Punchestown if he had been fresher. I would not be surprised if he skips the Lexus, then runs in the Kinloch Brae then straight to Cheltenham, leaving the Irish Gold Cup as a prep for Our Duke. We already know SJ stays 3 miles so 2.5 will do for prep; whereas Our Duke could do with 3 mile pace to give him more time at his fences to brush up his jumping.
The O’Learys sound keen on the King George for Disko and the Lexus-that-was for Road to Respect. Valseur Lido also interesting. My prediction
1. Yorkhill
2. Road to Respect
3. Valseur LidoCan’t see them bringing out Sizing John for this; it’s too soon after his most recent run considering they seem very careful to mind him up to Cheltenham, and Yorkhill would only beat him anyway.
Don’t envy the jockey’s task on Yorkhill if he runs – it has been hard enough trying to hold on to him over much shorter distances and now for his first run of the season they go 3m. Could well see him travelling all over everyone to 3 maybe 2 out and then falling in a hole as early exuberance takes its toll – surprised SJ is being aimed at this as they said KG would come too quick for him yet this race is only two days later and liable to be more of a test given more testing ground conditions.
I would be interested in Djakadam if he runs as I never thought he travelled anywhere near like he can in this years John Durkan (even though Mick Fitzgerald said he looked very fit condition wise in the paddock). I remember when he ran in the Hennessy 1st time out a few years back (they said in hindsight he should of had a prep run) but on his following run he won the Thyestes under top weight of 11st 10lbs – my only reservation is that it would be a quick turn around from his 1st run.
Ground is GS at Leop, the same as Kempton? Travelling a horse takes a lot out of it, and the owner has FN.
Yielding at Leopardstown as of Tuesday but forecast says showers today, tomorrow and also Monday so depending on how much they could get (plus whatever the forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday next week is) I would imagine you could be looking at soft ground (or the Irish version of it anyway). Also take into account that given the race is on day three of the meeting any rain they get after it starts will likely change the ground quicker as it will be opened up by other races.
The race invariably turns into a real slog, which I am not sure Harrington would want to subject the horse to at this stage of the season so it wouldn’t surprise me if they swerve the race.
He ran on Heavy going LTO and put up arguably his most impressive display yet, I can’t see JH pulling him based on soft ground.
John Durkan was 2m4f and in my mind he looked quite tired on the run in – and being it wasn’t too long ago do you really want to be subjecting him to another real hard race in December?
Take a look back at some of the finishes to this race over the years and a lot of them are slow motion with horses out on their feet – not beyond possibilities that a hard race here in testing conditions could leave a mark and cost you another Gold Cup come March.
http://www.irishracing.com/news?headline=Sizing-John-Confirmed-For-Leopardstown-Chase&prid=188048
Genuine soft ground won’t ruin the horse, especially with it looking like he’ll be given a break after this race until the GC. Just as much chance a hard KG would’ve ruined the hoss.
Glad they read my post and said killutagh vic is running next week (kidding)
Hopefully puts in a good show, very talented and still young, 25/1? Thattl do for me
Could Yorkhill possibly go off favourite even if Sizing John runs
It’d make the book for sure if he does run.
Fully expect him to flop as a 3mile+ horse, i don’t care how good he is, a horse that is as headstrong as him will surely be running on fumes come the business end against top drawer opposition.Yorkhill has no chance unless a shed load of these don’t turn up. He is not a 3mile horse regardless of what pedigree might suggest, evidence on the racecourse suggests otherwise. If sizing john turns up in similar form as he was a few weeks ago then he wins. Looks like we will have two very well contested 3 mile chases in leopardstown and kempton and two rubbish 2 mile hurdle grade ones.
If my old pal Carlingford Lough stayed around his current price, then I’d probably have a sentimental last go on him, but for now, I’m seriously considering Edwulf at the 50’s. If over his issues from last year (I’m not 100% happy with him back in training after what happened), and they’ve got enough work in to him, then that’s far too big a price on what we seen of him last year.
Yorkhill shouldn’t be underestimated on his tendency on right hand tracks to jump left and his hot headedness from last season.
For all we know he could be a calmer horse this season. Only question is whether he can beat a Gold Cup winner who ran 2 weeks ago.Best race over Christmas for me this one
Backed Disko E/W @ 10’s. Hoping he is on an upward curve for this year, i think he will finish in front of Yorkhill on his first run back if he runs. Would be quite shocked if he never finished in the 3 places.
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