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Hughes didn’t make that move deliberately after the last. The horse began hanging into Cue Card approaching that fence and Hughes had to haul him left; Waiting Patiently changed legs very late to put in a short one at the last (sign of having a fair bit left in the tank), then immediately lugged right when he hit the front. He’s still inexperienced, especially in races of this calibre, and possibly a bit quirky as he idled badly.
Much more to come.
WP didn’t jump brilliantly over the first few fences and took a while to warm into it; agree much more to come but at a careful rate to suit the horse.
That’s a fair point on jumping, Green. He tends to get in close but seems safe enough. Still, he’d benefit from standing off just a bit more and it’s another sign of the engine size that he can be a bit sloppy in a fast run Grade 1 and come to Cue Card with Hughes looking between his legs. Proper horse.
That’s what the owner seems to be hinting that the King George is his big target as he’s a winter ground horse who’s arguably better on flatter tracks…
Think I might cash out the Cheltenham bet for profit as I can’t see him going there reading the reaction of owner and trainer and from what Brian Hughes said after Kempton and today about the ground…
Think that’s a bit of a disrespectful comment from Ruth Jefferson though saying everyone is obsessed and they are not fussed! I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt though in what will have been a very difficult and emotional week!
“Such a ‘Northern’ attitude. Losing count of all the good horses they’ve saved for some silly little race at Aintree, who then gets injured and goes through a career without winning anything worthwhile.”
The fact some view Cheltenham as the only place possessing “anything worthwhile” is exactly what’s wrong with National Hunt Racing.
“Think that’s a bit of a disrespectful comment from Ruth Jefferson though saying everyone is obsessed and they are not fussed! I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt though in what will have been a very difficult and emotional week!”
I think it’s a bit disrespectful to be immediately thinking of Cheltenham after the horse, jockey and trainer have just won their first G1 in what was arguably the race of the season.
As billed, it was an excellent race as all agree. Everybody also says it was run at a tremendously fast pace and the clock backs this up. It was an extraordinary effort by Cue Card who was taken on first by Frodon and the Speredek, almost as good as anything he’s done. Bearing all the above in mind, the RPRs, which are already out, are about half a stone too low. I would have Waiting Patiently at 181, CC 178, Frodon 163 (needs Heavy not Soft to be at very best) and Top Notch 161 (bit disappointing again in G1). WP looks better than anything around bar Altior. Coney Island wants it no worse than Yielding and that’s why he didn’t jump well.
181? Was an excellent performance by all means, but most people here have been talking avout cue card as a “done” horse, he won fairly comfortably but does the winning distance with cue card warrant a 181 rpr? I dont think so
Excellent performance, excellent race, bright prospect, fully capable of much more inprovement but that was not a 180s performance.
Agree with ham, would have all of those ratings about 10lbs lower GM. Nice big fat P for the winner though.
Given all the inconveniences to Cue Card and his general profile as a regressive old horse, it’s a massive leap of faith to think he has run to 178. Really would fly against all racereading logic.
Un de Sceaux’ Ryanair winning performance was officially rated 171 and 170 by the RP. With the runner up Sub Lieutenant finishing 2nd in the Melling Chase next time out it is safe to say the the rating of the form is quite accurate. To think that Waiting Patiently and Cue Card would have brushed him aside to suggest a rating of 175 or 176 is quite optimistic.
I’d rate today’s winning performance not higher than 168 and the winner would have to improve a bit to become a well deserved G1 winner.I’m convinced that cue card was very close to his best today and full of vigor. The gold cup field is riddled with doubts about each and every runner. I believe anyway
Ok. It’s unlikely
But cAn you imagine……..
Un de Sceaux’ Ryanair winning performance was officially rated 171 and 170 by the RP. With the runner up Sub Lieutenant finishing 2nd in the Melling Chase next time out it is safe to say the the rating of the form is quite accurate. To think that Waiting Patiently and Cue Card would have brushed him aside to suggest a rating of 175 or 176 is quite optimistic.
I’d rate today’s winning performance not higher than 168 and the winner would have to improve a bit to become a well deserved G1 winner.That has to surely assume frodon has run quite a bit below best, let alone the others.
How can such an emphatic victory with such a big gap to the third against a genuinely decent field with depth not be anything other than a well deserved grade one
Clive, how good is Frodon anyway?
Beaten 25 lengths by a novice in October (giving away 16 lbs), beaten 11 lengths by Top Notch in a G2 over C&D, beaten in a Listed Handicap over 3m at the same venue and then he won a race on ground no one else handled that day.
I can’t have him higher than 158 or so….
Well you really shouldn’t have brought top notch into it
Frodon beat 13 others. All entered knowing the ground and yet none handled it?? Come on now
His official is 164 but either way today was emphatic from the front two as it could be at this level
Well you really shouldn’t have brought top notch into it
Frodon beat 13 others. All entered knowing the ground and yet none handled it?? Come on now
His official is 164 but either way today was emphatic from the front two as it could be at this level
Yes, the front two were really emphatic, but I wouldn’t want to be too generous with my rating. Just let them get to Cheltenham in one piece and we’ll take it from there. It would be a bit inappropriate to rate them higher than a solid Ryanair winner with neither of them taking part in that race this year.
Brennan said it was one of the best rides Cue Card has given him. Interesting to see CC without the noseband and I might be imagining it but I thought he carried his head a bit lower for it, which, logically he should, but he’s always been known for that sightly high head carriage.
Just watching the finish again, Waiting Patiently has very nearly pulled himself up – it looked like he might suddenly have gone wrong – before picking up somewhat reluctantly and, having jinked right on the run-in, looked to jink left crossing the line. I hope he pulls out sound in the morning.
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