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Some win that was, and you could hardly call it a hard race. So why are they so scared to run him? He ran 4 times before winning at the Festival as a novice.
If I owned Grey Dawning I’d need some convincing not to have at least two more runs between now and March. He’s at his peak, why would you not try your chances in as many big races as you can?
Been out today, so only just watched this; bloody good ride by Skelton. Think the Skeltons know the time of day, so I’d leave it to them to map out future plans/number of runs, instead of saying they should do this etc. Don’t agree though with saving him for Aintree to potentially pick up additional prize money for the Championship. It’s a place he’s been beaten at in the last three years and regardless of if you think he has no chance in the Gold Cup, if I owned him and he had a chance, I’d always want to go for the Gold Cup.
I appreciate that LD73 but this side of 2026 there is only the King George and he isn’t going right handed so that only leaves one of the races in the New Year to run in before the Gold Cup that I can think of in the UK schedule.
It’s possible they do the Protektorat route with him – Betfair Chase, Cotswold Chase, Gold Cup. He was another that they didn’t want to run right handed if I remember correctly.
The Protektorat route might not be the best.
Looking back at the past ten years:
6/12 winners ran in the Irish Gold Cup (Leopardstown) on their last run
2/12 winners ran in the Denman Chase (Newbury) on their last run
2/12 winners ran in the New Years Day Chase (Tramore) – well that’s just Al Boum Photo relatedSomehow the Cotswold is not a source of Gold Cup winners though it’s only a week before the DRF.
We shall be wiser after the John Durkan and also the KG. Good luck with you bets, Mike.
Grey Dawning is a very unlikely winner of the Gold Cup, but not because the “protektorat route” is unlikely to produce winners of the GC.
The Irish have mopped the race up for nearly ten years now and it’s long odds on they do so again this year.
I’m not saying Grey Dawning is going to win the Gold Cup lol, I’m just putting out there the routes Dan Skelton is likely going to take with him and why trying to win as many races before the Gold Cup, as one or two have suggested, isn’t altogether wise if they are taking the Gold Cup attempt seriously this season, which it looks like.
Haiti Couleurs was a major disappointment – out like a light.
I’d be amazed if Grey Dawning wins a Gold Cup and only slightly less amazed if he runs in it. He’s a lovely horse and a resolute galloper but I simply don’t think he’d cope with a full-on Gold Cup featuring the likes of last year’s winner and Galopin Des Champs. And I think Skelton might agree.
I tend to think they’ll target him at Aintree again with one or two along the way.But I hope he does amaze me because he is very likeable.
Cormack
I’d be surprised if Skelton doesn’t run GD in the Gold Cup, unless it’s soft to heavy.
I think there’s a shift in his overall approach this year in combating Mullins and he’s more inclined to go head to head at Cheltenham, not simply targetting the County Hurdle as per…
I’m hoping he’ll have a good stab at a few of the grade ones – win a couple of those and his chance of the trainers championship would look much rosier without needing to keep harvesting some if the second rank mid winter affairs. Whether that works or not I’m encouraged by his inclination to keep his stable stars relatively fresh.Where else do they run him at Cheltenham … Ryanair … FTF would destroy him , if they could nick some GC prize money they should be delighted
I don’t think they will run him at Cheltenham HDLG – they have the attractive alternative option of running him fresh at Aintree.
Cormack
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