CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP 2009 and 2010

[Euro]

I beg to differ.

Best Mate was a better Gold Cup winner than he is given credit for.

He was rated in the early 180s by virtually every ratings organisation. That seems spot on to me.

[Getzippy]

I believe 100% that Kauto was a tired horse when he fell. I can’t see how he would have been in the 1st 3 or 4.

When I watched the DVD again Francombe seemed to think the horse had done his running by that stage.

If KS had not made the initial mistake, who knows?

I still feel he would have been beaten by Denman and IC irrespective of any mistakes. It was a stronger race than previous years and too much for him on this occasion, though I think he would have held onto 3rd.

I guess 2011 may give us some final answers – KS is still the value bet for next year’s GC IMHO.

Zip

[Anonymous]

Best Mate is not in anything like the same class as Imperial Commander

FACT

Imperial Commander Form Lines 1/146173/114/161-P251
Best Mate Form Lines 11221/1112/1221/111/211/12/P/

FACT

Nigel rates Imperial on a par with Best Mate,funnily enough!

FACT

Terry Biddlecombe rated Best Mate on a par with Arkle – any more FACTS?

[CheltenhamSpecialist]

Terry Biddlecombe rated Best Mate on a par with Arkle –

He was far from the only one at the time, I may add I was NOT one of those, infact I can’t recall ever backing Best Mate and I’ve never compared any other horse to Himself… but it just goes to show how easy it is to get carried away with the "horse of the moment"
It’s only a few weeks ago that folk who should have known a LOT better were comapring Kauto Star to Arkle….that’s going to look

really

stupid in a few years time

[The Ante-Post King]

Nigel rates Imperial on a par with Best Mate,funnily enough!

FACT

Terry Biddlecombe rated Best Mate on a par with Arkle – any more FACTS?

You still smarting from having your bum spanked reet?

[moehat]

I thought Hen and Terry used to say it was everyone else comparing Best Mate with Arkle, not them. Strange that we went for so long without dual Gold Cup winning horses and now it happens all the time. Can’t help but feel it has got to end at some point.

[CheltenhamSpecialist]

Strange that we went for so long without dual Gold Cup winning horses and now it happens all the time. Can’t help but feel it has got to end at some point.

Comes in groups of two with approx 30 years between each pair oddly enough ……..Cottage Rake excepted

1929 & 1930 Easter Hero
1932-1936 Golden Miller

1964-1966 Arkle
1970 & 1971 E’Escargot

2002-2004 Best Mate
2007 & 2009 Kauto Star

Lump on the 2039 winner to win again in 2040!!!
You heard it here first!!!

[Himself]

Terry Biddlecombe ( probably tongue ‘n cheek ) said Best Mate could have beaten Arkle as, according to him… "Arkle only beat old boats."

An interesting aside. Arkle and Best Mate’s physical statistics were almost exact. Arkle though, like those other great racehorses, Hyperion, Phar Lap and Secretariat, was found to have a larger heart in comparison to others.

Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning

[Seventy Four]

Terry Biddlecombe ( probably tongue ‘n cheek ) said Best Mate could have beaten Arkle as, according to him… "Arkle only beat old boats."

An interesting aside. Arkle and Best Mate’s physical statistics were almost exact. Arkle though, like those other great racehorses, Hyperion, Phar Lap and Secretariat, was found to have a larger heart in comparison to others.

Arkle was also himself beaten by a boat – Ferry Boat, to be precise (a decent Irish steeplechaser), who finished second to Mill House in the 1963 Hennessey Gold Cup, and ahead of Arkle.

However, I would never have put Best Mate in the same league as Arkle. I think he beat a very poor lot of chasers (comparitively speaking) to win his three Gold Cups, and although you can only beat what turns up against you, his connections hardly ever ran him in a handicap, whereas Arkle regularly carried huge weights to victory in top handicap steeplechases.

[raymo61]

I think its almost impossible to compare horses from different generations because of differences in going,state of the fences, training methods, feeds to name just a few. Also jockeys are certainly more professional today compared to the old days which may or may not contribute to an improved performance.

Its nice to do it but as far as a definitive answer is concerned it aint happening!!

[TheOneAndOnlyTonyMcCoy]

Raymo, I definatley agree with you, regarding the ‘comparing generations’.

I backed Imperial Commander at the festival and also, my brother looked at the trends and no-horse in the last 10 years have won the Gold Cup at the age of 10 years or more. That meant Kauto and Denman were ruled out. If this is anything to go by next year, we should have another new winner on the scene then? I think not.

Imperial Commander’s form around Cheltenham is tremendous and it will take a very good horse to take the crown from Nigel T-Davies.

One that does catch my eye is Somersby. Im not the biggest fan of Henrietta Knight but she knows how to train a GC winner and the way Somersby jumps could well make the difference in 2011 GC.

No Ante-post bets for Cheltenham, anything can happen!

I wish you all look if you have and as i have not been on the forum for a while, im just wondering what you think about the 2011 GC

Thanks All, Happy punting

[Author]

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