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What price would you make a 2 time winner of the GC?
Champ going favourite when he’s beaten what? Minella Indo who looks a disappointment this year, and Allaho who finally showed some form last time, in beating a mare off favourable weights (only giving Elimay 2pds)? Hardly scintillating.
We know ABP loves the GC test, we don’t know that about Champ.
Champ looked a bit better today over his fences, but he still showed he can be clumsy like his final jump.
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!Agreed Jack , I can’t see anyway AL boum won’t go off favourite , even if you want to try and knock last year’s race he won the prev year to , you have to look hard to find flaws in him
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
I think you’re being too harsh on Champ he ran at a shorter distance than he’s trained on (2 miles) whereas the Gold Cup is 10 furlongs longer. He needed the run and yet Sceau Royal still had to go for everything to beat him. I’d say he’ll be spot on for the Gold Cup and his jumping will improve. Reminds me of Desert Orchard who ran in his best year at all sorts of distance against the best of the specialist distances (Panto Prince springs to mind) and still beat them.
You've got to accentuate the positive.
Eliminate the negative.
Latch on to the affirmative.
Don't mess with mister in between.Sometimes it isnt about past race form that decides the favourite it can be momentum during the week. If Mullins is getting his expected winners ABP will be the likely favourite. On the other hand if JP Mcmanus horses are on fire and 1 or 2 Mullins horses get turned over there may be a Champ gamble on the day. We just dont know.
Mike whether Champ starts favourite or not would not make a difference to where he finishes. I think Champ when he’s race fit will be hard to beat on today’s evidence. However that’s my opinion.
You've got to accentuate the positive.
Eliminate the negative.
Latch on to the affirmative.
Don't mess with mister in between.I’m not a huge Champ fan but that was a very nice performance yesterday. He jumped really well, seemed to travel well and was only beaten by a proper 2m Chaser. I actually thought Sceau Royal would win with a bit ore in hand but Champ performed a lot better than I expected.
Think it was a very good prep for the Gold Cup and will have delighted connections. However despite his improved jumping I could still see him making one or two mistakes that could cost him dearly in the Gold Cup and I’d rather back A Plus Tard around the same price.
RR77 I am aware whether he starts favourite or not makes no difference to where he finishes.
I was giving my viewpoint on the debate of who might start favourite that was all.
This looks a weaker gold cup than any of the previous 2 that Al Boum Photo won. I would imagine he will go off very close to evens money on the day. The only danger is the fences and surely with a clear round he wins.
Ship, its not uncommon for horses to fail miserably the season after the gold cup and thats likely what your seeing with santini & LOIT, its definitely no where newr grade 2 form, im assuming thats trolling…
Much more simple task for ABP if he replicates previous two years he will win, it is an ask though,
Champ wont stay/last home, too erratic at this level in open company, one run coming into this is definitely not ideal either, it suits ABP but theres factual proof of that, chanp… not so nuch, the res of them? Meh…
How on earth is this a weaker renewal captain Robbo? You have last years 2nd,3rd and 5th reopposing.
You also have champ, minella indo, A plus Tard, Frodon and royal pagaille new opponents.
You also have a returning champ in native river this time too.
Really struggling to see that it’s weakerthe res of them? Meh…
You forgot about your boy Chacun getting his butt kicked last Christmas eh Ham ?
How on earth is this a weaker renewal captain Robbo? You have last years 2nd,3rd and 5th reopposing.
You also have champ, minella indo, A plus Tard, Frodon and royal pagaille new opponents.
You also have a returning champ in native river this time too.
Really struggling to see that it’s weakerWell last years 2nd, 3rd and 5th weren’t good enough to win it last year and all 3 of those ones have gone backwards this year.
Native River is 11. You need to go back to 1962 and Mandarin to find the last 11yo to win the gold cup.
I don’t see Frodon as being a serious contender, the same for Royal Pagaile and Minella Indo.
On paper for me the only 2 serious rivals ABP faces are Champ and A Plus Tard and Champ has some questions to answer.
In previous 2 years a stronger case could have been made for more runners and they looked more competitive races. I think that’s hard to argue with.
I suspect the same people who are knocking Champ for his jumping also thought Kauto Star would never get around Cheltenham and was a lay in 2007.
Sometimes you’ve got to open your eyes to what is obvious – Champ looks the best horse in the race by quite a margin.
Al Boum Photo is a vanilla Gold Cup winner (despite doing it twice). He’s a Native River or War Of Attrition rather than the all-time great some seem to take him for.
A Plus Tard cheated his way to win The Savills Chase. The jockey whipped the horse too many times and got a ban otherwise he’s not won. I don’t think Rachel Blackmore will cheat. If you got bigger prices ew then ok, but that Savills Chase doesn’t sit comfortably with me. The step up in trip would have to bring improvement.
Think its between Al Boum Photo and Champ (if Nico rides as expected) for the win now. Plenty of contenders for a place.
Too many whips or not, the horse had it in his locker to win the race Mike, also, Blackmore is a better jockey so that’s a positive and you’d presume you’d get a better ride + less chance of needing a whip bashing.
Quietly fancy him myself, but i don’t often go too mad in this race betting wise.Why does it depend on Nico riding for Champ?
Ship that’s interesting, i’d say you’re doing ABP a disservice, but that’s your opinion. “Quite a margin”, how good do you really think Champ is out of interest?
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!I think 175 overrates Al Boum Photo by 5-8lbs and I think Champ is capable of a high 170s performance if able to fully express himself with fitness, jumping, run of the race etc.
It’s probably Champ’s one and only chance to run to that level as he’ll be into double digits next year. I also suspect, given his pedigree and niggly wind issue (family of Best Mate, Cornish Rebel etc) that better ground would enhance his chance. It’s to his huge credit that he could win the RSA last year despite soft ground, a pretty dreadful round of jumping and possibly gurgling if Hendo is to be believed.
The winning margin was small enough for it to have made the difference. As I said, if he improves again for another 2 and a half furlongs you never know, I think he will need to find it to beat the reigning champ for one.
jackh1092 Why does it depend on Nico riding for Champ?
Coz he will have a choice of rides so picking Champ would be a positive.
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