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Thought it was the best Gold Cup we’ve seen for a while, hopefully GDC stays sound and we’ll have an even better renewal next year, with some younger rivals taking part. He has the charisma that some recent winners have lacked, would love to see him get a hat trick, or even more!
Certainly true Illavim. Not sure what it is about him. He even looks like Al Boum Photo but somehow has that spark that poor ABP (through no fault of his own) lacked.
Maybe it’s just the awful name that ABP was saddled with.
GDC is more of a gorgeous Sprinter Sacre type, has the looks and talent but also a slight ‘edge’. Anyway, long may he strut his stuff!
Very interesting to see what will be challenging him next year.Fair points and I like the Sprinter Sacre comparison. Depressing that 4 races since November is now considered a proper campaign – and more depressing that its undeniably true.
Assuming he stays well, a third win looks a formality. It is difficult to see anything behind him turning the form around, although Fastorslow deserves another chance.
Fact To File and Corbetts Cross are his likely contenders but I doubt either can beat him. I wasn’t that impressed with the former and the latter won a soft race where his only serious rival had an excuse.
Thought it was a great Gold Cup and GDC has won it like a true champion should this time around.
I’m expecting him to be cotton wooled now ahead of a lighter campaign next season.L’Homme Presse has run a cracker after a far from perfect preparation. At 9yo though, he’ll never win won now and I still believe he would’ve went super close last year but for the injury.
Just watched the race again and what a phenomenal leap at the last. Not sure he liked the ground but did the job. On good to soft he’s unbeatable IMHO. Great winner.
We have Caldwell Potter to look forward to hopefully, he may be a future Gold Cup contender.
Re: LHP, it could be that he has just turned out to be not as good as we thought he might end up being – ignoring the injury for a moment, look at his most notable form prior to this season:
Won G2 at Cheltenham Jan 2022 beating The Glancing Queen 10L on soft ground over 2m4½f
Won G1 at Sandown Feb 2022 beating Mr Coffey & Pic D’Orhy 21L & 27L on good to soft ground over 2m4f
Won G1 at Cheltenham Festival Mar 2022 beating Ahoy Senor & Gaillard Du Mesnil 3½L & 5¼L on soft ground over 3m½f
3rd at Aintree Apr 2022 beaten by Ahoy Senor & Fury Road 18L & 5L on soft ground over 3m1f
Won Handicap at Newcastle Nov 2022 beating Into Overdrive (rec 26lbs) & Happygolucky (rec 13lbs) 1L & 4L on good to soft over 2m7½f
U/R at Kempton Dec 2022 when going to finsh 2nd to Bravemansgame
The Glancing Queen I believe has now been retired to the paddocks
Mr Coffey is 0 for 13 over fences since
Pic D’Ory is (in my opinion anyway) a solid G2 horse at best that has been able to nick a couple of average G1 races
Ahoy Senor is 1 from 11 over fences since that Aintree win and is fully exposed
Gaillard Du Mesnil needs more extreme staying distances as shown by winning the National Hunt Chase and finishing 3rd in both the English & Irish Nationals
Fury Road is 1 from 11 since with his best run a 3rd behind GDC in Irish Gold Cup
Into Overdrive is 1 from 5 since and twice has failed to even complete.
Happygolucky has been beaten a total of 55L in two subsequent starts
Bravemansgame did subsequently finish 2nd in the Gold Cup but has been disapointing in not being able to win in 6 subsequent starts (including twice at odds on).All to say that maybe today is about as good as LHP is and also bear in mind that at 9 he is a year older than GDC, so it is unlikely he is going to find enough (if any) improvement….one could argue his form is more likely to decline.
Fact to File was all hands and heels
it was his first time at 3 miles and the going was heavy
I think he looks a real contenderBlackbeard to conquer the World
Agree Nathan, I think Fact To File is a genuine contender, he’s in my ten to follow for next year!
All of those up and comers have to prove they stay the trip on that course – history tells us that being able to stay 3m doesn’t mean you will stay the Gold Cup trip, One Man actually won the Cotswold Chase over 1f less but his stamina run out in between the last 2 fences.
GDC sets a high benchmark and while there have been some nice performances from Fact To File & Corbetts Cross etc none of their runs were as impressive as GDC was as a novice let alone what he has elevated to now.
The dark horse could actually be another from Mullins own yard in Grangeclare West who absolutely laughed at Corbetts Cross at the DRF – keeping sound might be his biggest issue though.
What an absolute superstar Galopin des Champs is! He travels so powerful and finds plenty. I follow this sport for about 10 years now and he is the best I’ve ever seen.
As far as Gold Cups are concerned I’d have him surpassing Kauto after today
Blackbeard to conquer the World
Me too. At the bare 3 he has a way to go to match him but Gold Cup course + trip he is better.
Agree nathan, at that trip over that track on that ground, its hard to tell where his bottom is, we havent seen it and we wont see it, there isnt a horse in training that would have found it today
Fact to files the talking horse, but he wouldnt have a prayer with GDC under todays conditions
Id be hard pressed to accept that any horse would
Its scary to think hes did all this, as barely an 8yo… if he stays sound, he’ll do it all again next season. I pray he stays sound
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