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Funny you should say that, but i personally believe it was the race of the festival last year!
Interesting you refer to Well Chief, Azertyuiop and The Flyer. If the Rynair was around at the time, would they have clashed at Chelts? I doubt it.
They were all two milers.
I doubt you’ll see any 2 milers in the Ryanair this year.
Cue Card is better over 2 miles than 2 and a half imo. The Ryanair is a good race but I’d be strongly against the idea of a hurdle race for older horses over 2 and a half miles.
The problem with that theory is that all Cue Card’s chase wins are over further than 2 miles, most recently 2m6f
For the last number of years its been the poor mans day out, but this race has added to what now (without BB) is the most keenly contested days of the Fez. Loves it!!!! If you add a G1 2.5m hurdles race here the week is complete ! Got off the subject there but think For None Stop is a huuuuuuuggggeeee price. Although ground now may not be ideal
This race is becoming a war of attrition rather than a test of speed, with Albertas Run (former RSA winner) and Imperial Commander (future Gold Cup hero) coming out on top in recent years.
Cue Card’s optimum trip is probably two miles-four / five on a flat track, but the extra demands of Cheltenham at this trip – particularly on testing ground – could prove his achilles heel.
If
First Lieutenant
heads here then he would certainly be my ‘Festival Nap’. He’s just the type to slog it out up that famous hill after being on the premises from pillar to post, breaking the hearts of his rivals in the process. He has proven form at this venue, stays further and testing conditions will only improve his chances at the detriment of others.
I struggle to think of another challenger in the field who will revel in the forecast conditions at this trip around Cheltenham. He has top class form to boot and connections who know the time of day.
I backed
Cue Card
last time out when sure to get an easy lead. But there are so many front runners in this and in my opinion jumps better and enjoys himself with an easy lead. With Champion Court a very similar type (possibly need to lead to show their best) they might take each other on. Likely to be a stiff test with Alberta’s Run also putting up his best performances ridden prominently. Ghizao can go from the front too, but expect a hold up ride to get the trip. Cue Card won’t be able to dictate a slow pace and is not sure to get home. Want to oppose him at the price.
Champion Court
surprised me when running a great race for a long way in the King George; making the running. Bit disappointing last time, outspeeded by Alasi in a slowly run affair but this won’t be a test of speed. Second to Sir Des Champs in Jewson last year; but unlikely to get his own way in front today.
Alberta’s Run
has an outstanding Cheltenham record, but hasn’t come here on reappearance before. At 12, he may need a run to get fit and has the Grand National as a target. Has more competition for a prominent position than in previous years.
I backed
First Lieutenent
for the Gold Cup and it would not surprise me if he won today because it is not a good renewal. Is the most likely improver. Close second to Tidal Bay in Lexus (3m soft). A good pace will enable stamina to come to the fore. Expected to be outpaced at some stage, before staying on. Although "acts" on the ground, will be a "stayer" at the trip, hopefully it won’t be too quick. Yet another prominent runner (leads/disputes/tracks). Could end up an overly strong pace and so favour hold up horses.
Not exactly a hold up horse, but I backed
Riverside Theatre
last year, didn’t go well throughout the race but somehow Barry got home in front. Bad runs at Aintree and Kempton blamed on ulcers which they think have been sorted out. But he’s never gone with much ease at Cheltenham despite that win. I’ve had a saver on him, but can’t be main bet material.
Ghizao
shouldn’t really be good enough, though better than distances beaten suggests last time, given plenty to do when held up to get the trip. Has had breathing oporation/s and doesn’t find a great deal off the bridle; so can’t see him being good enough to win this.
Menorah
isn’t out of it on his Kempton Peterborough, giving 2 lbs and a 3 1/2 length victory from Hunt Ball. Likely to be held up out the back. Third to Sprinter Sacre in the Arkle here last year; but will need to put in his best ever round of jumping to win this.
That leaves
For Non Stop
. Didn’t show much last time in the Peterborough, but that was a third run in (for him) fairly quick succession. Judging from sportinglife.com his record after a 60+ days break for Nick Williams is – two wins and two falls. Going like the winner on one of those falls and on the other fell in the Coral Cup when booked for second (possibly went for home too soon). Run of the race may well suit him (held up/dropped out). For Non Stop’s Aintree win first time out isn’t that far behind the best of these and seemed capable of better at that stage. Looks a cracking each way bet at around 14/1, I make him around a 9/1 shot.
Value Is EverythingI backed
Cue Card
last time out when sure to get an easy lead. But there are so many front runners in this and in my opinion jumps better and enjoys himself with an easy lead. With Champion Court a very similar type (possibly need to lead to show their best) they might take each other on. Likely to be a stiff test with Alberta’s Run also putting up his best performances ridden prominently. Ghizao can go from the front too, but expect a hold up ride to get the trip. Cue Card won’t be able to dictate a slow pace and is not sure to get home. Want to oppose him at the price.
Champion Court
surprised me when running a great race for a long way in the King George; making the running. Bit disappointing last time, outspeeded by Alasi in a slowly run affair but this won’t be a test of speed. Second to Sir Des Champs in Jewson last year; but unlikely to get his own way in front today.
Alberta’s Run
has an outstanding Cheltenham record, but hasn’t come here on reappearance before. At 12, he may need a run to get fit and has the Grand National as a target. Has more competition for a prominent position than in previous years.
I backed
First Lieutenent
for the Gold Cup and it would not surprise me if he won today because it is not a good renewal. Is the most likely improver. Close second to Tidal Bay in Lexus (3m soft). A good pace will enable stamina to come to the fore. Expected to be outpaced at some stage, before staying on. Although "acts" on the ground, will be a "stayer" at the trip, hopefully it won’t be too quick. Yet another prominent runner (leads/disputes/tracks). Could end up an overly strong pace and so favour hold up horses.
Not exactly a hold up horse, but I backed
Riverside Theatre
last year, didn’t go well throughout the race but somehow Barry got home in front. Bad runs at Aintree and Kempton blamed on ulcers which they think have been sorted out. But he’s never gone with much ease at Cheltenham despite that win. I’ve had a saver on him, but can’t be main bet material.
Ghizao
shouldn’t really be good enough, though better than distances beaten suggests last time, given plenty to do when held up to get the trip. Has had breathing oporation/s and doesn’t find a great deal off the bridle; so can’t see him being good enough to win this.
Menorah
isn’t out of it on his Kempton Peterborough, giving 2 lbs and a 3 1/2 length victory from Hunt Ball. Likely to be held up out the back. Third to Sprinter Sacre in the Arkle here last year; but will need to put in his best ever round of jumping to win this.
That leaves
For Non Stop
. Didn’t show much last time in the Peterborough, but that was a third run in (for him) fairly quick succession. Judging from sportinglife.com his record after a 60+ days break for Nick Williams is – two wins and two falls. Going like the winner on one of those falls and on the other fell in the Coral Cup when booked for second (possibly went for home too soon). Run of the race may well suit him (held up/dropped out). For Non Stop’s Aintree win first time out isn’t that far behind the best of these and seemed capable of better at that stage. Looks a cracking each way bet at around 14/1, I make him around a 9/1 shot.
yes for non stop has a great chance. can’t get his aintree win out of my mind.
he has ideal conditions- he’s fresh, they’ll go a frantic pace on good ground. just a question if he’s good enough.
mind you, it’s easy to make a case for anything in here, I think any of these could win with the possible exception of ghizao (which will now dot up)
cue card though I feel should be favourite… everything is set fair for a huge run.. although front-runners seem to struggle around here, and maybe he does need an easy lead we’ll learn more about him today.
menorah as well I keep coming back to as it’s difficult to forget his win in the international hurdle a few years back where he slammed cue card and one of the favourites for the gold cup, sil conti. he’ll come roaring up that hill..
all in all a difficult puzzle to solve.
I backed First Lieutenant on Tuesday at 3/1, thought i had a good be then but 2 bad leaps, 1 is enough in a Grade 1.
Great to see Cue Card blow Jim Mcgrath, ( Mr Timform), he who thinks he knows it all, yet got it wrong about this horse yet again.I backed First Lieutenant on Tuesday at 3/1, thought i had a good be then but 2 bad leaps, 1 is enough in a Grade 1.
Great to see Cue Card blow Jim Mcgrath, ( Mr Timform), he who thinks he knows it all, yet got it wrong about this horse yet again.I also backed First Lieutenant, but don’t think the blunder cost him the race. Cue Card kept on so well up the hill that I doubt First Lieutenant would wear him down.
It was a very satisfactory race though – looks like the best Ryanair ever with Riverside Theatre back to form, the good novices from last year right there too. Enjoyable to see Champion Court stuffed out of the places too.
Any horses that gets gives Sprinter Sacre even the most little effort needs backed.
Hacked up there. Massive mistake running First Lieutenant here, I can imagine Mouse Morris being very miffed at how things have turned out with Davy russell injured, should of been lining up in the Gold Cup.
Cue Card exceptional.
They were all two milers.
I doubt you’ll see any 2 milers in the Ryanair this year.
Cue Card is better over 2 miles than 2 and a half imo. The Ryanair is a good race but I’d be strongly against the idea of a hurdle race for older horses over 2 and a half miles.
The problem with that theory is that all Cue Card’s chase wins are over further than 2 miles, most recently 2m6f
Care to rethink that theory ?
I should listen to myself sometimes though – always said this was the race for Cue Card but let the heart rule and followed Riverside Theatre. A slightly worse performance in a better race.
* something had gone wrong with the quotes, there. Not replying to myself !
Really looking forward to Aintree now; Cue Card vs Flemenstar, will be some heads up this.
I thought First Lieutenant was a ridiculous price at 2/1, bearing in mind that he came in on a run of eight races without a win, spanning some sixteen months. I backed Cue Card but only to modest stakes, with a worry in my mind that he might get tired out in front. He kept on way better than I could have hoped and looked different class to these today.
I would be wary about thinking that Riverside Theatre is back to his best. If you take out the two who were pulled up and the tailed off Ghizao, he only beat Champion Court, who weakened badly, and he nearly caught For Non Stop, who crawled over the last and whose race was run. Still one to avoid for my money.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Riverside Theatre’s ‘best’ wasn’t particularly inspiring though. He won a very weak renewal last year in beating old man Alberta’s Run and the very mediocre Medermit. That was despite being under pressure from an early stage.
I am not saying that he is ‘back to his best’ with a view to backing him in future, just to show how I think the form of the horses that beat him is strong.
Great to see Cue Card and his much maligned jockey (who’s been the making of the horse) finally silence the doubters.
The bias against this top class performer, especially among racing ‘pros’, has been laughable at times, although credit to the RP’s summarisers tonight for admitting their risible assumption (Cap Chris would have beaten him at Ascot) was well wide of the mark.
People see what they want to see, ignoring what suits – in only his third chase he failed by a nose to give half a stone to the year-older Bobs Worth who will very probably win the Gold Cup tomorrow. On his debut he thrashed Silviniaco Conti.
Well done Cue Card and the Tizzards.
"MarkTT":kcf9f67s wrote:
The problem with that theory is that all Cue Card’s chase wins are over further than 2 miles, most recently 2m6fCare to rethink that theory ?
I should listen to myself sometimes though – always said this was the race for Cue Card but let the heart rule and followed Riverside Theatre. A slightly worse performance in a better race.
* something had gone wrong with the quotes, there. Not replying to myself !
No problem Mark, up to yesterday I had considered his run behind Sprinter Sacre on the Arkle as his best piece of form, even though it was not winning form. He proved me wrong yesterday with a superb performance. I thought First Lieutenant would have beat him but when Cue Card applied the pressure he couldn’t go with him. He stayed a lot better than I thought he would too, never flinched up the hill.
"thehorsesmouth":1jhmqvi2 wrote:
The problem with that theory is that all Cue Card’s chase wins are over further than 2 miles, most recently 2m6f
Care to rethink that theory ?
I should listen to myself sometimes though – always said this was the race for Cue Card but let the heart rule and followed Riverside Theatre. A slightly worse performance in a better race.
* something had gone wrong with the quotes, there. Not replying to myself !
No problem Mark, up to yesterday I had considered his run behind Sprinter Sacre on the Arkle as his best piece of form, even though it was not winning form. He proved me wrong yesterday with a superb performance. I thought First Lieutenant would have beat him but when Cue Card applied the pressure he couldn’t go with him. He stayed a lot better than I thought he would too, never flinched up the hill.
He was brilliant.
When you look back through his form book, aside from a couple of stiff tasks – King George in heavy ground, trying to compete with Sprinter Sacre over 2 miles – it compares favourably with any other horse in training. The 2011 Supreme Novice was an absolute beauty when you look at the placed horses.
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