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Warrior won’t win the GC , he didn’t even go to the festival last year , unless GDC is injured Towsend will ride him , even taking in his left hand form warrior has had 2 hard races
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
Plus GDC coming into this race after missing his usual prep run following an injury setback so it is not the circumstances to be judging him on what ability he does or doesn’t retain. If we get the same result at the DRF (which I am pretty confident that we won’t) then we can say GDC is not the horse of old but until then I will give him the benefit of the doubt considering the circumstances.
To me AF has no chance at Cheltenham if he continues jumping out to his right like that and if he really is a contender then what does that say about Appreciate It, who on his seasonal debut was beaten just 4L trying to give AF 10lbs or Envoi Allen who beat him at Down Royal despite it being his first run of the season…as I said this was AF’s Gold Cup and fair play to his connections as they took full advantage of it.
BurroughHill,
He had a minor injury and missed his prep. The yard is also out of form.
I’d rather see him go straight to Cheltenham now but if he turns up for the Hennessy in February. Nothing beats him.
GM you said he’d win at 90% today , what % do you think he was , he may well win next time but it’s certainly not a cert
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
“unless GDC is injured Towsend will ride him”
Townend will likely ride whichever horse gives him the best chance unless Mullins tells him. Gaelic is a happy horse nowadays as a 3 miler and will be given a break i believe, and Galopin will be 10 and history tells us it’s hard to win when a horse gets to that age. I would say the decision isn’t clear cut.
He can’t run left… and why does he beat Jukebox , Paul will ride GDC
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
That was the first time Affordable Fury has raced left handed since Cheltenham two years ago.
Has he really just run to a level in the low 170s ?
Someone knew he was showing something , there been some pockets filled today , he has to back it up now
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
Timeform provisional rating for Affordale Fury there is 166, one behind The Jukebox Man for his King George win.
HDLG,
Considering minor injury, lack of prep and yard badly out of form. I’d say Galopin was no better that 85% there. He was never travelling.
If he was to meet Affordable Fury in February. Galopin will show him who the true King of Leopardstown is.
I’d rather see him go straight to Cheltenham though as only a 3rd Gold Cup can add to his legacy. They should’ve went straight to Cheltenham after the Savills last year but the connections are too greedy.
He wasn’t off the bridle he just didn’t pick up like you would expect , never saw him in the enclosure after but I bet he had a good blow , i don’t think he will be miles away in the GC however I imagine the younger legs will tap him at the crucial point , if they weather was bad then he would have a real chance
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
That’s usually the case in the Gold Cup. I fear they missed their chance at a 3rd last year.
Even allowing for lack of race fitness and yard form, that wasn’t the same GDC that has dominated the division for the last few years; as Willie said, ‘3-mile chasing is hard on a horse,’ as is Anno Domini.
I hope he does go for the DRF, as it’s a big prize in it’s own right, the biggest prize in Irish NH racing, and the public love him. Cheltenham is not the only show in town, and the obsession with the festival has had a pernicious effect on the rest of the season.The ‘can’t run left’ is becoming something of a myth with Gaelic Warrior. He has run at 3 Cheltenham festivals (his only Cheltenham runs). Formline is 221: the final one being his Arkle victory. He’s also been branded in and out. He was 6th on his French debut. Since then, bar 1 unseat, he has never been out of the first 3 and has won 10, and were it not for Townend’s misjudgements on Friday, that would be 11.
The only question left is the Gold Cup trip. Townend’s decision might rest on that, because Gaelic Warrior is 2 years younger and, statistically, much the more likely to win his first Gold Cup than Galopin Des Champs is to win it back after a 112 sequence.
Cromwell said of Inothewayurthinkin, “He seems fine after the race but we’re very disappointed, he never travelled at all and he didn’t jump either. Everything looked an effort for him. We’ll get him home and get him checked out. He’s a Gold Cup winner, we know it’s too bad to be true.”
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