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I felt he ran okay for a horse of his calibre and considering it was his first time out over fences. But, he would do very well to win a RSA chase or any kind of G1 for novices. The word “impressive” was missing today and he gave plenty of daylight to some of his fences.
Let’s see what connections plan with him next, but in my opinion he would be something like a 10/1-12/1 shot for the RSA rather than the 7/1 offered by some firms for the GC. Still a very exciting race and a lot of credit goes to Aqalim who was the first under pressure and still rallied to be almost upsides with him at the last. Considering that Thistlecrack beat 35-40 lengths over hurdles last season, I’d say that Aqalim showed the more improved performance.Considering that Thistlecrack beat 35-40 lengths over hurdles last season, I’d say that Aqalim showed the more improved performance.
So you don’t think that Thistlecrack could’ve won by upwards of twenty lengths if Scu had wanted to do so?
Effortless win; nimble jumping; stood off when he had to; fiddled when he got in close. Hard to knock the performance, really. Tizzard has just said on ATR that he’ll probably go for a novice chase at the next Cheltenham meeting and then the Feltham.
I thought that was impressive, jumped a bit big perhaps, but nver looked like falling, accelerated into his fences + was quick away from them, won hard-held. Still much to prove, perhaps my memories of iris Gift are prejudicing me; remember, he won perhaps the best ever Stayers Hurdle, beating Barracouda + Limestone Lad
Considering that Thistlecrack beat 35-40 lengths over hurdles last season, I’d say that Aqalim showed the more improved performance.
So you don’t think that Thistlecrack could’ve won by twenty lengths if Scu had wanted to do so?
Effortless win; nimble jumping; stood off when he had to; fiddled when he got in close. Hard to knock the performance, rally. Tizzard has just said on ATR that he’ll probably go for a novice chase at the next Cheltenham meeting and then the Feltham.
Of course he could have won by a further margin. But against who? I think he’s got a very long way to go in order to justify his short GC odds. I’m not saying this isn’t possible, but he won a very poor race and was allowed to dominate from the off. Every body jumped off 4-5 lengths behind him. He won’t get that kind of luxury in a proper novice chase, let alone the races against experienced chasers.
Iris’s Gift wouldn’t be within 20lbs of Thistlecrack. That was as fine a fencing debut as you could hope to see round a tricky enough track. Hills immediately went 4s for the GC.
Apart from the horse having an astonishing engine and no quirks, he has proven stamina and appears to jump like a buck.
Half of those prominent in the GC betting couldn’t be backed even to turn up. 6s still available now but that will be gone by tomorrow, I think.
What odds should he be for the Gold Cup, Ruby…?
Tom had a fair grip on him, he could of buried them all at half way had he wanted to. Today was a test to see how he handled the switch to fences and he was more than good enough at it for my money.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Skybet remain 6’s Joe
or at least they were a few minutes agoGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Iris’s Gift wouldn’t be within 20lbs of Thistlecrack. That was as fine a fencing debut as you could hope to see round a tricky enough track. Hills immediately went 4s for the GC.
Apart from the horse having an astonishing engine and no quirks, he has proven stamina and appears to jump like a buck.
Half of those prominent in the GC betting couldn’t be backed even to turn up. 6s still available now but that will be gone by tomorrow, I think.
If you think of Coneygree, Vautour, Douvan, Cue Card and Don Cossack as possible opposition, would still take the 6/1 about him?
Surely he could be a GC horse next year, but he’d have to win a couple more race in bigger fields with better opposition before thinking of the GC.What an impressive performance first time over fences!
Big words from the jockey and that’s all they are but “He can do things that other horses can’t even dream of and he’s just phenomenal.” & ” Chasing’s always been his game ”
Early days, but possibly he will improve over fences
What odds should he be for the Gold Cup, Ruby…?
Tom had a fair grip on him, he could of buried them all at half way had he wanted to. Today was a test to see how he handled the switch to fences and he was more than good enough at it for my money.As already mentioned Nathan, 10s – 12s would be more realistic. Let him take on proper horses at a faster pace and then let’s see how he performs. He’s got an engine alright and would probably beat any GC contender by 5-10 lengths if the race would be run as a bumper. But jumping some 22 fences round Cheltenham in a 12- or 15-runner field is a totally different thing in my opinion.
Ruby, one of the reasons I see him as still value at 6s is that Don Cossack and Coneygree need to get/stay sound, Vautour and Douvan might not run.
Tizzard has said there is only one target for this horse. There’s no reason to suppose his jumping will go backward from here – he should improve: he was fairly efficient, a bit big at times but better that than low and all that will improve with experience. He was clever once or twice and I can see no weaknesses in him.
He wasn’t just winning top staying races, he was annihilating the best that lined up, having tanked along throughout.
Worth repeating:
Top class
Sauntered home in a championship race at the festival
Boundless stamina with some speed in the mix
No quirks
Jumps really well
Will improve
Quite a few prominent rivals might not turn upRuby, one of the reasons I see him as still value at 6s is that Don Cossack and Coneygree need to get/stay sound, Vautour and Douvan might not run.
Tizzard has said there is only one target for this horse. There’s no reason to suppose his jumping will go backward from here – he should improve: he was fairly efficient, a bit big at times but better that than low and all that will improve with experience. He was clever once or twice and I can see no weaknesses in him.
He wasn’t just winning top staying races, he was annihilating the best that lined up, having tanked along throughout.
Worth repeating:
Top class
Sauntered home in a championship race at the festival
Boundless stamina with some speed in the mix
No quirks
Jumps really well
Will improve
Quite a few prominent rivals might not turn upSteve Melish just said on RUK: “His debut was okay, but GC talk is a country mile away”….
Nevertheless I agree with your points, but don’t forget that HE ALSO HAS TO GET THERE. He will surely improve for the experience and he might still improve anyway at this age. Colin Tizzard certainly knows how to campaign him and will pick his next traget very carefully (I’d prefer to see him at Newbury rather than at Cheltenham). He might not have any obvious weaknesses now, but don’t forget, this is not hurdling any more.
Come on Steeplechasing he has a bit more speed than ” some speed ”
Steve is right. Today he had “some speed”. The race was rather slow compared to the rest on the card.
Really nice debut over fences in my opinion, I think the Cheltenham Open Meeting will give alot more clues ie can he handle the track, can he handle the fences under pressure. Alot to look forward to with this horse and can`t wait personally. But then I never bet just like to see good horses progress
A very good start but come on…he did what he should have done…4/1 is ridiculous in my eyes…lets at least see him bear a decent horse first…the top 20 in the Gold Cup betting would beat Aqalim with the minimum of fuss!
Pleasing start but a long, long way to go IMO…I’d still prefer to take 8’a for the World Hurdle than 6’s for the Gold Cup if I had to do one or the other!
Agreed, Ruby, but you need to make certain assumptions based on evidence. Mellish is right on the face of it: the Gold Cup is a country mile away from a novice ‘chase at Chepstow. But this is no promising youngster untested at the top level. I’m not sure what kind of argument even Mellish could muster against the points I make above.
Come the day, if all those prominent in the betting now turn up, then 6s will prove, in retrospect, to be skinny. But as things stand, there’s a fair possibility that none of the 4 big guns will be there.
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