What a friend 8/1 for a place in Gold Cup

Look at the market without Kauto and Long Run.  You'll get more than double that.

Nope, if one of them falls and he sneaks in for third you are caught short

16/1 with B365 1/4 first 3 w/o those 2 means possibly EW down to 5th.  TBH with you I have had a good bet on him to win outright.  Good Luck

So many outside of the first two failing to impress (and can't have Synchronised unless it is soft) I'm looking at Weird Al at 25/1 nrnb . He won't race again before the day and feel sure he'll start shorter on the day (he was gambled on the day last year as I recall) but agree What A Friend looks more capable than most to be involved provided Nicholls can get him back to form.

Brian - the problem I'd have with Weird Al is that his form ties in very closely with that of several of the horses who got stuffed by Midnight Chase on Saturday. Would that bother you as a fan?

Strontium - But he has beaten them. He's only been beaten by the big two this year and I have a lot of faith in Donald McCain getting him to the race at his best. To be fair he's not a strong fancy but at 25/1nrnb I thought he was worth a little nibble with the hope that I will trade back most of the win and some of the place on race day.

i have backed weird al also, he was only 2 lengths behind long run at haydock and he wasn't fresh.. he will be gold cup day

I was a huge fan of Weird Al in his novice campaign and backed him at big odds for the RSA and was gutted when he was ruled out late on. For me he is definitely one of those who could run into a place but if the top two give their running I expect he will be battling for third with the likes of What A Friend. I would though be careful about taking a line through Long Run based on Haydock form. As last season Long Rung stepped up markedly for his first run and taking the line through Kauto who beat Weird Al a comfortable margin and not all out is about where I'd have him.

Quel Espirt is the one I'm coming round to thinking of as my e/w alternative, was travelling well in the RSA last year when falling. If he could stay on his feet he'd be a serious horse

QE didn't have the best of luck last season, 2 falls then brought down by a loose horse!  What worries me is that his 2 falls came at the business end of good class races, I can forgive novicey carelessness but he seems to crumple under pressure.  We will see next time out whether he has grown out of it?