What do you mean no match? Djakadam eventually got ahead of him about 20 yards from home and RTR was eased in the last few strides. The ground was plenty soft enough and his season had not been geared towards that specific race. No way would I even consider any other race for the horse. Neither the slow coach Don Poli or Don Cossack who is 0/2 at Cheltenham would strike me as having any greater a chance than a horse which ran so well in the race last year especially as he isn't going to be harassed up front by Coneygree this year.

Road To Riches ran well in the CGC despite adverse ground conditions, nevertheless Djakadam finished further in front of Road To Riches in the Punchestown Gold Cup six weeks later - the winner was Don Cossack, the mount of Paul Carberry and not Brian Cooper.

but the market says it has. the market is made up by punters. Don wouldn't be 5/1 without his end of season form. Djakadam and RTR were given a break, while Don was also at Aintree so saying it has no bearing is incorrect as Mullins has 2 things in mind for the season: Cheltenham and Punchestown. You can be sure his horses will give all during those festivals.

How people choose to read the form of those races is up to them, and the Gold Cup market in the summer was influenced by them, but the market isn't always correct. The market was wrong in the summer because it woefully underestimated Cue Card, Saphir de Rheu etc.

They were all primed for their big days in March, not April. If people want to bet in Cheltenham based on Punchestown form that is entirely up to them, but I don't.

I don't think the form of that race is worth anything. Cue Card has made up over a dozen lengths with Don Cossack. Djakadam and Road to Riches both impressive in their only run this season.

I'd have Djakadam as slightly ahead of RTR, but not by anywhere near the distance they were apart at Punchestown because that wouldn't be their true running in my opinion, and I think that market has them too far apart.

The market did not underestimate Cue Card in the summer, it was based on events to that date, subsequent events have altered that, to say it was under-estimated on the basis of events yet to come would be the same as taking the price of any maiden for the 2,000 guineas and then when it goes off 6/4 on the day turn round and say that the 33's antepost before its debut was under-estimating it.

Cue Card's price in the summer was based on the fact that he was a horse that had question marks over him at the GC trip and had health issues and when fit again was going to be faced with a GC looking to be one of the best for years certainly in terms of strength in depth.

Not sure how SDR comes into the argument because the market in the summer probably over-estimated his chances on the Aintree run .......I was suckered into him on that one too!!

wellchief, Cue Card hasn't made up any ground on Don Cossack. The latter fell and none of us know how the last two fences would've played out. DC had moved from two lengths behind Cue Card three out to marginally ahead two out. Not was Cue Card primed for March - he wasn't going to run from some way out if memory serves.
I have no idea why Punchestown form is being crabbed. Djakadam run an absolute blinder in a fast run race. It was only his fourth race of the season at a meeting Mullins targets and where he excels. He jumped brilliantly and looked the likely winner until outstayed/outspeeded by Don Cossack. R to R had had a longer campaign but also ran a fine race and the distance between him and Djakadam was just a few lengths different from Cheltenham. Would appear absolutely rock solid form to me, on ground more akin to what most Gold Cups are run on than the 2015 version.
Of course, there are horses who peak at Cheltenham and fail to produce their form afterwards, but the Punchestown Gold Cup was run at electric pace, none of the "wrong" horses got in the picture and, in my view, was the best staying chase of the season. To choose to discard that form is, of course, your prerogative, but I see no reason why anyone would do so, other than an ingrained aversion to post Cheltenham form supported by no evidence.

Cyclops, Cue Card was first beaten by Don by 26 lengths, then it was 15 and then it was at least a 1 or 2 length win/defeat either way. If that's not making up ground with Don Cossack I have no idea what is!!!

My problem with Don C, is in my opinion he has had three big races were all the opposition were primed for that day, ie it was their big mid/end of season target. They are the RSA, the Ryanair and the King George, and he is 0/3 in them. All of his other races are end of season races or prep runs.

I'm not doubting he is classy but that 0/3 stat would worry me. I know you'll say he was travelling well in the RSA, hampered in the Ryanair and fell when staying on in the KG, but that's three excuses now.

Re the Punchestown race, sorry, but as much as I love Aintree and Punchy, it does really enter my mind when backing for Cheltenham. Too many of the big runners at Cheltenham run below par. There are too many "freak" results, making it hard to decipher what is an end of season race and what is genuine Cheltenham clues.

That one race in the Ryanair is what I keep coming back to. He smashed them over a furlong shorter at Aintree but yet at Cheltenham he got squeezed out two from home by comparatively average hoses which he should have been 20 lengths clear of. Ah people say but he made a mistake at the top of the hill. Well yes. So he fell on his other previous visit and made a howler in the Ryanair. Not really a recommendation in my book.

Us fans can only hold our breath tomorrow and hope that all goes smoothly. Nothing less than a flawless win will do.
The main hope is that Cooper at last finds a real rhythm and clicks with The Don, something that has generally eluded him so far.
With plenty of pace likely from Rubi Light and, possibly, Mount Colah, there should be no problem in it being falsely run but I hope Cooper allows him to settle into his jumping and, if he wants to go faster, allows him to do so as the race progresses rather than checking him and asking him to pop away.
Win or lose, I'm pleased he's running and that Elliott's not shying away from asking him to put the memory of the King George behind him. Interesting that Paddy Brennan today all but admitted that he thought The Don had him cooked at Kempton.

Great run

Really?! Thought he ran very lazily, and whilst his stamina won him the race comfortably enough, I was a bit disappointed.

I was quite pleased with that run as an ante post backer of him. Personally believe that sometimes the ceilings on some peoples expectations are too hight. Trip and ground both completely wrong and he's still won by a distance going away. What more do you want?

I think he is turning into an absolute boat. Runs lazily, jumps economically & stays allday. Gold Cup winners dont travel on the bridle for 3m. Hopefully Davy is on him in the Gold Cup. Personally don't think he is a massively easy ride & subsequently Cooper doesn't get the best tune out of him.

Im not saying it was a bad run. Just didnt think it was great thats all.

Did absolutely nothing more than he should have done. Appreciate that might sound negative, but his laziness does worry me a bit as a GC backer. The GC might be a different kettle of fish, but he still cant afford to get too far behind down the hill and off the last bend imo.

I don't think Don Cossack liked his pilot - the chemistry is lacking - a tweak is necessary in my opinion.

Gordon Elliot revealed Don Cossack will be equipped with cheekpieces at Cheltenham - he worked in cheekpieces the other day and flew in them!

cooper 4/6 to ride DP and 5/4 to ride DC with betfair

Very interesting miltons.

oddschckr 3rd tab, ist = winner 2nd = top 3 finish 3rd = bryan cooper ride - price with sprts bk

Copper was 1.9 to ride either of the Don's the other day.

Nope, Cooper chose RTR instead of DC in the Punchestown Gold Cup 2015.