What did we learn this weekend as we head towards Cheltenham?

the gold cup now looks very open now and the novices from last year look half decent with dynaste and harry topper doing well  in the charlie hall and betfair chases  and the arkle and rsa winners to come  , the pretenders to bobs worths crown are showing their hand and look to pose a serious challenge .

far west run was not an accurate gauge for Melodic Rendezvous,FW ran nowhere near his capabilities...ignore it.

genuine contenders for the Gold Cup are actually thin on the ground right at this point in time

there are a handful that might emerge from the Hennessy, King George or Lexus

but that's it

It told us that nothing will get near Cue Card in the Gold Cup

is this the same cue card who couldnt get near long run in the king george ?

yep,and maybe if its heavy,Cue Card don't settle and hits the early fences, then that may happen again.
Otherwise forget it,CC is different class to Long Run.

Can't see CC staying 3ml 2.5f Bud, and I'm sure quite a few would agree.
Been wrong before though.
West Wizard aint winning the Supreme either

Well if they ignore what they saw on Saturday then im sure quite a few would agree.

No reason why Cue card can't do the same in the gold cup.
Would love to see Annie Power in CH,but can see her ending up in world hurdle.

I can't see Annie running in the Stayers myself.

If there is anything wrong with Quevega she will run in the Mares race.

I'd love to see her in the Champion personally. Not sure Ruby will allow that tho.

up to the owners where she runs,trainer will have a big say and ruby will have his input,but if owner wants her in the CH,thats where she will go.

agree with budd far wests run on Saturday doesn't lower my opinion on melodic rendezvous,that said he still does need to improve a bit more yet but that's not out of the question in fact its probable missing the 3 big festivals last season wouldn't have done him any harm.

re cue card he was quite simply brilliant and is clearly the 2nd most talented chaser in training weather he gets 3m2f if it becomes a slog remains to be seen I know one thing I wouldn't wont to be the layer.

annie power I thought was just ok and to be honest I would be astonished if she was to win a champion hurdle.

al ferof proved he is fine and in someways he is a forgotten horse his Cheltenham record is very good and with cue card looking at this stage as though he will not go for the ryan air then that race looks just right for him.

I have said to a few national hunt lovers that this will be the greatest season ever and ive seen nothing yet to make me change my mind,we have a fantastic winter/spring ahead of us lets just hope the horses all stay safe and sound.

Surprised you wasn't taken with the mare to be honest. Thought she could have taken Zarkander whenever Ruby wanted get too.
She looked very deep chested and will make a cracking staying chaser (if they allow her) but feel at this young age she could be competitive over the shorter distance and be a live candidate for the CH. As long as Ruby allows them.

HER not GET

brandy

as long as ruby allows them


indeed

If Ruby believed that AP was better than HF why would he not want to ride her instead in the CH.

We've learnt that some people write off gold cup winners because of one bad run.

Not written him off Nostaw but GC winners have a poor record when trying to retain it. I just feel BW is an out and out stayer and if he gets the same conditions in March, he is still the one to beat.

I don't think ruby would desert HF even if he strongly felt that something had a better chance and he was able to ride, he has a deeper bond romantic isn't it with the horse in much the same way he would never have gotten off KS in favour of denman in a GC.

Ruby may/may not have done it once but cant see him doing it again. I dont think Ruby does sentiment (unless the owner is Rich Ricci!)

Fair point...afterall, if he did, he wouldn't have fooked off from nicholls just when the going was getting tough

Fair point...afterall, if he did, he wouldn't have fooked off from nicholls just when the going was getting tough

Bit harsh duffy. An Irishman wanting to return home to a dream of a full-time job, leaving an Englishman whose star (for the time being anyway) appears to be in decline? He would have been bonkers to say 'no'.

The WPM stable has been strong for many years but I believe that collectively, he currently has the best crop of horses he has ever had and luck/their good health and well being notwithstanding, will dominate the 2014 Festival and the novice events in particular.

It looks an easy decision for AP in the CH, at the moment. MTOY was far superior in the FF than what Jezki looked like at Fairyhouse.
After the Henessey, the Gold Cup looks as though it will be between the same horses as last season. Last years crop of staying chasers don't really look that good, or at least not up to the standard set by Cue Card, Silvi Conti, Bobs Worth and Sir DC.
Is that the At Fishers Cross bubble burst? It was in with every chance when it approached the 2nd last but I'm not convinced it would have beaten Celestial Halo.
Oscar Rock wont be winning anything either.
And going back to last Monday, West Wizard aint winning the supreme, unfortunately

We have the same message every week, but we don't learn from it.

You don't grow an extra inch on your c0ck the more dogmatic you make your pronouncements.

willie

I think we will all see a different at fishers cross next time,not sure why everybody seems to be cribbing jezki I thought it was a sound run,looks like he will be better left handed as well.i was very disappointed with melodic rendezvous we know he is better than that.agree with you regarding the gold cup after what we saw at newbury.

Nothing this week

Taquin du seuil jewson

I am still very skeptical about the English trained 4yo hurdlers. If Far West is the best of the bunch then they are all mid range handicappers at best. They may win handicaps off the right marks but none are likely to be competitive in level weights hurdle races. The best staying 4yo geldings are in Australia or Dubai.

The 2 current Champions for the CH & GC will be in there fighting to retain their ctowns. Both Bob's Worth and Hurricane Fly will be difficult to beat.
Not impossible though

I agree with Willie re the GC and CH and whatever beats them they will win them. Worthy favs - both will go off favourite on the day