I'd be stunned if Vautour didn't go for the King George with Djakadam and Don Poli there for the Lexus.

What is undoubtable is that Vautour is a stayer, he can't make all and power away up the hill like that over 2m5f he will surely get the King George trip. The Gold Cup though is still an open question until he does it. Still though I've backed him for the Gold Cup quite heavily. I do love the horse and loved that performance.

If Mullins doesn't win the Gold Cup next season I'm sure he'll be utterly gutted. He's had the 2nd 3 years on the trot.

He has always felt Vautour should have run in the Arkle and not in the JLT. I disagreed with that view and it's hard to argue Mullins didn't get it right, the horse looked to have plenty of stamina and was stunningly impressive. He also won all 3 novice chases and could have had the NH Chase too if he was allowed run Valseur Lido in RSA and Don in the 4 miler. 9 winners would have been astonishing!!

Anyway, I think Djakadam and Vautour will run in Gold Cup. It's the Gold Cup and he's never won it. They'll throw everything at it until they get that win. Especially as Un De Sceaux will win the Champ Chase for them

I think they'll give Apache another crack at 3m next year. Cruised all over Don Poli but outstayed but worth another try imo.

Still think they ran him in the right race in the JLT, but he could be another exciting one in staying chases, especially if Carberry can settle him out the back.

Arkle it was an opinion mate, re going Arkle thats all, will leave at that dont wont to go round houses again.
Lets hope they all make to next season injury free.

I'd like to add the three beaten in the JLT to that as well. I think they all look like stayers and it was a top quality renewal imo

Could understand them staying over the Ryanair trip because that looks a whole lot easier, but Apache, Valseur Lido and Ptit Zig in any other year could have won a JLT/Jewson imo.

Ptit Zig connections already said that 3m is the aim. Got Apache for pennies in the Gold Cup at 80's on here in the hope they up him and he stays.

Exciting times!!!

if he gets the GC trip could become one of the greatest chasers ever

I don't think he has a lot to prove Budd.

He showed me last week he capable of running to 180+ easily.

A massive worry for any coneygree supporter is what will the ground be on gold cup day next year, the gamble paid off this year...chances are it will be a fair bit quicker next year...and with his action he needs it soft.

I would think we would all be Coneygree supporters after that performance Duffy.

As re the ground,yep it's crucial to him,but no point in worrying about that till near the time. If he is a likeable price at any stage during the season I would be willing to take a chance on the ground,after all he has just put up the best performance in a Gold cup I've ever seen.
I've already gone in on Holywell at the price,so if both are fit the ground should suit one of them!!

MUCH BETTER!!! Than the 1st 4 home in the gold cup????!  So your basically saying he's already one of the greatest of all time.. .

Now he might turn out to be, but can wait until he's actually beat the current gold cup winner before we  say he's MUCH BETTER! Than him!

It's all about opinions.

I don't think Vautour has to improve at all to beat this seasons Gold Cup horses.

The Gold Cup is a unique race. The classiest horse doesn't always win and Vautour has to prove he can stay the trip.

Coneygree was a very good winner and I'm not knocking him at all. His last two wins were very good. In those two races he beat 2nd/3rd season chasers who have been running against 2nd/3rd season chasers. Therefore they have had the opportunity to post high ratings. So when Coneygree beat them he in turn had the opportunity to record a high rating.

Vautour was running against novices who have yet to race seasoned horses so their ratings are still relatively low. Yet Vautour is still rated 170 having only faced novices.
Next season I'm sure Valseur Lido, Apache, Ptit Zig & irish Saint when racing against seasoned horses will post rating in the 160's. This in return prove Vautour is a 180+ animal.

I'm a massive fan of both horses. Vautor is classier and quicker.

But to suggest he's nailed on for a gold cup is ludicrous talk. The best horse does not always win the race. You need a battle hardened warrior, just like Coneygree.

Budd the best thing one can do at this time of year is to go for a seven month walk! It sure aint easy to do that especially after a festival that was right up there with the very best. We were well and truely spoilt two weeks ago and we want more.

The first three kicked the old guard off the track in this years gold cup. Admittedly the old guard weren't all that as witnessed by the bunch finish last year but it would be a fool who dismissed the novice Coneygree, the six year old Djakadam and the still improving Road to Riches and indeed Holywell who didn't get their favoured ground. We saw what happened the last time a supreme winner went up to 3 miles at Kempton.

Nobody is crabbing coneygree, but it just doesn't HAVE to follow that we should all get on board him for next years race even though he was so impressive.....even if you thought he was the best horse, the fact that it is very more likely it'll be quicker ground (this years softer ground was an exception not the norm) should frighten the life out of even his most ardent supporters........secondly, you can't criticise anyone who thinks that vautour is the more impressive horse out of the two after his performance....they are both outstanding individuals who will have equal fans.

Budd, I take it that dig was at me.

Yes I do think Vautour is better than the first 4 home.
That's my opinion.
Your opinion is you think Coneygree's win was one of the best ever performance you've seen. That's your opinion. I think a 3L beating of a 170 horse, Road To Riches, isn't outstanding form. 
Just opinions mate.

I've been watching Chelt since 93 and in that time only 3 horses & 4 times has a horse come back to win having run in the race previously. I always look for a horse making his debut in the Gold Cup.
That's my strategy, obviously that won't suit everyone.

Thought Uxizandre was just as good to be honest,although think they may go Champion chase with him,as they probably should have done this year.

Brandy,I ain't really having a dig mate it ain't personal.
I just think a horse that thus far has won.  novice hurdles and a few novice chases has not done enought to justify claims he's much better than the impressive gold cup winner and the 3 that followed him home.
As for ratings it's my belief that time will tell that the ratings given to the Gold cup horses that finished way ahead of the frest

Yes Budd, there's no guarantee that we'll get good ground this year.

With the presence of Coney it makes the Gold Cup as a whole a very tricky antepost proposition this year.

Usually the majority of the market leaders all prefer similar ground, where its been a few years since there has been such a contrast in what ground conditions the market leaders want.

I don't think you can be really confident on any selection until the week of the race.

He didn't work well according to Mullins so he won't be running at all sadly.