Cheltenham Festival
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First five in Gold Cup
Djakadam
Don Poli
Valseur Lido
Vautour
Vroom Vroom Mag
As well as his others
Djakadam
Don Poli
Valseur Lido
Vautour
Vroom Vroom Mag
As well as his others
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Replies: 17
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Very difficult to achieve nowadays with the number of runners although there were very few runners in one of Kautos wins. As far as I can remember it was a small field in 1983. WM has had the runner-up five times already in the race so he would love to have just the winner rather than worrying about the first five.
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I suspect only your top two are sure to run. If this year shows us anything, it's that he wants to win a lot of races. Vautour, although he has said will be campaigned for a Gold Cup, will almost certainly end up in the Ryanair imo, unless there is a problem with Djakadam. I doubt the other two will be considered good enough assuming the principals line up.
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Doubt very much if Mullins is thinking of a clean sweep. He will desperately want to train the winner though. Unless either Djakadam can back up his gold cup performance or Don Poli can win the Lexus convincingly I doubt very much if Mullins will aim Vautour at the Ryanair. If the horse won the next 3 Ryanairs he wouldn't get the same recognition as he would for winning one gold cup. The only way I can see that happen is if the horse regresses or proves a non staying type in the KG (which I don't see happening). Gold cup favourites do not run in Ryanairs.
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There is not a chance in hell Vautour runs in the Ryanair. He'll be aimed at the KG, and races of 3m or less, before a tilt at the GC. In the unlikely event that he doesn't stay 3m he'll be aimed at the CC. imo.
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Agree Vautour is most likely to be in the GC, but if that doesn't turn out to be the plan and he looks a non stayer when upped to 3m, Id say Ryanair is significantly more likely than the Champion Chase. He kept UDS and Vautour apart this year, so highly unlikely he would do any differently next year.
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Added to that, Champagne Fever will most likely be in the 2m race as well.
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The only way Vautour runs in the Ryanair is if he turns out to be a massive disappointment.
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 Just me then. I remember similar conversations regarding the Arkle last year. Mullins places his horses to win races, if he thinks he has got the tools to get the job done anyway he will fire bullets at other races. I can't see DP or Djakadam in any other race, as they're out and out stayers, so think it'll be the 'less-likely-to-stay' Vautour that goes for the less prestigious option (again) where he would be a nigh on cert, even with no improvement from now til then. Added to which, any problems with UDS and he could end up in the QMCC, as others have mentioned. It's a brave man who gets involved with him for the Gold Cup, imv. |
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I agree Desmond that Mullins likes to win as many races as he can. With his the horses at his disposal he is in a position to have top class horses in many races.
The Gold Cup however is the holy grail and Mullins this year had three representatives. If all goes to plan and Vautour wins the King George, Don Poli & Djakadam continue to improve I think they will all line up next March. |
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This is what Mullins said after the race:
Mullins confirmed he sees his star as a horse for the blue riband. He said: "He's that good (Gold Cup), he was like the one yesterday (Don Poli, winner of RSA Chase), but I think he'll stay, we're definitely going down the Gold Cup route. "You need plenty, it's hard to get chasers to that standard every year. You hope you might get one Gold Cup horse out of 100 horses. "When you get one near that mark you go for it. He's strong enough for soft ground, but probably better ground suits him." Couldn't be much clearer. Reading between the lines I'd guess KG and gold cup is the route. Why would you campaign one of the top 3 chasers in training at a Ryanair if he proves himself in the KG? Would seem ludicrous to me. If Don Poli or more particularly Djakadam (same owner) were raging hot favourites then I could see the logic but neither of them are sure to be stand out favourites for next years renewal. Mullins will have Valseur Lido (Gigginstown who have yet to win their own race) and probably Champagne Fever for next years Ryanair, that is strong enough ammunition in itself. |
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He would do well to get Holywell out of the first 5 on decent ground,and if there's soft about Coneygree could well win again,plus RTR is there as well.
So he can try all he likes he ain't getting the first 5 home in the Gold cup. As for Vautour he has to be campaigned with the Gold Cup as the ultimate aim,and should remain so unless he fails to stay well enough during the season. Should he do that he will be in Ryanair I imagine,as he likes to keep him and UDS apart. |
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would the owner be keen to run vautour and djakadam in the same race if both their seasons go well,dont recall him running many in the same race before
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Vautour and Djakadam will be kept apart until GC day. imo
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To show the magnitude of Dickensons achievement,I think Willie Mullins virtually sent as many runners to the festival this year as Dickenson had in his entire stable @ the time of the 83 Gold Cup .Which from memory was 58.
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I believe there were fewer races back then at the festival. Also Mullins has 120 horses in his yard so only twice as much of which those 50 runners at the festival he had to spread over multiple trips, over hurdles and chases, etc. It was a huge achievement (even though he only won 1 championship race) to have 80% of his horses to ran to the same mark or higher..
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Will Mullins Try and match Dickinson?
He can try He might like to actually win it first, before going 'Hollywood'. He's thrown enough darts at it over the years |
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Mullins has 120 horses ?
Is that for both yards as pretty sure he has more than that in Closutton alone. |