Wouldn't surprise me if Jonjo is angling for a major drop in Holywell's hcap mark so he can have a pop at the national so my guess is you won't see anything from him till the weights come out at least.

Holywell could outrun his price in the GC (if he runs) but this years looks too good for him to hope for anything more than 3rd at best.

I think people are referring to form at the distance Brandy.

FWIW I think Ptit Zig is vastly underrated and has a great chance in the Ryanair (just didn't run his race in the JLT for whatever reason), so its not like Vautour beat an old donkey last time.

Vautour needs to prove he can stay first though. Even if he wins the King George, I think the CGC will push his stamina right to the limit.

An interesting element in the Gold Cup, which has become more pronounced over the past fortnight, is the number of principals who make the running. Coneygree, Road to Riches, Vautour and now Cue Card and Smad Place, all want to be up there. And Djakadam races prominently, too.
Something's got to give and to my (single) eye, pressure like this will mitigate against Vautour more than some of the others.

They can't go at Coneygrees pace,no one will try and take him on.
Could all these new challengers fail to materialise.I like SDR but think yesterdays run did not scream GC winner

I can't get Cossack's Ryanair run out of my head. He was beaten off easily that day. Is Cheltenham his course?

Eeternal watch Don Cossacks run in the Ryanair last year again on you tube he was desperately unlucky would have definitely won with a clear passage and nobody would be questioning his suitability to the track........ Not really sure about his RSA run in 2014 but I'm putting it down to him still being a shell of a horse he's now grown in to it and is the real deal in my opinion!

Well it's all about opinions but I can't have that. Making excuses for comfortably beaten horses is a fast track to the poor house. He did make a mistake at the top of the hill but that wasn't induced by another horse. So that's a factor you have to take into consideration. He's been there twice and not jumped cleanly. The coming down the hill he's close enough if good enough but doesn't have the tactical speed to hold a position. Yes he gets squeezed out at two out but again this is because he didn't have the speed to pick them up. He runs on okay but again you can't be too bombastic about that. He doesn't make too much ground up on Ma Fileulle who is merely a high 150's horse. Uxizandre takes ground out of him from the last. Hanging your hat on him being unlucky in that race is clutching at straws.

Which begs the question why he's in behind average horses going to two out? People are getting carried away by him being squeezed out. The fact is that he didn't appear quick enough to get past 150 odd horses at that stage and yet we know the horse has serious speed.

He hasnt had great success going left handed apart from a win at Aintree.

I've watched it several times Cyclops. I just see it differently and for me that's one of the great things about the game. Until March there is no right or wrong answer and his presence in the race will add another layer of intrigue.

is smad place now a contender ?

I might be proved wrong but as good as Smad Place was on Saturday, he's no contender for me.  He was brilliant on Saturday but that proves little to me based on what he beat.

He's now 3 from 4 at Newbury a track he obviously loves, but 0 from 6 at Cheltenham.  I know he's had a wind operation and it looks to have done the trick, but Gold Cup???

Was fantastic Saturday but I'll be amazed if he can win the Gold Cup.

Tend to agree shockster, rather like Cue Card the week before. I think the Irish plus Coneygree are a class apart though what fantastic efforts Smad Place and Cue Card put in. I do find it hard to believe that epiglottis trouble has held them back all their career and they are now totally different horses. I see it more that, yes they have improved, but the form of those races has to be questioned (in terms of winning a Gold Cup). But these are certainly two new contenders, just as it seemed that the "Magnificent Seven" were head and shoulders above the rest. From that pack, we can probably now delete Saphir Du Rheu but add these two and, who knows, Sir Des Champs.
It seems ironic that, with so many contenders assured stayers, the only one who isn't is the current favourite.
As to duffy's point about Don Cossack, his jumps over the last two fences were immaculate all season, partuculalry in his wins at Aintree and Punchstown. Pressure seems to bring out the best in his jumping.

In the Ryanair he was almost brought down two out, recovered and flew the last. Yes, he made a mistake six out but not under pressure at that stage of the race.

Don Poli fully deserves to be favourite now after beating the Grand National winner so decisively. Lump on at 4/1! while its still available!

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for which race timtin?

love don poli, being pushed along 3 out with his ears pricked, total micky taker

sage - I would beg to differ. I think he is the best Gold Cup horse in the Mullins yard. Emphasise Gold Cup horse. He looks made to measure for it to me.

He might well be the best in the yard but Djakadam beat Many Clouds 20 lengths at level weights in March. That puts Don Poli 20lb inferior. I will believe that to be a fair measure of ability until proved different.

sage - come on now. Do you really believe that is a fair comparison. If that is what you are using for your "fair" measure of ability then good luck mate. In March Djakadam was as fit a a flea for his target for the year and Many Clouds was running a prep for the Grand National, after winning the Hennessy. Yesterday, Don Poli was first time out against Many Clouds who had a prep. Your definition of fair differs to mine.