Great debate this! All making it it the most interesting GC in years.

I'm surprised Cue Card isn't getting much of a mention myself. I think some are happy to write him off based on his overall form, but if you accept that the wind op has improved him, and look at this seasons form alone, then he should be fav for the race imo. He's also proven at Cheltenham in March, which you can't say about them all.

Every runner has question marks, but I think he has the least myself. Been campaigned perfectly and I can't have him out of the frame. The debate about would DC have beaten him or not in the KG is irrelevant to me. As posted already, this is jumps racing, and you've got to jump. I love DC but I just can't back him with the questions marks he has against him.... More than any of the other principals imo.

I've said for a while I don't think Vautour will run in this, but if he does I think he will win and I will be having a good bet. Coneygree showed it can be done from the front the hard way, and I think he did enough at Kempton to suggest he will stay on the better ground and at his peak.

Generally Not too bothered about the GC by the time it arrives on Friday, but probably the race I'm most looking forward to this year.

I take a different view.On KG running Don ran hopless and still would have won so he holds CC and Vautour for me,he also looks like he needs every inch of 3 mile.His record out of novice company is first class.He is getting a hard time for falling in the Rsa as a novice running in the wrong race and making a few blunders last year
I take the view that DC is the best horse in this race and the danger is the much maligned Don Poli.
Two darts this good is the reason why R2R will be sacrificed.

Cant have Djackadam or Don Cossack at those prices for the reasons previously stated.
Don Poli still unproven, yet unexposed, so could run a big race but not much value.
Cue card probably the least question marks now and 7/1 is generous. Will go off a lot shorter.
Vautour definitely classy, but may not run and doubts about stamina up the hill.
Road to riches has the most solid form with last years 3rd. Prep race will be interesting.

I've backed Road to riches @ 20s and Cue Card @ 7s

Easily the best GC for years if they all show.

ground

Sounds like Ryanair to me,Giggy want to win own money back imo, as have 2 Dons in Gold Cup.

i backed him (Smad Place) at 16s when he won the hennessy then king said ryanair and he went to 33s, never topped up, now hes prob only 10s and king must go for gold now

If that was Sir Don he would be getting dogs abuse?

Sir Don never gets the credit, instead of edging favouritism he's again found another at the top of market by default in Vautour, like Djakadam last month.

How many races has Sir Don won at the track?

I agree that Don Cossack now looks the most likely winner all things being considered but there are plenty of doubts about him also. Yes he was hampered in the Ryanair but it didn't cost him the race, he may/may not have got 2nd but he wasn't closing on the winner simply staying past beaten horses. His form since though is more impressive than all the other major protagonists. I think he would have edged out CC to win the KG had he stood up. He deserves to be favourite but the fact that it looks increasingly likely that Vautour will run with Ruby on his back will probably see him go off favourite.

CC is becoming the forgotten horse in this race! Which is surprising given his exploits so far this season. Has the class and form while doubts hang around Djak (beaten in cgc and faller today), DC (faller, chelt record), V (will he stay?), DP (not classy)

Why do people think CC won't win??

A very bizarre day with regards to finding clues for the Gold Cup. If anything it's thrown it even wider open than it already was and asked many more questions.

I'm not going to knock Smad Place, he's clearly a very smart horse and I hope King takes him for the big one, but being there at Cheltenham today it was clear to see, IMO, he beat a very one paced Many Clouds. I say that as a big fan of Many Clouds, he has class about himself too, but he looks to want that marathon trip more as each day passes, and a very good chance he has in the National. But back to Smad Place and although I don't think he is good enough to win a Gold Cup, he could still put in a very good effort providing they keep racing him prominently. Clearly loves that style and he jumped like a stag today.

If I was a Djakadam backer I wouldn't be overly concerned. Yes it's a bit disconcerting seeing him fall and not an ideal prep but at least it was early enough to be able to run him again and put it right. We'll obviously never know if he'd have won but up until he did come down he was travelling incredibly powerfully, Ruby having to take a pull on him coming down the home straight.

This Gold Cup is arguably the most fascinating race I can remember. Brilliant. Savour it.

yes what a robust trend, run 2 times, fell once, badly hampered the other time hence he'll never win... seriously, with a clear run Sir Don is the one to beat.

Not telling the full story there timtin. Badly hampered two out because he couldn't get a position coming down the hill because once again he made a bad unforced mistake at the big ditch at the top of the hill. So yes. Fell once. Bad mistake the other time and fell again when under pressure in the King George. Oh and the horses squeezing him out two out in the Ryanair would be laughed at in a gold cup.

Did I leave anything out?

you forgot that mistakes are just that. If you think they're a trait you have to justify how he's not made them in every race or in most of them. His form reading in the past 2 seasons read: 111131-111F1, not FFFUFF-FUFFF

@RH just had a look at Timeform x/X(pointers that stand for jump mistakes x or numerous mistakes X) for Cue Card and Don Cossack. Don has only 2 races marked while Cue Card has 7, in their entire career. If taken by completion rate Don looks worst, but taken by jump mistakes that could lead to a fall/UR then Cue Card is almost 4 times more liable.

But thats what they're doing with those flags. They don't just assign x/X on simple falls or unseats, they assign when it leads directly to a worst placing or the horse does it too many times throughout the race, they don't flag it up when a horse falls due to jockey miscoordination like it happened in the KG. They didn't marked Don's performances in the Ryanair or KG even with a small x because there's no correlation between the 2 mistakes and his jumping ability that he displayed on the whole in those races. Not all will see it this way, but they're clutching at straws if thats their case against Don.

Cue Card may be a sound jumper this term but Timeform has 7 races in his previous seasons flagged with jump mistakes.. not all led to a fall or unseat but the 1 unseat you quoted above does not reflect his jumping prowess.

I did worry immediately after the KG about Cooper on board but I think they might have finally clicked in the last race and if it was up to him I think he'd choose Cossack every time after hearing his interview post race. If he doesn't get to choose then what is the point of a retained jockey? If he won't ride him then AP would probably make a comeback

Not in the least bit bothered about Cue Cards jumping at Cheltenham,a place he always performs at....but I am about Din Cossacks,a place he's struggled at.

What if Cooper rides impossible?

couldnt see if someone had already posted but Djakadam straight to cheltenham