Don Poli

I agree. He'll just do enough to run on in to fourth or fifth.

i will cover him during the race at least 5x the Sp as he's certain to trade big in run and he is a danger in that he will be coming home where horses like cue card and vautour wont

Out of All the main contenders,he's the one you know will be there at the business end with plenty left for that climb to the line.
Looks a classic Gold Cup horse to me.

I think everyone is quite aware of Don Polis running style by now, the notion of him going to five times his sp in running and actually winning is a rather fanciful one.

Really? Each to there own but can see him being all at sea, then coming home strong. Hence my IR play.

vautour is a key horse in that IF he runs, don polli would be in trouble as there is no way he could go that KG gallop (or slightly less than that) but it would also pay into his hands if his jockey doesnt panic and gives him time as V and CC dont stay for me and it could set the race up late for hm. However imo its DON COSSACK for me!!!

Don't buy not chelt horse at all, Jockey gave him a stinker last year and ws flying home after mistakes (due to jockey), against a horse that broke track record.

If Don Poli hits 5 times his sp in running, it will be just as hes about to be pulled up.
Never heard such nonsense in all my life, we all have seen Don Poli run before now.
The chances of Don Poli going to 25/1 and actually winning is a million zillion to one.

I don't think the horse has progressed from last season and he may be lazy as feck but he does have ability and form on quicker ground. He's no forlorn hope, just not for me this time.

Think what the poster meant was no way it hits 25/1 in running and only way is horse is not right and being pulled up etc;ffs the traders know it's style of running. Super7 that's the 1st time in all the threads that I've read on cheltenham 2016 a comment with crude retort,absolutely uncalled for now I hope this helps

Budd, when you say flat tracks do you mean Aintree where he came off the bridle about halfway round the final circuit? Although Leopardstown is classed as being reasonably flat,Kevin Blake from ATR published an article (I think it was last year) saying the uphill finish there is roughly the same as Cheltenham in terms of gradient. Also why would you think a two time festival winner would not be suited to the track?

I think I have mentioned on another post that in a previous gold cup Bob's Worth came off the bridle a long time before Sir Des Champs who looked the most likely winner 3 furlongs out but it didn't stop a dual grade 1 winner over 3 miles being outstayed(take note Don Cossack fans) . His highest price during the race was 10 and so if DP was to come under pressure towards the end you would hope his price would not be too much bigger than 10. If he hits 25 I would agree that his chances of winning are likely to be very low.

Apologies Budd. I would agree that he appears better on flatter tracks with his performance at Aintree as a standout.

I think the point I was trying to make with comparing SDC to Don Cossack is that they both had/have grade 1 from 2.5 to 3 miles and that SDC didn't appear to stay the gold cup trip. The pace that Vautour set in the King George looked pretty strong and Don Cossack was off the bridle, on a flat track, from the 4th last. He also came off the bridle earlier than you would have liked in the Kinloch Brae and to be honest I don't think either race should be filling people with confidence if they have backed him. From passing the starter to jumping the fourth last I have the leader of the KG at 288.88 seconds, whereas in the Feltham they got there in 298.28 seconds a total of 9.4 seconds slower. The visual impression of watching both races would also back the assumption of a fast pace up. From there to the finish in the KG was 73.36 seconds as opposed to 70.92  in the Feltham (only 2.44 seconds different) which I think points to the horses in the KG being a lot more tired at the end of the race. If Vautour does line up and and they ride Smad Place to be prominent or even challenge for the lead the likelihood of a strong gallop seems very possible and so over the extended trip I would be looking for a horse who plugs on at the end, a little bit like Djakadam or Don Poli, who would replicate the victories of Bob's Worth as I mentioned above, or Lord Windermere. Djakadam was clearly staying on better than Road To Riches last year and while people are saying RTR has good gold cup form I'm not sure he stays the trip either. The only reason I haven't backed Djakadam is that I'm still not completely convinced he likes Cheltenham having fallen on 2 out of 3 visits. DP seems priced about right to me at the moment and I am hoping the others in the market will shorten on the day pushing him out to 7 or 8 to 1, or even higher, as then I think he would be a very good bet.

A week to go until Don Poli does the business in the gold cup and I was thinking of starting a market on what the responses will be from his detractors.

8/11 it wasn't a vintage renewal of the race
6/4 the best horse hasn't won
7/1 the real (insert losing horse's name) didn't turn up today
100/1 it seems so obvious now that a horse who stays better than the others,goes on any ground, jumps like an absolute stag and has great previous festival form has won that race. I can't believe he has gone off at 2/1, that was some plunge on the day, I should really have filled my boots the week before when he was still 11/2.

where were you @Michrich couple of months ago, we would've had a real laugh! now we can't enjoy ourselves because its too close to the event and you might be right :) but nah the `Plod On I` will be a mile behind when the things start unfolding and you'll be left wondering why did you took 11/2 6/1 10/1 when his form pointed towards a Lord Windermere type of 33/1 50/1 or even 100/1

proving what? that he was a great price or that Poli is rubbish value? I don't believe this year's renewal will compete for the worst GC in the history like the `14 renewal so even at 33/1 i'll still be doubtful he's value to finish in the frame, unless he starts racing now with a week to go :)

I don't know from what you understood that I'm a best horse wins the race kind of guy, I even joked that you might turn out to be right and we can't make proper fun of your "responses from his detractors" post above because its too close to the event. I also mentioned the odds and the word value a couple of times and when I said LW type I made the comparison in the sense he's an outsider on form and should be 25/1 or bigger yet he's single odds. I won't lay you, my money is on the proper Don so I'm already laying the rest of the field. In an ideal world I would lay Poli at 100/1 win but in this world you'd simply trade it :)

If DP wins the GC then we will know he only does enough to win, and not a flash git like Vautour!

How did Elliot describe one of BC rides on DC at Cheltenham? Diabolical, was it not?

Im all over Don Poli and i hope to God BC chooses Cossack and Davy is on DP.