Interesting Shockster.

I think there are a lot in there who are not likely to improve on their rating - like Cue Card, Djakadam, Road to Riches, Don Poli.  I think there are some who are probably not good enough, like Alary, Taquin, Irish Cavilier, T42, Minella Rocco, More of That, Zabana and Blacklion.

That narrows down my shortlist to Thistlecrack, Native River, Bristol de Mai, Champagne West and Outlander.  I couldn't back Thistlecrack after his last run and his odds, I think Native River will pay the price for his very hard season come March, which leaves Bristol de Mai, Champagne West and Outlander at the prices vs the field.

There's usually one that outruns their price, and it might well be that Djakadam or Cue Card only need to run to their mark to win, but I'll take those three improvers that I mentioned above.

For betting purposes only , my shortlist is down to Cue Card , Djakadam and Champagne West.
The last named is fine if you are on at big prices. He still has a question mark over his jumping and could yet go for The Ryanair.
Imagine the roar if Cue Card and Thistlecrack were to meet the last fence together.

False alarm - only bots at work.

Could be a very contrasting weekend to several Gold Cup probables who are running in Britain and Ireland; one or two could increase their prominence in the betting, others possibly disappear all together.

Cue Card is a probable in the Ascot Chase next weekend over 2m 5f.

Hoping Bristol de mai will run another good race,got his ground so no excuses.
Should at least know if hes a player or not.

Yes mate,intriguing race.
Can see your points re Gold Cup trip,NR could well be more suited to it than BDM.
I do think BDM could well be the classier of the two, but he has to stay well to win the Gold Cup....we know NR does.

EMPIRE OF DIRT to win Gold Cup 1 this weekend, and shrink to 8/1 for Chelters.

Certainly liked the way he powered up the run in.

I'm in balls deep at 8s was raving about him even after Thistlecrack won the KG, korals are a stand out 11/2 can't say am not tempted to go in again

I think BDM just showed he is a tad overrated and that there are hcaps that we should take notice of and ones that we shouldn't.

Thistlecrack connections are going to have to commit to their horse staying and be positive, they will have to attempt to take NR out of his comfort zone earlier in the race and get him going a stride or two quicker than he likes, this will hurt him at the end.

If they allow him to set his own pace it will be bad news. Smad Place in the Hennessy compared to what SP had to do in the KG last year are good examples.

If Thistlecrack is the real classy horse that many think then he has to kill the opposition during the race like proper Grade 1 performers do.

I don't think that was BDM's running, but hard to see him reversing with NR if they meet again anyway.

NR was impressive - Le Mercurey would have been a little too close for my liking if I had backed him big for the Gold Cup, but in these small runner fields with muddling tactics, sometimes distances don't matter too much.

The way he powered clear after the last was impressive though.

I think BDM will be heading for the Ryanair. Not a bad e/w bet @ 12/1 NRNB with PP.

Well I won't be tearing up my BDM slip just yet as I still think that he repeats his jumping at Haydock in the Gold cup he's a big player.however jps like he did today he has no chance.

Not sure NR did anything today other than confirm he's still in good form. Le Mercurey, guys?????
Lacks the class to win a good Gold Cup, but this year's may well be highly moderate. Wouldn't have the class of a Djakadam (on all form so far) though Djakadam seems to have been under par since last year's Gold Cup.

Native River typifies everything you need to win a GC - he jumps for fun, bowls along in front and stays all day. In fact you really couldn't find a better horse to expose Thistlecracks weaknesses. I've thrown sentiment (+ a few Ante-post Thistlecrack vouchers) out the window and lumped on NR @ 9/2. GL

if they feared native river then what about minella rocco who thrashed native river last season over 4 miles last season at the festival ? he may not line up but 20/1 non runner no bet looks attractive to me and you have the insurance .

Imposs123

"And since the Cotswold the Gold Cup race will not be run at a crawl"

Not sure I understand - are you saying the Cotswold was run at a crawl?

I don't see any form that justifies Native River being the one to beat in the Gold Cup and i think that he is a false price.

He was off the bridle a long way out in the Hennessy against 150 types and was all out to hold on from Carole's Destrier with only 5lb more in his back.
In the Welsh National he was giving 17lb to a 139 rated 11 year old.
Then he beats Le Mercurey 151 in a 3 runner race. Bristol De Mai is obviously a one trick(Haydock) horse and is only a 150 rated animal anywhere else.

Native River is the horse that was outpaced in the 4 miler at the festival last year on good/soft. So given the chances of it being good/soft again on Gold Cup day what are the chances of him being outpaced again. The Hennessy was on good/soft ground and he was struggling to get away from 150 rated animals.

If it comes up soft he has less chance of getting outpaced but surely on good/soft even a less than fluent jumping Thistlecrack will be dancing all over him, and those suggesting Native River will set a searching gallop on good to soft are living in la la land, Native River will be scrubbed along from 3 miles as Tom Scu takes a tug.

People seem hung up on the Cotswald race on sticky ground due to the covers being on, not easy to jump out of and not easy to accelerate through. The Gold Cup will be on much better ground.

Le Mercurey has not finished a race off all season, i doubt very much Native River quickened at all but was the only one who actually finished the race and stayed on well.

He dictated the race against a horse that can't finish a race and another that was never put into the race, made a mistake 2 out and found zilch.

The ground for the Gold Cup will be similar to what Nativer River ran on in the Hennessy when he was struggling to get away from those 150 rated plodders.
Yes he is on an upward curve but he will still get badly outpaced on good to soft ground in the Gold Cup.