I'm taking my 2 daughters to see this.  Cracking race and I'll stick with Dynaste.  Part of me thinks this race will have him spot on for the KG, but this is massive in its own right.  You can't enter races like this unless you're A1.

Can't see Cue Card leading in a 3 miler. Will surely be raced quietly in an attempt to see out the trip better. Long Run to lead IMO

Tidal Bay don't get a long way back anymore,aint you noticed??

Don,t think I,ll boyher watching it now! am knackered!

He does a bit Budde!

Cue Card definitely didn't stay in my commentary

Yeh,he does come from off the pace of course but hes a lot closer during his races than he used to be,and plenty close enough to win.
As for cramped odds I saw mentioned,on his chase form last season,his fit from a run and what looks like rather soft groung,i aint sure 10 is cramped,in fact I think its value.

Dont know about that Rease, its hardly a race you could say somethings nailed on for a place under the circumstances and at the prices

Just watch the race imo

Just wonder how Saturdays race is going to impact on the King George, its not difficlt to envisage a real hard race for a few  and if you look at the market for the event there could be a opportunity to get a right price about something not in the field if you gfancy them

I don`t fancy Cue Card as a thorough 3 miler but you never know. I would however like to see him allowed to stretch out up with the lead otherwise he will be frustrated whilst restrained. He is not a hold up type i am convinced,they just need to bite the bullet he needs to get into rhythm to preserve his energy and allowed to enjoy himself.

yep, we might also learn whether Dynaste and Conti can be the 'real deal', if Tidal Bay can be a realistic Gold Cup contender at age of 13, and whether Long Run is regressing or if Wetherby was an aberration.

We also might not get definitive answers to any of those questions (agree we should get definitive answer to the Cue Card one, barring accidents)  - that's what makes it such a fascinating race.

I backed Cue Card antepost at 10s thinking the race would cut up a bit. If he stays he has to go close, but its a very big if.

Tempted to lay off now. Looks a absolute cracker and I'm gutted I'm not there to see it.

This is a VERY hard race to call. Almost a no bet race for me but will have to have a little dabble in this race of such quality. I think other people have summed it up well by saying i've not been this excited for a staying race since Denman and Kauto Star were in their pomp.

Bob's Worth - Obvious place to start and clear fav. He proved all the doubters wrong last season. His performance in the Hennessey and Gold Cup were brilliant and he was the deserved champion. Is he unbeatable though? He doesn't seem like he is bombproof like Kauto Star was for a large part of his career so I can see why people are looking for other options.

Cue Card - I love the horse. He's a true star and one of the best in training and really likable. I'd love to see him win this on Saturday. Head over heart though I don't think he can do it. He blunders and fences and has his own way of jumping some. This will be exposed more over 3 miles and 1 jumping error against a field of this quality and it could be curtains.

Dynaste - Good horse but not THAT good. I think he will be found out in this company. He will gain a lot of experience from a race like this and he is one for the future and may improve. Strictly for Saturday though I can't see him being in the first 3.

Long Run - Wetherby aside, 12/1 is a bit of a insult price for this horse. He's easily the clear value call from a ew perspective. Will probably run a good race again without being good enough. Got a great place chance though if Wetherby has not left it's mark.

Roi Du Mee - Not good enough for this field.

Silviniaco Conti - Filled in the substantial hole left at the Nicholls yard to an extent and performed really well last season. I backed him for the Gold Cup and watching it first time I thought he had been so unlucky and would have won the race had he not fallen. Having watched it back again and again though I'm not so sure. Would he have been able to hold off Bob's Worth and Sir Des Champs up the hill? Maybe not. His run at Aintree while forgivable at the end of a long season (Somewhere Denman flopped at before too) but still it did not make him stand out as elite. Whether people think Fehily is better than Jacob, you surely have to think that in a race so big Nicholls would put his number 1 jockey on board if he thought it had a big chance of winning no matter how he dresses it up to the press?

The Giant Bolster - Love the nutty fella but he's out of his depth in this class away from Cheltenham.

Tidal Bay - The old rogue certainly still has it but winning a betfair chase at the age of 12 against this sustained quality just won't happen. He's a star and a great servant of the national hunt game. He won't be good enough though in this race. Might run on to a place if he's lucky.

Verdict is that Bob's Worth will be VERY hard to beat and instead of looking for value elsewhere in such a good field, it may pay just to go with the obvious choice. Cue Card is interesting but jumping and stamina issues will probably let him down. Long Run also has his jumping problems, but they normally still allow him to at least get a place.

I'm going to go for Bob's Worth and have a small ew saver on Long Run at the prices. Long Run could almost be a free bet to nothing.

Colldogg,

Which part of Tidal Bays recent chase form tells you he will be lucky to place,and wont be good enough........Good luck with that!!
Or are  you just thinking hes too old??

well maybe age will catch up,but on all known form from last season their aint 3 better 3m 1f horses in the race,only 1 by my reckoning.
He beat Sir Des Champs in the Lexus,you think their are 3 better horses over 3m 1f than the Gold Cup runner up??
Form Evidence says that aint right.

I have no problem you having opinions of course,but to say he wont be good enough is a bit harsh imo, especially when you look at the formbook.

If Silviniaco does not win tomorrow i'd wonder if he is being trained for the King George.

Not sure why they've changed their minds tbh Budde.

The fences tomorrow have had 1.5 inches added to them. Going to need to jump impeccably all the way.

also gone for long run win and place at 15 or better on here ,1st poor run in around 3 years in charlie hall and scoped badly post race plus the mistake didnt help ,no stamina doubts a gold cup winner and 2 king georges and always seems to be better for his  his 1st run lof season ,looks decent value to me !

This is my take on the horses:

Bobs Worth - Always underestimated because he's a smaller than the average chaser and can make the game look hard work. However his attitude and engine are     unquestionable and his record left handed is unquestionable. He's the perfect example of how you want a racehorse and not a show horse. He'll be very hard to beat. My main play in the race. Ill be trying to get slightly bigger odds in play as he'll be making things look hard work during the first circuit whilst others wont.

Cue Card - For me a horse that needs good ground to be at his best and needs to be allowed to bowl along to jump at his best. If they hold him up tomoro I think the horse will make jumping errors and ruin his chance of being involved in the finish. If they let Cue Card bowl along I believe he wont quite stay. I dont think this is his race and the horse could be at ascot in a more suitable race. Also has been beaten by Bobs Worth over 2m4f and I dont see him reversing that form over 3m1f.

Dynaste - Clearly talented but from a form point of view I dont think he is going to be good enough. He's an eye catching traveller and will look to be going well for a long way. However up the home straight I think he will toil. I dont think the Aintree win proves he has the stamina for this his connections will also have one eye on the King George whereas other connections have no King George plans to worry about.

Long Run - I will forgive him his last run and he's record of making the frame is admirable. He'll strip fitter here as he needs the run first time imo. However has finished 2nd in this race the last 2 seasons and I think this is the toughest renewal he'll have faced yet. If your a fan get your money on in thr place market as I dont think he can quite win this.

Roi Du Mee - Needs a career best here and by some way. Sizing Europe has never stayed 3 miles and First Lieutenant ran to bad to be true last time and until proven otherwise I think he's flattered with that victory. He is the wild card here tho imo and if he runs a monster race we will be scratching our heads thinking what a price that was with a convincing victory of Sizing Europe and First Lieutenant last time out.

Silviniaco Conti - Has a huge chance based on the formbook alone. I will forgive him his below par run at Aintree last time as many a horse has ran below form there after being prepared for the Gold Cup. Last years winner of this. Will love the ground and has the class and stamina. Gun to my head though I dont think he'd have beat Bobs Worth in the Gold Cup. If Bobs Worth is beat this is 1 of 2 horses I think have some sort of chance of doing it.

The Giant Bolster - If its not at Cheltenham consider it a day out with this lad. Cant fancyhim at all.

Tidal Bay - If this horse was 10 years old and not 12 years he be half the price because the form book is outstanding over the last 5 runs since nicholls sweetened  him up. He hasnt been running like a horse rising 13 and therefore deserves maximum respect until he looks that way. He's form with Bobs Worth in the Hennessy coupled with his G1 win in Ireland beating the Gold Cup 2nd Sir Des Champs gives this lad the 2nd best form in this race imo. I wont be backing him to win but will be making sure I dont lose if Tidal Bay wins and will be placing a cover bet to cover my other 2 stakes.


Summary:

I'll be placing £100 Bobs Worth in running hoping and expecting to get 3/1.
I'll put £20 on Tidal Bay at around 10/1.

Good luck to all

Tizzard stable form still not great , nor Bridgwater as it happens.