Opposing Thistkecrack in the Gold Cup!!!

yes i can see him being pressed coming down the hill.If he stands as far back at his fences as he did at Kempton,he'll have trouble at the infamous third last.
He's all about speed and lately Prominent runners have done well at the festival.But being all about speed isn't ideal for Cheltenham.Its all about digging deep up the hill.Some horse get their rythmn mucked up because of the undulations.He's a dodgy proposition at he price considering his jumping.Its open to argument if other horses press him,like Native River,whether he can have so much speed as to ignore their challenges.

The problem is that all those horses you mention 123 will not be able to live with Thistlecrack's change of pace.  There is more of a chance of Don Cossack making an error by straining to keep up with Thistlecrack than a horse such as Thistlecrack running within himself.

Yes the open ditches are a slight concern for Thistlecrack but Tom will be alive to that.

The only new factor I can see for Thistlecrack is the extra 3 furlongs but it is hard to see that being a negative.

laying it for sure

good advice pipe

did anyone see the dave yates ruk piece when he said anyone betting thistlecrack for GC needs to take up basket weaving ?

Evens is the best price, with most odds-on and one as short as 4/6; if it goes the same way here I'd be a layer as I believe the Gold Cup is a very different race to the King George, but subject to size of the field; my head keeps going back to Carvill's Hill.

I did not lay Thistlecrack in the KG but did have a saver on him at 10/1 to cover my bet on Cue Card at 5/2 and 2/1. But I'd be laying Thistlecrack in the Gold Cup here nearer to race day, earlier if a big field is anticipated; Thistlecrack was impressive in the KG (everything went right for him) but at odds-on and in a bigger field in the Gold Cup I'd be prepared to take a chance laying him.

The wisdom of running in the GC as a novice was seriously questioned in 2015 when Coneygree attempted it and won. If they had gone down the novice route, he would almost certainly never have won a Gold Cup. Thistlecrack dominates the division in a way that Coneygree never did.

If I remember correctly trainers used to have that opinion for the Triumph Hurdle ie 'too rough and tumble' for a 4 yr old, has that mentality changed now?

Thanks.

Thats pure conjecture though sage. There is an argument that running in the GC as a Novice has finished the horses career.


But he did run to his mark albeit in a 3 runner race at Sandown after the GC. Any race can bring on an injury when they have historically been plagued by them.

Thistlecrack has had back issues and he needs swimming frequently, but connections believe that his body just could not cope with the engine pre being fully physically matured. Now his body can cope with the V8 engine.

Coneygree is a relentless galloper. One can imagine the strain on his body.
Thistlecrack is like a sports car with a sensitive accelerator.

Hard to compare the two.

There are 2 sides to any decision and there will always be people who would argue the opposite. Just look at Brexit!!

Big oppose....he did not stay today's 3m Cotswold Chase - 3m 2.5f in the Gold Cup, even lesser chance, in my opinion.

Many Clouds was all out to get him and that hero stayed longer than the Clap.

Thistlecrack was beaten today by a horse that has won a National and a Hennessey - no shame in that for a novice and to say he did not stay is a bit harsh. Combined with a feeling that the trainer might have left a bit to work on I think anything over 2-1 is fair.

^ was just about to type similar.

In fact today's race was actually run over 3m 2f 28yds with the dolling out of the chase bends, last year's Gold Cup was 3m 2f 70yds (though it's usually 3m 2.5f) - either way he'll have to travel less than half a furlong further and probably on better ground.

There is a world of difference between not staying and being outstayed (by a head by an absolute warrior) - there was 17 lengths back to Smad Place in 3rd.

Just as there was an positive overreaction to his King George win, there is a corresponding negative overreaction to today's defeat - Thistlecrack - and his connections - probably learned more today than they did at Kempton, actually the way he was ridden reminded me a little but of Cue Card's defeat at Wetherby at the start of the season.

It does make for a better Gold Cup - the other market principles will stand their ground and connections of the the likes of Bristol De Mai and Champagne West will feel they have a squeak if the ground comes up soft.

RIP Many Clouds

imp, why are you still writing the wrong distances for the races despite explanations to the contrary?

Do you share incorrect factual information deliberately to wind people up?

THE GOLD CUP IS LESS THAN HALF A FURLONG FURTHER THAN TODAY'S RACE

TODAY'S RACE WAS MORE THAN 2 FURLONGS FURTHER THAN THE KING GEORGE

I'll refrain from Rafa Benitez mode.

you thought he ran over 3m today Imp. How can you place bets when you're not even in possession of the real facts. Basically, in that one post, you told everyone what a Guess you're having.

Many clouds is a proper stayer,and to just get beat by one does not mean that Thistlectack is non stayer,but it does throw questions as to why he got beat.
We are talking about a short priced Gold Cup fav here taking on a Grand National winner who in his pomp a few years ago was a good horse at Gold Cup type distances,but not a top class Gold Cup horse.
To me the staying should not have entered into it if Thistle was as good as the Gold Cup odds suggest,he should have had the race won before the Many Clouds stamina kicked in.
The fact that he did not.....if I were a Thistle backer,that is what would be concerning me.
Why?
Way he was ridden? Ground? Jumping? Combination of some/all of those?
Whatever way I look at it,a fair few question marks now for the price he is for the Gold Cup.